Simple Crochet Shrug

Hopefully this doesn't look too frumpy and grandma-ish.  Even if it does, I don't really care because I love it!

It's this free pattern from Lion's Brand made with Homespun yarn in Painted Desert.  I love the colors, they go with anything.

And it's so warm!  I don't like wearing a bulky coat so I try to layer up when I'm going to be in and out.  So I'll add this to my layers.

A lot of patterns labeled as "beginner" turn out to be not so easy.  This one really is simple.

It's basically a big rectangle folded in half and attached in a couple of places.  Yep, that's it!

This is what I do while the Bassman's watching a game on TV.  This way we can relax and talk in the evenings and spend time doing something we both enjoy!

I'd love to make another one, but I better get busy on a prayer shawl.

Scratchy Bulky Scarf

My daughter likes bulky scarves.  I ran across this bulky scarf tutorial about the same time that she was shopping for an off white or cream colored scarf.  I was so excited about this, I told her I would like to try and make one!   The tutorial looked easy enough for a beginner like me.

I found the wool-ease yarn that the tutorial lady used, but not in the right color.  I went on down the aisle looking for other alternatives and ran across some soft Andes Alpaca yarn.  A friend of mine raises alpacas.  The yarn is so very soft, warm, and nonallergic.  Once she showed me nice, soft, warm socks made from the yarn.  I knew when I started learning to crochet that I wanted to eventually get some alpaca yarn and make a scarf.   Being in a rush to get this finished over Christmas break I didn't think there was time to contact my friend and get a source from her.  So I settled on the Andes Alpaca from Hobby Lobby.  It felt as soft as the woolease....until you put it on your neck.  It was so scratchy!!  I washed and dried it and that didn't help much at all!   What a pain in the neck.  Literally.

My daughter and I both liked the look of the yarn, it's kind of "hairy" looking.  Unfortunately, all that time was spent making this and it won't likely be worn.  I'm not even sure it can be used for anything else either!  I'm not happy about that, but I'm looking forward to finding a nice soft wool ease or real alpaca yarn so I can try this again!

Don't laugh if you see a lady in the store holding a skein of yarn up to her neck.  It's probably me.

Winter white lap afghan

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree....  Oh, the Christmas tree!!!  Decorating the tree has definitely taken the backseat to other more fun things this holiday season.  If I don't get the tree up the weekend after Thanksgiving, then it just gets attention off and on until I decide it's done.  It makes a difference when the kids aren't around to enjoy it too!

So instead of decorating the tree, my attention has been among other things on this prayer shawl.  It's more like a small afghan.

This is one of 2 stitches I have learned.  I can do this and talk to the Bassman while we're watching TV at the same time.  

If you're interested the stitch instructions are here.

Fall Shawl

The fall colors in the yarn section of the Hobby Lobby are just too hard to pass up!  But could I actually get something "completed" before fall was gone?   My list of unfinished projects seems to be growing...including my fall mantel.  It has one item on it...sad, I know.  But that's another post for another day.

The target date for completed afghans was this past Sunday when we prayed for those who will receive these.    We pray for healing and that somehow our God given talents and works of our hands could be used to comfort them and let them know they are being thought of whatever their situation.

This shawl was delivered today to a special lady named Mary.

God bless Mary!

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