Finding my Crochet Hook!

In my search to "Find Deborahrah" I am ridding myself of old habits, and embracing new ones... 

or better yet, remembering things I used to love to do...  like CROCHETING!
Grammy taught me when I was five years old, maybe to keep me quiet during her soap operas!
I would crochet for hours... chaining forever, then stitching it into circles for Barbie rugs.
I never ventured into more than afghans, but that was my gift of choice.
For some reason, after my second child was born, I stopped.
Didn't realize how much I missed it until this year.

I couldn't find my old hooks (of course) so I splurged on a whole new set of them.
So pretty and shiny... blue... rose... gold... purple... red... F, G, H, J, K...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/obajoo/3442936401/

 I had forgotten how obsessed I could become.  Totally obsessed.  

But if you have to have an addiction, this is a safe one, right?  

(Does anyone else hide their yarn purchases from their husbands?)

And thank goodness for Pinterest - when I find a project I want to try - I PIN it!

I no longer forget what I wanted to work on - it's all there on my 

Sew Sew and Crafty Stuff Pinterest Board!

I already feel much more organized, and some things are actually coming to fruition!

Today I finished some hot pads for a friend on my Facebook Page.  

We promised to send something "handmade" to five people.  

She has red in her kitchen, so I hope these will do!  

It is a pattern my grandmother used to make.  I never learned how before she died, 

and have been trying and trying to figure it out... then along came Pinterest and WOO HOO!  

I'm so excited to finish these - and can't wait to make a ton more for myself! 

I made them a little larger than a pot holder (9 x 9) 

big enough to put on the counter under a hot baking dish.
Would that be a Trivet?

You can make a little loop to hang them, but I chose not to...

Cotton Yarn is the best for this project... I used Sugar and Cream brand.
Thank you Kathleen - for the the best, most easily understood photos and instructions!

Miss Abigail's Hope Chest: Favorite Crocheted Hot Pads

 Then I found some instructions for making beanies and can't make enough of them!

They are fast and easy and everyone loves them.  Hard to keep up with the requests!

Still working on different sizes and lengths, but they are so much fun to whip up.

I am partial to the half double crochet stitch... I should probably branch out.

 Beanie Instructions Here 

I made some afghans for Xmas... Cardinal Red for my husband, deep purple for my stepmom...

but my favorite project this month is a blanket for the first granddaughter of a dear friend of mine.

When she said the room was "Linen with accents of Rhubarb" this seemed perfect!  

Lions Brand Homespun "Parfait" - and it went on sale a few weeks ago - good timing!

I love the way this yarn feels!  It is a little crazy to work with at first... 

and it sheds a little, which worries me a little with a baby... 

and I would never use it if I had to count my stitches, because your stitches are hard to see...  

But it is perfect for this pattern!  

It is so soft and lovely I can hardly wait to finish it for the shower!

 Corner to Corner Afghan

Love the way the variegated colors are creating their own colored rows...

This is my favorite "signature" stitch.  I learned it years ago in the lunchroom at ADP.

For some reason I hate crocheting row after row of the same stitch,

but this pattern I could make forever... and I have... and will continue to do so!

I'm in yarn Heaven - I'm such a geek...

Oh and by the way... I found my old crochet hook!