Warmth of Spirit

One of my dearest friends had a birthday recently and I decided it was finally time to make her a gift I have been planning for a while.

During my last stash reorg, I came across a few skeins of this lovely wool that my mother passed on to me. They complimented each other perfectly and together make up a very nice and mature representation of the school colors of TCU, my alma matter and that of my friend. She is big into football, especially TCU football, so I thought these would be perfect to make her a hat and fingerless mitts to wear to games.

Go Frogs! Set by Cori 2012.

Go Frogs! Hat by Cori 2012.

This kind of gives you an idea of how it fits.

Pattern: Really Easy Slouchy Beanie by Jennifer DiMaria (available for free at her blog).
Yarn: Patons Classic Wool Merino in Royal Purple and Gray (one skein each)
Hooks: US G and US H

I did make the hat a little shorter than the pattern calls for, because I don't know that my friend would particularly care for a hat that slouchy. The other modification was to use two colors, and I just switched to the grey when I got to the band (and changed to the smaller hook).

Go Frogs! Mitts by Cori 2012.

These are super soft and warm, y'all.

Yarn: Patons Classic Wool Merino in Royal Purple and Gray (one skein each)
Hook: US J

I don't have a pattern for these. I looked at several but couldn't find any I was happy with so I just kind of winged it, mimicking the color scheme for the hat.

Overall I am really happy with how these came out and my friend seemed to like them a lot. I actually  have enough yarn left over that I could probably make a matching scarf for her. I just need to get off my tush and do it. Maybe that will be a good post-holiday knitting project.

Speaking of the holidays, I'm taking them off from blogging. So no new posts for the next two weeks. I'll be back on January 7 (with yarn blogging starting up again on January 9). I hope everyone has a very wonderful holiday season, whatever you are celebrating! See you in 2013!

Warmups

You know, taking November off from blogging worked out nicely for me. It means that I have a nice backlog of finished projects that I can show off in December without tipping off too much of my holiday knitting. I approve of this heartily.

Today I've got one for you that a friend asked me to make for her daughter.

Legwarmers by Cori 2012.

Pattern: Little Girls' Knit Legwarmers by Smashed Peas and Carrots (pattern available for free)
Yarn: Bernat Softee Chunky in True Grey (2 skeins)
Needles: US 5

I ended up using the exact yarn mentioned in the pattern because my friend requested black or dark grey and this was the only one of either in sight. Because of the thick yarn and the smaller needles, this worked up into a very thick fabric. I didn't particularly care for the feel of it, I'll admit, but I think with a few washings they will be super soft, and they will definitely be very warm.

They worked up pretty quickly and I do really like the pattern. I think if my daughter ever decides she wants legwarmers I'd use this one again, though I might look for a different yarn.

Also, I ended up buying three skeins just to be on the safe side because the pattern didn't really specify how much yarn was needed. It barely took over one skein for the legwarmers, so I used the extra to whip up a matching hat and scarf.

I crocheted these instead of knitting them, in the interest of time. I used a size US K hook and just kind of winged them. I will say I enjoyed working with this yarn a lot more when it wasn't so tightly stitched together.

All in all, I am pretty happy with how these turned out, and my friend seemed pretty excited as well. These will definitely come in handy for keeping her daughter warm this winter!

Roundup

Happy Halloween, everyone!

Got a few quick projects done this past week.

A few more ewoks, for starters.

The pattern is by Etsy designer Lucy Ravenscar and can be purchased here. I used the small hook for these guys again (E), though I did end up going up a hook size to G for the second two hoods. As you can see on the bottom one, the hood with the size E hook didn't really fit the ewoks. I only made bigger hoods for two of them though because my daughter had already claimed the first one. I ended up letting her keep it since these are a surprise for someone anyway and they won't be expecting a set number.

She was just so sad when I told her the ewoks weren't for her. I couldn't resist, especially after she dug out her Princess Leia for the ewok to play with.

I also made a little fall housewarming gift for my stepmother, that I will be sending her way this week.

Pumpkin Bowl by Cori 2012.

Pattern: Crochet Pumpkin Treat Bowl by Meredith Crawford (available for free at her blog, One Sheepish Girl)
Yarn: Knit Picks Brava in Orange, remnant green and brown
Hooks: US G, US H

This was super quick and easy. I did it in an evening. I did end up using a different leaf pattern (kind of just winged it, actually) because I got a little confused by the pattern provided for the leaf. I am pretty sure that was just my ineptitude though.

Anyhoo, so that's what I've been up to.

I will not be updating with any more projects again until December, since National Novel Writing Month kicks off tomorrow. I will still be working on stuff though when I am not writing, so hopefully once I start posting again, I will have lots of things to show you. In the meantime, if you're curious about what I am working on, I'll be keeping (or at least trying to keep) the current project list over on the left side of the blog updated for you.

My goal is to get that dang shawl finished before I start posting again, too. Fingers crossed.

Until then, have a happy November, you guys!

Ooh, Shiny

Got another project done this week. I am pretty pleased with it, too!

Lyrium Scarf by Cori 2012.

Closeup of pattern detail.

Pattern: Ravenna Scarf by Julie Armstrong Holetz (available for purchase from Knit Picks).
Yarn: Nerd Girl Yarns Shimma in colorway Stargate (two skeins)
Hooks: US 4.0 mm (G), 4.5 mm, and 5.0 mm (H)

I finally got to use my Stargate yarn, whee! Even with the metallic thread through it (which doesn't really show up in the pictures), I really found I enjoyed working with this yarn. Other than the vinegar smell from the dying process of course. But that's totally just me being hypersensitive to vinegar. On the plus side, after washing/blocking the smell seems to have gone away. Huzzah!

This scarf is a beast. It's supposed to be six feet long, but I think it came out closer to eight. Finding a good place to block it was fun.

Had to get a little creative to keep it off the floor.

But the kiddo and cats mostly left it alone, thank goodness.

I really do love this pattern. It is pretty quick, extremely simple, and it makes a nice soft open design that is just gorgeous. The length is great too, because you can drape it for fashion purposes if it's not that cold, or wrap it around a couple of times for warmth if you are chilly. I love versatile garments.

So I just need to get a few ewoks made and then they and this scarf will be off to their new home.

Then it will be time for me to buckle down on the rest of this year's projects!

Thankfully they are all pretty small.

Wrapping Up the Final Wrap-Up

Does anyone wanna see the newest finished blanket?

Because I DEFINITELY want to show it to you.

Dark Blooms by Cori 2012

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver in Black (4 skeins), Dark Orchid (1 skein), and Cherry Red (1 skein)
Hook: US H

These are just basic granny squares with three rows of color in the center surrounded by three rows of black. I attached them to each other by single crocheting the edges of the squares together (through the back loop only) using the colored yarn. Then four rows of border (black, red, purple, black) in the granny shell stitch.

Easy peasy.

But oh my goodness, isn't it beautiful! Not gonna lie, this may be one of my favorite blankets that I have ever made. It's smaller than my usual fare, only a throw, but it is going to be perfect for cuddling up on the couch during the upcoming winter months.

No more blankets to make this year, yay! Now I just have to tackle my laundry list of smaller projects. First up is a few things for a care package I want to send out (a crocheted scarf and a few ewoks). Next a pair of leg warmers I've been commissioned to do and then hopefully I can full steam ahead on that shawl. I've only got three pattern repeats and the edging left, so there is light at the end of that particular tunnel.

So I would say it's going pretty well on the yarn front right now. Ask me again in a month, we'll see if I'm still on the same page.

Past, Present, Future

Remember when I mentioned that I had done another small quickie project but couldn't show it to you?

Well, it was another Ewok, part of my sister's birthday package. I am rather happy with how he came out.

Oh Look, Another Ewok by Cori 2012.

Pattern: Ewok Star Wars Mini Amigurumi by Lucy Ravenscar (available for purchase at Etsy here)
Yarn: remnants from my stash
Hook: US E

I decided to try using the smaller hook for this one, and I like how it turned out, so I think I'll keep using that size for future Ewoks.

I am told that my nephew tried to appropriate this little guy when he arrived at his new home, so he was definitely a hit.

Currently I am very close to finishing my last blanket of the year (HUZZAH!!!), as in, I will probably finish it later today. As in, I only have one row of the border left. I am kind of in love with how this has turned out. It is just simple granny squares but I played with the colors a little and tried a different method of joining (as part of the color play) than I usually use. I can't wait to show it to you guys!

Next up, I have a few more Ewoks to make. Don't look at me like that. I have a lot of friends who like Star Wars, and of the amigurumi patterns I got for that, these guys are the cutest/quickest/easiest to make. So, yeah. Expect lots of Ewoks in the future, is all I have to say about that, I guess.

I also have a special project in mind for a friend of mine that will finally give me an excuse to use this awesome yarn:

Nerd Girl Yarns Shimma in Stargate colorway.

Then a few other small projects left on my list for the year. If those go over well, I want to make a new pair of fingerless mitts for myself, a pair for my daughter, and then try to squeeze in a pair of socks or a sweater for myself. Oh, and that shawl, of course. We shall see how all of that goes.

I hope you have a wonderful week!

Just A Bit Giddy

Okay, well, first off, I finished the penultimate blanket, whoo!

Sunshine and Roses by Cori 2012.

Pattern: Granny Ripple by The Lazy Hobbyhopper (available for free here)
Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver in Cherry Red, White, and Bright Yellow (3 skeins each)
Hook: US I

I am overall very happy with how it turned out. I was kind of worried that the color combination in stripes would make it look like a flag, but after the first few repeats that feeling went away. I really do like these colors together actually.

So. One more to go! This one is just gonna be basic granny squares and I am thinking I will play with using a chain to join them rather than sewing them together. I gather it is actually pretty easy, I've just never done it before. But I think I've got a good tutorial saved somewhere in my bookmarks.

I did also finish one small quickie project on Friday, but I can't actually show it to you just yet.

In other news, Friday I was reading the Yarn Harlot's blog and she mentioned that she would be in Texas speaking at MadTosh today. I clicked on the link because I just recently discovered a MadTosh down the street from me and wondered if she could possibly mean that specific store.

She did.

After a giddy round of jumping up and down and making sure someone was available to watch the kiddo tonight, I managed to secure myself a ticket to the event.

You guys. I am SO excited about this.

So, that's what I'll be doing tonight. I need to dig out the socks I made for my daughter last winter and take them to see if I can get a first socks picture with her. Fingers crossed!

Hoping you are all having a fantabulous Tuesday!

Well, I Planned That Poorly

Sigh, just as I feel like things have calmed down a bit on the yarn front, I learn that I made a mistake on my mental calendar. I am in the midst of the first of two blankets I have left for the year, and I thought I had two weeks to get it done still. I am about a third of the way there. Here's a bit of a hint for it:

So much potential in this one little picture.

Of course, I found out this past weekend that the wedding it is intended to be a present for is actually this coming weekend, not the one after. Yikes! The wedding is out of town though, so we weren't actually planning to attend. As much as it galls me, that means that I will just have to gift it after the happy couple returns from their honeymoon instead of before they leave town for the wedding. Sigh. It's not the end of the world, I know, but it is annoying to me.

Still, the blanket itself is going pretty well (when I am not slacking), as I managed to pick a pattern that (once past the foundation row) is a very quick workup. I think I've come up with another relatively simple pattern for the next blanket as well. I just need to get the colors chosen and the yarn purchased (and then double and triple-check the date of the wedding and plan accordingly).

I have also been working on my shawl, getting at least about half an hour to forty-five minutes a week to work on it (though I want to try to throw at least another hour a week in there). I am really digging how it is turning out. As it happens, we aren't going to be able to make the wedding I was going to wear it to either, so it now has an open-ended deadline. I still want to try to get it done sooner rather than later, however.

So, that's where I'm at this week. Have a great week, and happy crafting to you all!

And, At Long Last...

I know you guys are either sick of hearing me talk about it or eagerly looking forward to seeing it (or perhaps a little bit of both). So, at long last I present to you...

...the dragon blanket!!!

Watchdragons by Cori 2012.

Pattern for the Dragon Panels: Dragonscarf by Ravelry user Tina13 (available for free if you have a Ravelry account)
Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver in Soft Navy (four skeins), Light Blue, and Coffee (two skeins each)
Hook: US J

Everything is just straight up double crochet with a little color work for the edging, dragon panels, and center stripe. It took me just under two months to make (and a whole lot longer to plan). I am fiercely proud of this thing and I know that it will be well-loved in its new home.

Every couple of years I get a really cool concept idea for a blanket. One that challenges me and really stretches the limits of my own skills while teaching me new things. This was one of those blankets. It's one for me to remember with pride for the rest of my days.

So, there you have it. Now, I am going to take a break by working on some super simple patterns for the next few (several) projects!!

Pretty New Things

Alright. I am officially done with the dragon blanket, woohoo! However, I will not be showing it to you just yet. I'd like its new owner to get the first crack at seeing it.

It is absolutely amazing how just the right motivation can take a lingering project from a huge pain that you keep putting off to something you really enjoy doing once more. For me that motivation was the new set of crochet hooks that I received for my birthday.

Knit Picks Harmony Crochet Set (minus the J hook, which was in use when I took this)

Aren't they beautiful?? I love them! I saw that the set had a hook in the size I was using in my project and immediately switched it out. Getting to play with it all week has been a joy. The wood is super smooth and pleasant to hold and they have a nice deep hook that catches the yarn easily.

I also got a new interchangeable circular needle set:

Knit Picks Options Interchangeable Harmony Wood Circular Knitting Needle Set

I haven't gotten to use them yet, but I have been wishing for this set for a while. I cannot wait to break them in! Sadly, I am at a point on my shawl where I am doing short rows and won't be able to just pull a switch like I did with my hooks. I've got two more blankets to crochet (yarn already bought for the first one, which I will be starting this week, but once they are done I plan to do some celebratory knitting. I have one small definite project in mind and then possibly a pair of socks for me.

Maybe even out of one of these:

They Are No One (inspired by "Bad Wolf"/"Parting of the Ways")  [with bonus Doctor Who buttons]

The Dandy Doctor (inspired by the third Doctor)

Scientist, Strategist, Drone, Eternal, & The Supreme

These are the three skeins I got from the summer Doctor Who yarn club (Who's Your Doctor) that Nerd Girl Yarns did. A new skein each month with a colorway directly inspired by the series (with absolutely fantastic names, to boot). You can choose from a variety of yarn bases (or even fiber if you like to spin). I chose their sock yarn Bounce and Stomp.

I love this idea of yarn clubs, seriously. For my birthday I got a subscription to the fall club as well, so I have three more months of Doctor Who goodness to look forward to in my mailbox and on my needles (just in time for the new season to start, even)!

All in all, I think it's safe to say that I have come out on the other side of the yarn slump I've been in and am once more very excited to be making things!

Bits and Pieces

Over the last month or so, I did a lot of crafting for my daughter's birthday, which was last week.

The first (and big) thing was one of her actual presents. I may have mentioned before that her favorite show is Phineas and Ferb. If you are not familiar with the show, the titular characters have a pet platypus named Perry (who is actually a secret agent, fighting the town's resident evil scientist). I found a pattern for the platypus, in pet form, and decided that I just had to make one for my daughter.

So I did.

Perry the Platypus by Cori 2012.

Pattern: Plushie Pet Platypus by Melissa Mall (available for free here)
Yarn: Knit Picks Brava Worsted in Tidepool, Orange, and Persimmon (one ball each)
Hook: US G

I am really really proud of how he turned out (even though I put his front legs on a little far back, I think). My daughter was absolutely thrilled with him and has enjoyed carrying him around and having adventures with him since she opened that gift. So I think that counts as a win all around.

On top of making her a present, I also made a few favors for her birthday party guests. It was a Star Wars theme, and for the kiddos I made light sabers out of pool noodles and duct/electrical tape, which were a big hit. But there were a few smaller kids invited, so I wanted to make sure I had something for them as well. I also wanted to have some prizes for kids for the games (that we kind of ended up ignoring completely, but oh well).

So, I dipped back into that stash of Star Wars amigurumi patterns by Lucy Ravenscar that I had purchased from Etsy last year.

Star Wars Party!

Ewoks by Cori 2012.

Pattern: Ewok Star Wars Mini Amigurumi by Lucy Ravenscar (available for purchase here).

Princess Leias by Cori 2012.

Pattern: Princess Leia Star Wars Mini Amigurumi by Lucy Ravenscar (available for purchase here).

Stormtroopers by Cori 2012.

Pattern: Stormtrooper Star Wars Mini Amigurumi by Lucy Ravenscar (available for purchase here).

I just used remnant yarn for them, none of them take up very much, and a size US G hook. The patterns call for a smaller hook, actually, but that wasn't working for me. These guys are all a lot of fun and very quick to make. They also seemed to go over well at the party. There ended up only being three kiddos plus my daughter there, only one of them too young for the light sabers, so I ended up just letting everyone pick one out to take home, and sent another home for an older sister who wasn't able to make it. Plus, Baby Girl ended up getting to keep one of the Leias and a stormtrooper, so win!

Anyhoo, doing all of these smaller projects really helped to get my crochet mojo back in gear, I think. That, and the really gorgeous new set of crochet hooks I got for my birthday. So on Sunday I dived back in to working on the dragon blanket and am now past the halfway point, huzzah! I am going to aim to get five rows done a day, which should have me through the tricky part in the next week. Fingers crossed I can make that work, because then I can have this puppy finished by the end of the month, which is my goal.

Fezzes Are Cool

Oh man, I love small projects. They are quick and fun and allow me to feel like I have actually accomplished something. Things like hats, for instance, will always leave me with a happy proud feeling once they are done.

Like this fez I made:

Fezzes Are Cool by Cori 2012

The birthday boy models his new accessory.

I used a US size F hook and some remnant yarn and just kind of winged it. I did use two strands of red (in two different shades) for the hat, to make it a little bit stiffer so it would stand up like an actual fez. It is hard to see in the photo, but the two shades of red give it a really cool flame feel.

This was a gift for my cousin's young one, who just turned one last week. Said cousin is a huge fan of Doctor Who and enjoys going to cons and cosplay. The kiddo gets to participate in this too, so I thought they might like to have a fez for any future cosplaying of the Doctor that might occur.

It didn't come out exactly like I envisioned it, but I am still pretty happy with the end result, and it went over very well when it was gifted, so I consider that a win all around.

Meanwhile, I've been making amigurumi like crazy in preparation for my daughter's birthday (which is Friday) and birthday party (which is Saturday). I should get those all wrapped up today and hopefully at that point I will have enough faith restored in my crochet abilities and enough motivation to tackle that blanket once more. Whoo!

Wish me luck. Happy crafting, y'all.

Almost a Platypus

So for most of last week I was still trying to recover from being sick the week before, and as a result, my yarn play mojo was just abysmal. I got two or three rows done on the dragon blanket and I had to put it down because I just could not concentrate.

I finally got back in the swing of things this past weekend and started up a small project. For my daughter's upcoming birthday I have been planning to make her an amigurumi Perry the Platypus (from her favorite show Phineas and Ferb). I made decent progress on him and had hoped to have it finished up yesterday but I didn't quite get there.

So this is where I'm at so far:

Various and sundry platypus parts.

I got his body, legs, and tail done. Left to do are his feet, bill, eyes, and assembly. That should go pretty quickly (knock on wood), so hopefully I'll get him wrapped up soon.

After that I have a few more small birthday-related projects and then it will be back to the dragon blanket. I need to get that done fairly soonish so I can get started on the two wedding blankets on my list. Time for me to buckle down!!

We are doing the yarn circle again this week after a couple of weeks off, so I am looking forward to that, for sure. Hopefully your own projects are going smoothly!

Inching Ahead, More Or Less

Oh man, I have very very little progress to report today. My daughter and I got whacked by a big ol' stick of summer cold last week and as a result I really didn't do a whole lot on the yarn front (or on any other front, to be honest).

I did manage to finish two projects.

One of them, I can't show you yet, because it is a present and has yet to be gifted.

The other is the blanket I was making for my daughter.

Snuggle Time by Cori 2012.

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver in Shaded Browns (four skeins)
Hook: K

It's just a huge granny square. I did one row too many so the border is just a cluster of five single crochet in each chain one space around (with a slip stitch in the middle of each cluster). You can't really see it in the picture, and I really couldn't get a good shot of it (because of the aforementioned cold and my addled brain), but I am most proud of the detail on the left bottom and right upper corners. All I did was (chain ten, slip stitch in third sc of cluster) five times. It's a cute little almost flower effect though.

My daughter truly seems very pleased with the blanket, and she is slowly starting to realize it is her blanket for cuddling out of bed, so that is all for the good too.

Other than that, I did a few rows on Color Affection (finished the second section--one more and the edging left) and the small project I can't show you. Now I am back to the dragon blanket. Hopefully I can get some marked progress made on it this week.

Maybe Too Much Progress

I think right now I am in one of those yarn-related funks where I am getting stuff done but it really doesn't feel like it because my efforts are spread out among too many projects. Currently I have three things in the works: the dragon blanket, my Color Affection shawl, and an impromptu project for my kiddo.

Dragon blanket in progress.

This is actually coming along a lot better than I had hoped for, I am just kind of stalled out at the moment because of another project. The two panels with the dragons, which is the actual finicky part of the blanket, is sixty rows. I have done twelve already. I can do at least six in a day (when I actually get to sit down and work on it). After that it's just twenty more rows of the stripes and the border. Easy peasy. It's just a matter of actually doing it.

For the record, I am really pleased with how the dragons seem to be turning out thus far. I mean, I know that's their tails but I can see how it will play out, I think, and it will rock. I was a little worried since my sample swatch was in half-double crochet and I am doing the blanket in double crochet. But the change doesn't seem to have messed anything up.

Dimensions in Space in progress.

So here's my shawl. I was going to try to finish it before starting the dragon blanket but I kind of got a little burned out and had to take a break from it. I've got maybe ten rows left in the second section and then I get to start the "short" rows, which sound fabulous to me! I have a wedding to go to in October and the goal is to have this finished by then so I can wear it. We shall see if that happens. I think if I can do a few rows a week on it at least, and maybe give it a full week in between each big project, that will be doable.

Cuddle Up blanket in progress.

(Now with cat tail for scale!)

This one is kind of the current distraction. I am hoping to get it done today though, actually. We've been having some issues with my daughter's sleep patterns and I have been trying out some new strategies to get her back on track. This is one of them. Since she quit sucking her thumb, she has lost her trigger to make herself go to sleep without just running herself until she keels over. My thought is that if she has a special blanket that she can grab whenever she is starting to feel sleepy but doesn't want to get in bed yet, that might help the transition a little bit. But you can see why this one has kind of taken priority.

Anyhoo, it's just a big granny square. I had four skeins leftover from my last blanket so I am using those up. Quick and easy. Well, it would be, if life wasn't being so distracting. For some reason I have been having a hard time finding a chance to just sit for an hour or two each day to actually play with my yarn. It's been sporadic at best. But my goal for this week is to work on that. A Cori who doesn't get her allotted yarn-play time is really not a happy Cori, after all.

Also, for those wondering about the yarn circle, last week's meeting saw much progress! We managed to move on to single crochet and both of my friends seem to be getting the hang of it. With practice it should become completely natural to them. We are skipping a week since I have a doctor's appointment on Thursday, but we'll kick off August right with our next session. Should be fun times.

Yarn Circle!!

Remember forever ago when I mentioned that I wanted to get a yarn circle started, where I could hang out and crochet (or knit) with friends of mine who were also interested in playing with yarn? Well, I put the feelers out a while back and I had a few friends express an interest in learning to crochet. So this past Thursday I finally got my act together and invited them over for their first lesson.

I put together little starter kits for each of them:

Hooks, scissors, and an instruction book with a few patterns!

I got out all of the remnants in my stash so that everyone could work with the yarn of their choosing (and take home as much as they wanted for practice).

I crocheted up some small swatches as examples of the basic stitches.

Single crochet in side-to-side.

Single crochet in the round.

Half-double crochet side to side.

Half-double crochet in the round.

Double crochet side to side.

Double crochet in the round.

I also had m favorite reference book on hand to show them and recommend for if they decide to keep up with this. 

The Crochet Answer Book is a fantastic resource. 

I had initially thought I would take them through the three stitches I had made samples for and then walk them through a granny square. I may have been overambitious in my goals, however. I also forgot how utterly alien the motions of crocheting are to those who haven't done it before and realized that while I had given much thought on how to explain the stitches shown above, I had neglected to work out how to explain actually getting started. 

We had a great time, but we did more socializing than playing with yarn. Also, we had three two year olds running around, and even with my wonderful mother-in-law on hand to wrangle kiddos, our attention was divided. 

Still, we did eventually get down to the yarn of it all and we worked on the most basic part of crochet, the chain. They did pretty well:

Miss A's chain.

Miss T's chain.

They were very patient with me and both agreed they want to keep at it, yay! So I sent them home to practice their chains and they are coming back over this Thursday. I think once we've got chains down we'll start on single crochet. I am debating whether or not to just dive in to doing that in the round, since they've both expressed an interest in learning to make hats. We shall see what we shall see. 

I am looking forward to our next session, that's for sure! It's quite wonderful to be getting the chance to share something I love and that is such a big part of my life with some of my very favorite people.