A Simple Dishcloth Pattern

Mellie's Crochet Dishcloth and Hermione's Socks

This is one of my favorite crochet dishcloth patterns. It's called Mellie's Crochet Dishcloth. The terms used are American.

Cotton yarn and H hook

Chain 27

Row 1: SC in 3rd chain from hook, DC in the next, [SC, DC] all the way across. SC in last stitch
Chain 1, turn.

Row 2: DC in SC [SC DC] across. Chain 1 and turn.

And this is how you will keep the pattern up for the rest of the cloth. You'll be doing a DC in each SC, and a SC in each DC, with 1 chain at end.

When you've reached around 22 rows or so, (depending on your tension), you should have a square.  Finish off your yarn, and it's ready to use!   

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Christmas Crafts

 
I finished a couple sets of the Christmas pot holders. They still need to be blocked and listed on Etsy. They are so easy to crochet. I plan to use the leftover yarn to make a few simple drawstring soap bags that double as washcloths. I like having something easy to work on when I'm in a group.  The bag below is a yarn holder for a center pull ball of yarn. The pattern is called Handy Dandy Sock Yarn Bags. It's listed under with her free patterns, under Crochet. 

I have been busy filling Etsy orders. I need to print up some more Christmas labels for my soaps.

The mauve lace curtains arrived! I am very pleased with them. They look so old fashioned, and fit in beautifully with the vintage furniture and antiques. My mom would approve. They let the sunlight stream in, yet provide privacy during the day.  I will need to find something to put over them in the evenings. For now, I'm using the old balloon shades. They are a bit tattered, but I mended them. My German Shepherd, Carlie, had ripped through them during an anxiety attack. She used to be so frightened of storms. She would literally climb the walls. (and try to jump out of windows.) She finally settled on crouching in the bathtub. I miss her.

After hearing the news of my friend Kate's death, I felt like I was moving through mud.  I've been making an effort to cook quick, healthy meals. Last night that was pan fried filet mignon, (bought on sale,) brussells sprouts, and baked potatoes. Because of the grief,  the smallest tasks seemed to take so much effort. Today is much easier.  I have been writing about her, and that is helping. I even sat and watched a few psychic and medium shows on Youtube. It sounds funny, but it was comforting. I hope you are doing well. 

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Crocheting Christmas Pot Holders

The other day I picked up some red, green, and variegated Christmas yarn at Walmart. It's their kitchen cotton in worsted weight. I was there buying soap supplies. I make these hand crocheted pot holders every year as gifts. My family and neighbors love them. They are an easy and quick project. The pattern is here on my blog somewhere. I will have to find it and post a link.

Today I had my toilet fixed. It hadn't been flushing properly. The plumber said that the water level was low, and that the flapper was damaged from the hard water. He rebuilt the toilet for me, and did a beautiful job.  It's  working perfectly now. The suction is amazing.  It is such a load off of my mind to have it flushing properly again. I love home maintenance. It's so rewarding.

When he wrote up the invoice, he gave me a 10% discount. I was a little sad that I look like a senior at age 54, but really appreciated the 10% off of the bill. That saved me $25.00! I am determined to be happy and grateful about getting older. I think trying to look young is a waste of energy. I need to start getting used to being seen as a senior citizen. It's wild...everyone looks so young to me now. It's an interesting shift in perception. How do you feel about getting older and becoming, (or being,) a senior?  

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Pastel Baby Booties

After finishing the crocheted stroller blanket for my friend's grandson, I decided to whip up a pair of matching baby booties. I love the variegated yarn, and thought it would look cute with a lavender chained tie. I had that yarn in my stash, as well.  This was my first time making booties. I found a simple pattern on the Paton's website. They are very quick and easy. It reminded me of making adult slippers, but in a miniature size. These will fit a baby who is six months to a year.

Here is  a closer shot of them. I packed them up and sent them off with the blanket and socks this afternoon. It felt so good to get everything in the mail. I can't wait to see a photo of the baby in them! He isn't due until October.

I made a batch of Rosemary Olive Oil Soap for Pink Cottage Soaps. This is part of an order that's going to New York. I had a problem with a partial gel and tunneling in my last batch, so this time I popped the loaf right into the freezer. I like the look of this soap recipe when it's sliced. You can see the flecks of dried rosemary in the pieces that way.  I'll post photos tomorrow, once it's cut.  I'm enjoying using this silicone mold (mould) that I bought on Brambleberry.  I worried when I bought it that I wouldn't get much use out of it. I was wrong. It's very well made, and I love it for the swirled colorful soaps, and those made with dried  herbs.

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Finished the Baby Blanket and Had the Septic Tank Pumped

I finished the baby blanket this afternoon. It's so soft and sweet. I love the color. You can find the pattern here. I just love it! I am excited to mail it to my friend. I may crochet him a pair of baby booties, as well. They look pretty easy and quick.

I love the variegated shell border. I had the solid blue yarn in my stash, but bought the variegated yarn to make it special. I love the Easter egg pastels next to the robin's egg blue. I think my friend will be very pleased. She does a lot of babysitting for her grandson. Her daughter is a nurse, and  works long hours.

I had my septic tank pumped today. I had to hire a separate person with a camera to locate the tank. It was an expensive ordeal, but very worth it. Unfortunately, the camera person tried to overcharge me. I did some research on line, and showed him my calculations. Although he agreed to drop the price, and refunded me $700.00, I still was overcharged $600.00. It's unfortunate that some repairman will take advantage of a homeowner who is a female. I had called several companies, and they weren't responding.

In retrospect, I should have listened to my intuition, and insisted on a detailed, written estimate. He was acting like there were problems with two other tanks, and that wasn't true. 

I did a lot of research on line, and found out that I had taken excellent care of my septic tank. The problems the man with the camera was describing were fictitious. I didn't have any of the signs that would indicate they were true. The tank was clean and dry, and the water level was normal. He told me that the tank was full of water, and acted like it was an emergency. It turns out it is supposed to be full of water. The men draining the tank gave me an honest assessment. 
 
It was another lesson in home ownership. It's so important to do your due diligence. Fortunately, the tank is now emptied, and I have a new cap with a riser. It's easily accessible. It feels so good to have it done. I am so glad that I had that emergency fund. Next time I will schedule this with my other repairs. It should be fine for at least another five years.       

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Another Baby Blanket and Cool Evenings

I started a baby blanket today. It's going to be  for my friend's grandson. He is due in October. This is the stroller blanket that I usually crochet for gifts. I had the yarn in my stash. One of the ladies I used to knit with gave me several balls of baby yarn that she didn't need. It's so nice to have a variety of colors and wool available for gifts. It saves me money,  and provides hours of enjoyment. I had forgotten how meditative crocheting is. It really relaxes me.

The Hermiones Socks are coming along well. I completed the gusset today. Now it's smooth sailing. I just need to finish the foot and the toe, and then will do the second sock.  It's a different toe  than I have done in the past. Following the pattern will make me think. Sometimes I like doing patterns I know well, because it is pretty stress-free. I try to keep a balance of challenging projects and easy, simple knits. I still need to finish that Carbeth sweater. Some of the knitters on Ravelry were knitting it in four days. I just can't deal with alpaca when the temperature has been over 100 degrees. I think I'll wait till it's cooler. No wonder I was calling it Carpark.

The evenings have been cooler. I enjoy sitting out on the patio and watching colors of the sky shift and change. Each time I exercise Lula,  I walk by my neighbor's  horses and goats.  It gives a nice feel to our street to have farm animals. So many of the residents have chickens. You can hear the roosters crowing each morning. I love the sound of the hens squawking after they lay their eggs. It's the perfect natural  music to listen to as I drink my morning coffee. How are things with you?

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Setting and Reaching Long Term Goals

This afternoon I went through a stack of mail and  papers that needed to be sorted. It's always a relief to  get that done. To save paper and time, I arranged for my health insurance premiums to be paid online.  As I read through the receipts and lists, it was interesting to see which goals  had been reached. There was a note to make a submission to Dance Magazine. There were also some handwritten pages on Tommy Tune's show. It's funny to look back and see things before their inception. Everything we create starts with the seed of an idea. We have to take concrete steps in order to reach the goal. It won't happen if we just imagine or talk about it.  Action is the key. "Act, or you will be acted upon," my father always taught me.

Twenty years ago, when I first bought my cottage, my dream was to grow my own fruits and vegetables. Earlier today, as I was picking some of the blood oranges out in the orchard, I realized that my vision has come true. I have had fresh fruit since October of 2017. It's mostly citrus, but I still find it very exciting. I am getting to the point of having garden fresh fruits and vegetables all year long. It's interesting how much planning and preparation it takes. Right now there are strawberries that are beginning to ripen. The blood oranges and grapefruit will be at their sweetest in May, and then I will have apricots. It's a wonderful feeling to anticipate the crops that you will be picking for each month. The Valencia oranges ripen in the summer. They are very sweet, and make absolutely delicious juice.

Here are a few more of my projects. I finished another set of the crocheted pot holders. I like to keep a stash of them for gifts. The pattern is free on my blog. It's a great way to use up leftover kitchen cotton yarn. This yarn was given to me by a woman in one of my knitting groups. As a thank you, I gave her a dishcloth and some homemade soap.

I have been working on the sleeve of my Carbeth sweater. This is the early ribbing. I got a lot more done on it this afternoon. It's a relaxing and easy knit. I've been sitting outside on the new patio gliders. They are so comfortable and luxurious. I'm sure they are going to get daily use. It feels like I'm at a restaurant when I'm outside.

The fourteen pack of Tofutsies sock yarn arrived in the mail today. I can't wait to get started on another pair of Winwick Mum's Easy Lace Socks! I will see if I can hold out and finish the sweater before beginning another project. I don't like to have too many things going at once. There's a lot of work to be done in the garden right now. How are you?

Thank you for your comments. I love reading them; they add so much talent and enthusiasm  to the blog. Please comment in English. I'm sorry, but comments with links will not be published. If you enjoy the posts here, please share them. Thank you for visiting.
         

An Afternoon of Crochet

I worked on this little sock yarn bag this afternoon, and got it completed. I used up some leftover wool from my stash. I absolutely love the result! They are so cute, and really fun to make. The pattern is called Handy Dandy Sock Yarn Bags. It's on the yellow pink and sparkly blog. www.yellowpinkandsparkly.blogspot.com. You can also find it as a free pattern on Ravelry.  It's called Crochet Sock Yarn Bags.

This is what they look like in the early stage, after making the base.

I used it when it was partially completed as a candle holder. I really like the effect. These would make sweet little  Christmas gifts.

The irises and amaranths are blooming in November. It was nice to take a break in the garden.

There are still several  chocolate chip cookies leftover from baking the other day.

Here is the finished bag. You chain to make a drawstring. I can't wait to make another one.   

Finished the Shawl

Yesterday I finished the Lost In Time shawl. I blocked it and it fits. (Just kidding. That's a little knitting humor.) I wore it today while knitting with a wonderful librarian from South Africa. I so enjoyed chatting with her. The time flew by...we looked at the clock and two hours had already passed.

I stopped by Creative You to show the shawl to my knitting teacher, Yuko Frederick. I had taken a private lesson with her in crochet to understand the pattern. She took this photo for me. This is our local yarn shop. They are located in Canyon Country, California. They do a lot of on line sales. Look at all of those luscious yarns! We are so lucky to have this place. It's only a mile from my cottage.

Hope you are having a great weekend!

Taking Knitting and Crocheting Lessons

Yesterday morning I finished the socks. I forgot to take a photo of them until after they were wrapped. Later on that afternoon, I decided to begin the Lost In Time shawl pattern on Ravelry. It's a free one.  I had  admired it for a while, and wanted to try using some Noro Silk Garden yarn from my stash for it. I bought it at Creative Ewe in Canyon Country.  I thought the earth tones would look pretty in the pattern. I've never crocheted a shawl before, I've only knit them.

As I started the first couple of rows, I got confused. I was working in the round, and I knew that must be wrong. I booked an afternoon private lesson at our local yarn shop, Creative Ewe. I'm lucky that I only live a mile away from them. It really comes in handy if I need to buy a set of needles, or if I need a professional's help in understanding a pattern.  I brought a linen/cotton tank top that I had knit with me. A few nights before my dog Carlie died, we were playing a game of frisbee out in the backyard.  She had gotten overly excited, and she jumped up, trying to grab the frisbee. She ripped a few holes in my tank with her nails. I had tried to figure out how to fix it at home, but my eyes were glazing over as I stared at it. Yuko showed me how to catch the dropped stitches, and she placed them on stitch markers. She then was able to recreate the knitted stitches with the yarn by threading it through with a sewing needle, and stitching through the fabric. It looks excellent. I love the feeling of having something fixed. I had just washed a couple of those tops, and had laid them flat to dry. They are such a great basic to wear here in the summer. The cotton/linen yarn is airy and light. It breathes nicely, and it doesn't pill. I've had these tanks for several years, and they still are in really good shape. I wear them all the time. I knit four of them, in different colors. The yarn is Araucania Lontue; it's hand dyed. I bought it at Creative Ewe in Canyon Country. It's been discontinued, but it's lovely yarn.

Yuko helped me get going on the Lost In Time Shawl. It was really tricky for me. I had to get used to the coordination and method of crocheting a shawl. I was skipping the first stitch, which isn't how this pattern is written. You work in the first stitch. I was also struggling at the end of the row, when doing the last stitch. That's where the increases happen, and it felt crowded and confusing to me. If I count and check my work on each side, it makes sense. Now that it's growing, I can see the progression. I didn't expect it to be such a challenge. The pattern looks simple, but I've had to plod through it, slowly. I'm constantly comparing the sides  and checking the stitches and spaces. It will be good for my technique. It's probably not something I'll be able to do in a group, though. It takes a lot of focus.

I made some nice meals over the weekend. I took a bag of meat bones out of the freezer, and used them for a stock. I added pearled barley, vegetables, and herbs. I love the way the barley soaks up the liquids in soups. It's such a magical grain! I've always loved it. I bought a large bag of it at Sprouts. Soup is so nourishing and comforting. Cold weather foods are so nurturing. I also bought a steak on sale. It was marked down by $6.99, so I splurged. It was absolutely delicious! I had it with a baked potato. It brought back memories of my mom's cooking. Half of it is still in the fridge to have for dinner tonight. This time I'll make a salad, too.

For dessert, I baked some oatmeal cookies from scratch. They taste delicious. It's getting to be that time of year. It's so much fun to be cooking and baking again. It makes me  feel grounded and happy to be at home. This morning I dropped off some clutter to the local thrift shop. There is more to do, but it's a start. The garden is doing so much better in this weather. It's like the plants have heaved a sigh of relief. I'm looking forward to the citrus ripening.  How was your weekend?         

A Very Relaxing Weekend Gardening

I had a wonderful weekend. I made a real effort to slow down,  enjoy the days off, and to spend time in nature. Saturday I planted most of the snapdragons and begonias. I went to a neighbor's garage sale, and bought a few things from him for the garden.  For $13.00 I got two used gardening tools: a long handled metal rake and a hoe. I also bought a potted loquat tree. There was a baby loquat tree in the soil with it, as well as a small rose bush. The pot was kind of heavy for me, because of my replaced hips, so I wheeled it home on my Burley Travoy shopping cart/bike trailer. I hesitated to purchase it a few years ago, because of the price. It's an expensive and  very quality bike trailer. Boy has it come in handy! I use it all of the time. It's so much better than lugging things around,  and straining my back, like I used to do.

The weather has been glorious. It's such a relief not to be barely existing in that sweltering heat that we were having. I hope this weather lasts. It's heaven! I scooped up  some of my homemade compost from the backyard, and brought it into the front garden. After digging some holes for the transplants, I added water, compost, and soil from my neighbor's pot. There is such a difference in the consistency of our soils. I combined them together. His holds moisture much better than mine does.

The sunflowers look spent, so I will be pulling up the last of those today. I planted some more amaranth seedlings that had come up from my compost pile. Some of them are as tall as I am! They are quite impressive. I love them, because they reseed themselves, they are easy to grow, and they can handle our brutally hot temperatures. The birds like them, too. One of my neighbors asked me as he walked by,  "Stephenie, what are the red ones?" I explained that they are actually a grain, used in cereal, and gave him some seeds. He's an excellent gardener. I also harvested some berries off of a mystery volunteer plant. It turns out they are choke berries. They taste absolutely delicious! They remind me of a cross between a blueberry and a blackberry. One of the forest teas that I drink has them listed as an ingredient. I recognized the photo of the flower, and that's how I figured out what they were. I didn't want to be eating something that was poisonous! They have a lovely little white star shaped flower, too. They are so easy to grow. It's amazing how many attractive and unexpected plants from seed  land in my garden. I think the birds spread them. I also planted the paw paw tree that grew from  my compost. It looks very green and happy.

On Saturday afternoon I went to a crochet group that meets at our local library. There were just a few of us there. It was nice to chat, have a cup of tea, and work on some socks. They will be a gift for the knitter who gave me so much beautiful yarn.   

Yesterday I took Lana and the neighbor's puppy on another hike. There are some great new trails in our area. We took a lovely drive through Sand Canyon, too. I came home and spent a lot of time reading. It was so relaxing, and it felt good to be home at the cottage. I pulled up the balloon curtains so that I could see the snapdragons in the window boxes. I love that look.  How was your weekend?

Finished the Pink Baby Blanket

This afternoon I finished the pink baby blanket. The pattern is frommoderngracedesign.blogspot.com. Now all I have to do is weave in the ends. The customer who bought it supplied the yarn. She chose a variegated shade for the border; it's quite pretty. Color makes such a difference in hand knit and crocheted items.  I normally edge  these with a solid pink or blue yarn, but I really like the way hers came out, it's subtle.

I had a nice weekend. I took my neighbor's dog for a hike on Saturday. I think it was her first time going, and she loved it. I've been picking her up each morning and taking her for a run alongside my bike. She is so enthusiastic and appreciative. It's really sweet. I brought a recycled plastic cup, and poured her some water to drink after our hike. She acted like I'd given her the world. I lowered the driver's side window of my Beetle as we drove home. She rolled over on her back and stretched out as if to say, "This is the life!" She's a wonderful dog.

It was such a relief to have Hurricane Irma pass.  I didn't realize how much I had been dreading it. My family and friends in Florida and other areas that were hit are all okay. I had been bracing myself for very bad news, and I didn't realize how tired and drained that had made me feel.  There was so much fear and dread with the media and the predictions.

Dear Lana has stopped eating, and I am afraid that she won't be with me much longer. It's hard to imagine life without her. She's ten. She has sores that aren't healing, in spite of being on antibiotics several times. She also has a lump on her leg. I have been talking to her quietly, and I think it is her time. She put her paw on my  hand, as if to thank me and give me comfort. She has been the sweetest and most conscientious dog that I have ever had. I am enjoying each minute that I  have left with her. She is still going for walks, enjoying her treats, and she perks up when she sees the puppy.  How are you?  Did you make it through Hurricane Irma  okay?       

Blocking a Baby Blanket

This morning I finished the baby blanket. Ah...such a great feeling. For the border, I used some pale pink yarn that I had left over from a baby hat that I made years ago. I wasn't sure how it would look. I like the contrast of the  pale pink on the powder blue. It's nice, because all of the yarn that I used was just sitting in my stash. I still have have enough  baby yarn  to make another one! This one is going to a friend of mine's new baby grandson. She is from a family of knitters.


This morning I took an early morning hike to beat the heat. Later on, I sat out on the porch with a cup of coffee, my crocheting, and the dogs. I love the shell stitch. It looks so pretty, yet it's very easy and repetitive. The shape of it is so soft against the clustered crocheted pattern. After weaving in the ends with a tapestry needle, I filled my bathroom sink with water, and plunged the baby blanket into it. I let it soak for about twenty minutes.

Once I had squeezed out the excess water, I put it into my Nina Spin Dryer. I love this tool. It saves me so much time. It really sucks out a tremendous amount of moisture from your hand knit and crocheted items. Look at all of that water in the bowl! It always amazes me. I feel like having this spinner has really made me  able to produce like a professional knitter. Things dry so much faster, and I don't have to leave them laying out in my cottage for days. I can get things mailed off to my customers so quickly.

I shaped the blanket and laid it flat to dry on an old towel. The dampness evaporated very quickly, in an hour or so. I always wonder if it's necessary to block acrylic. I do it, anyway. I smoothed my hands over the top,  and adjusted the corners. I'm really pleased with how it turned out; the colors work well together. This can be given to a baby boy or baby girl. What do you think?      

 

Reducing the Number of Knitting Projects

Yesterday I realized that I really need a day of rest each week. I forget to do that, since I'm not driving to teach anymore. I go nonstop with my blogging and Etsy shop, and often forget what day it is. When I was a professional dancer, we always had Mondays off each week. We really looked forward to the "dark nights" at the theater, and so did our tired bodies. As a dance and yoga teacher, I scheduled my classes five days a week. I had my two off days split up, which I really liked. It was a relief to just cook, rest, read, and relax. The body needs down time, so does the mind.

I realized after my last post that I was getting bogged down by having too many knitting and crocheting projects. I looked over the pattern of the knitted knockers, and noticed that I had made an error. I repeated the second row, and you are supposed to alternate the first and second row. So, I ripped it out, and balled the yarn. That's one less project for now. I can start it again, correctly, later in the week. I really breathed a sigh of relief, subtracting that  project.  I didn't realize how those unfinished items were affecting me. It's kind of like having too many pets. I read an article once that said one of the characteristics of bipolar people is that they have lots of unfinished projects. Now I can see why. It's so stressful.

I blocked the pieces to the cotton sweater, and started working on the hand seaming. It's a clever design, with a neck band that you graft with kitchener stitch in the back. I use this technique to seam  the toes of my socks, so I'm familiar with it. I listened to a podcast yesterday while sewing in one of the armholes. That was a mistake. I went on automatic and accidentally did the backstitch on the right side. When I realized it, I felt very disoriented. It surprised me, because I have knit numerous sweaters. I really need to focus on what I'm doing, though. I also misunderstood the pattern, and sewed the front pieces on the wrong sides. It looked correct, but it wasn't. So, I spent a lot of time yesterday backtracking. Ripping out backstitch with this thick and thin yarn is a little tricky, but I did it. I'm not going to do any more knitting until I finish this sweater. I have sneaked in some time on the powder blue crocheted baby blanket, though.  It's really coming along nicely. I am excited to list it in my Etsy shop. I love the pale blue yarn and the clusters in the pattern. The yarn was given to me by a knitter who said that  she didn't need it. It feels good to make use of it and create something beautiful.

Yesterday I mopped the floors with my homemade liquid soap, and then did a rinse with hot vinegar water. The whole cottage has a different vibration when the floors are clean. It feels nice. How about you? What have you been up to lately?

Fixing Mistakes on a Knitting Project

Yesterday I avoided working on my cotton sweater. I had noticed that some of the stitches that I had placed on a stitch holder had fallen off.  I was afraid to see the damage. I was hoping I could just put them back on with a crochet hook, yet I couldn't seem to face looking at it.  I  imagined a big mess, and worried that it would be difficult to fix and understand. Instead, I calmly crocheted the baby blanket. It's simple, familiar, and comforting. I felt guilty about slipping into procrastination and avoidance on the sweater. This is why I only usually have one or two projects. Now I have three, (well actually, four,) which I'll explain later.

At about 7:45 this morning I drove down to the mechanic to drop off my car. He's just a mile from my cottage. He told me to leave the car in the morning, so I showed up a little before 8:00 a.m. They weren't open yet, which surprised me. I drove a little further to the grocery store and picked up some cantaloupe, limes,  and pineapple. I went back, and they were still closed. Fortunately, they have a drop box where you can leave your key and fill in the information on the envelope for your car. I used that and then crossed the street to wait at the bus stop. The bus showed up about five minutes later. There was a big truck blocking the sign, so I walked out on to the highway and waved at the driver. He thanked me when he pulled over to the side of the road. The bus drivers all know me, because I usually have my bicycle. There aren't many  52 year old women in Los Angeles who ride around town on a bicycle and take the bus! Ours have racks on the front that fit two or three bikes. 

Once I got home, I took a closer look at the sweater. I was easily able to fix the dropped stitches, and put them securely on a cable with stoppers. One of my Knitpicks circular needles had come apart, so I reattached it with some Elmer's Wood  Glue. I am going to work on that sleeve again this afternoon. I ran out of yarn yesterday, and tried to cheat by cutting off the long ends I had intended to use for seaming. I tried using them to finish the last four or five rows, but  it didn't work. Instead, yesterday afternoon I went to the yarn shop and bought  one more skein of yarn. I met with a group called Knitted Knockers and learned how to do Magic Loop technique. We are making hand knit prosthetics for local breast cancer survivors. They are quite beautiful. I'll write more about that on Monday. How are your creative projects coming along?   

Crocheting a Baby Blanket

Today I started crocheting a baby blanket for my Etsy shop. I was given the yarn by a knitter who said that she wasn't going to use it. It's powder blue, and it's a huge ball. I wound it by hand this afternoon. It took me quite a while. I was glad I did, because towards the end of the skein, the yarn was tangled. I had to carefully weave in and out repeatedly to keep from cutting the yarn. It's nice to know that I won't run into problems while using it. This is why I never work from an unwound skein or hank.

I'm using a pattern that I found on a simple living forum with a link to a blog. It's a real nice one. It's easy to memorize, and has a nice rhythm. It has single crochets, half double crochets, and double crochets. I like the look and feel of it. Crocheting has always relaxed me. I feel like it's looser, and easier, than knitting. It brings out a different side of my personality. It makes me feel calm and  laid back, (which I'm generally not.)

I watered the plants this morning, washed my sheets, and made an appointment to have my car window fixed. This is my first car with electric windows, and this is the second time I've had to replace one. It gets expensive. It will feel good to get it done, though.  I don't like having things broken or in need of repair. It's depressing.

I almost finished knitting my cotton sweater yesterday, and then ran out of yarn. I only have about seven rows left, but will have to buy an extra skein. At least the yarn shop is near my cottage, and they have the same dye lot in stock. I guess that's why knitters advise buying an extra skein of yarn when you knit a sweater. Once I finish the pieces, I can block them, and then sew the sweater together. How is your knitting coming along?      

Easy Crochet Vintage Pot Holder Pattern

This is a pattern for pot holders that my neighbor taught me. It is a great project for the beginning crocheter. I have been giving these as gifts for many years, and they are always well received. They have a double thickness, and can be made with one color or several, it's up to you. They are a fun and quick project for using up leftover kitchen cotton yarn.

Materials
2 skeins of worsted weight cotton yarn (2.5 oz./70.9 g each)
1 G or H crochet hook
1 tapestry needle

ch: chain
sc: single crochet (American) 

Leaving a long tail, (about the length of your arm,) loosely chain 60. You can also use a  larger hook for the chains, and then switch back to the G or H hook. This works well for people who are new to crocheting if they crochet tightly. Join in the round in the back of the first ch with a sc. Continue to sc in each ch in the round so that you are making a tube. The connection will look slightly off. It will be fine later when you whip stitch the pot holder together.

Fold the pot holder so that the tail is at the edge of the diagonal. You can check it this way a few times. Once your ends meet together nicely, break the yarn and leave a long tail. Whip stitch the diagonal seams on each side. Weave in the ends. Block and dry flat. 

I love this pattern because it's repetitive and simple. I like it for knitting groups, traveling, or when waiting my turn at appointments. Please let me know if you try it. I would love to see a photo of your project!