First Finished Crochet Project of 2026

Happy New Year 2026

2026 started off with a crochet challenge with a local yarn friend.  We have chosen 26 different quick easy crochet projects to make together this year.  I made a video about that.  Go check it out if you are interested in seeing what all we have chosen.

Our first project that was chosen, via drawing out of a bucket, was the  Granny Square Bucket Hat . It's a free Ravelry pattern.  There is also a paid pattern option, but keep scrolling on the Ravelry page and you will see it towards the bottom.  This particular pattern also has a video tutorial with it.  

Our rules for this challenge were:

1. Must be scrap yarn, meaning you can't use a brand new skein.  

2. We can share progress pictures with each other.

3. We have until January 18th to finish it.

This is my finished hat.  It is sparkly red, silver, and orchid yarn.  We both enjoyed this project and decided to put the slip of paper back in the bucket so we can make another one again sometime this year.   

This hat will go into the donation bucket for a future donation.

I Have Been Working On Preemie Hats

 I've made 19 preemie hats so far.  I plan to donate them to a local Ronald McDonald House this month.  I do plan to make a few more.  I also have some that one of the ladies in a local crochet group made (not pictured here), and she also made a couple of the preemie octopus.  She plans to bring me a few more next week.

I'm both scared and excited to donate these hats.  I've never donated to RMH before so scared because I don't know what to expect, and excited for a new item I can make and have a place to donate them.  I hope the donation process goes smoothly.

I have been trying to make a variety of sizes, but my hats seem to mostly come out 5 pound and 6 pound preemie size.  I have managed a few smaller ones though.  Smaller hook size is the key I think.  

Finally Worked on Santa Alien a Bit More

 I have been dreading  crocheting the arms and legs on my Santa Alien project. They are so small.  I finally decided to take the plunge and attempt the arms.  It took me about an hour and a half to crochet both of them, but I got it done.  Boy oh boy did my hands and wrist hurt from working the small pieces. 

They are so small around that they fit on a pencil 😲.  Hopefully it won’t take me as long to gather the courage to make the legs.  

It’s been a rough yarn weekend 😥

 Happy Saturday yarny friends 🧶

I have had a rough weekend with my yarn projects. My first issue is with my Addi.  I have a hat on the machine.  It was going so well, or so I thought.  I pulled the hat to make sure things were all ok and lo and behold there was  peg that had missed a stitch.  😭  I put a stitch marker in the last loop that was knitted (it’s down about 6-8 rows) and told my Addi it was in time out until further  notice.  I plan to rewatch videos now to fix those issues and give it my best try next week.  I haven’t been successful in fixing those problems correctly in the past, however I’ve kinda sorta fixed them in the past.

My next yarn issue is with a crochet mini backpack I made.  Yes I made it but I sure can’t sell it.  I guess it’s because I was trying to hurry and wasn’t paying attention to where I was attaching the flap and straps, but it’s super wonky.  

No worries, it has a home. My sister loves it, so I will be giving it to her.  I’m glad she loves my misfit yarn creations. ❤️

So what did I do for something to work on this weekend so I’m not tempted to pointlessly scroll on my phone?  I grabbed my knitting needles, some cotton yarn, and printed off a scarf pattern that I am using the neon yarn that i msde the backpack with, and I started a washcloth with the cotton yarn.  Washcloth for times I don’t have time to really concentrate and scarf when I do have time to concentrate.  

Working on my Santa Alien Crochet Kit

 

My Sister gave me a crochet Santa alien kit a few months back. She suggested instead of elf on a shelf for Christmas I could do alien on a shelf of something like that. I’m game but I have to make the alien first.  

When I started working on this yesterday I was at the black line, which is the belt.  I have been sharing progress with Sister as I go along. This is up to the collar of the alien. 

Finished the body. This alien is gray. He is approximately 4 inches tall. Isn’t he cute?

I managed to get him eyes that he can see with and a mouth to talk and eat with…..but no arms or legs. Gosh I hope the little guy will be OK until I can get him arms and legs. 😂

Be

I’m looking forward to finishing him.  Follow my blog and keep reading if you want to see the finished Santa Alien. 👽 

New Crochet Project on the Hook

 I started a new project this past week. I think it’s going to take me a bit to finish. 

I’m using a no name brown, although I suspect it’s an older RedHeart yarn. I am also using Loops & Threads Raspberry. 

I am making a cool drawstring bag, or dice bag.  I seen it and I had to make it. I am so looking forward to finishing it and putting it up for sale in our gaming store. 

Here’s what I have accomplished so far. The bag, minus the drawstring and I’m working on the “decoration” for the bag. 

Best get back to work so I can get it done. 😊

Time Out!

 

This project is going in Time Out‼️. I need to rethink the top part of it, where the drawstring is, because It needs to be a little taller. The proportions are off.  I think I just need to decrease row and SC row …… for the number of decrease rows. Does that make sense.  Granted I am using a pattern that calls for blanket yarn, so that may be part of my issue since I’m using regular yarn and an “I” hook.   I will get back to it soon. I really want to finish it. In the mean time I am still working on the tunisian project from yesterday’s post. 

Good News!

 I found the missing crochet project. Wanna know where it was hiding?  In my scrap yarn tote. Makes sense since it is a scrappy project. It’s Tunisian (with a double end hook) and Im making strips to join together to make a blanket.  

At least that’s the plan. 🧶

Cute Crochet This Past Week

 This past week was a busy one. We went out of town on Monday and I babysat Tuesday and Wednesday.  In the middle of all that I moved back into my craft room.  It’s been a while since I have actually used it for more than just storage of extra yarn and things. 

What a mess. 😂  It is a bit more organized now but there’s still a project I’m missing. It’s gotta be there somewhere cause it’s not where it had been stashed. I will find it. It’s a scrappy project and I have more yarn to add to it. 

I have a couple of finished projects for this week. I made a cute pink/black octopus and I made a cute mini backpack. 

Not a good picture of the octopus. I finished him at work and quickly took a picture. Guess I could take a new picture, but I’m not going to.😂

Next week is going to be full of fun surprises. I hope to share all of them.  

Ta Dah!

 Woo I got a lot accomplished this weekend.  Made these this weekend.  Hat is the same hat just both sides. It’s a double thick loom knit hat, and it’s finally finished.  Now on to other exciting fiber things. 

Much Improved

 Well I did start the pink/black hat over and its much improved.  I increased a row too far but it should be fine. I also crocheted up a second hat as well, the purple/white one.  I have another one on the hook as I write this.  Here’s my preemie hats so far that im going to donate to a local Ronald McDonald House, in a couple months.

Yes thet still have ends to weave in 😳

Wondering If I Should Start Over 🤔

 So this is the current preemie hat I am working on. It seems like it’s going to be too big. I’m wondering if I need to frog it and just do DC instead of HDC rows. 

Here it is in comparison to a finished hat that I actually followed a pattern for. The Pink/Black hat is slightly larger even though the crown diameter is the same.  

Is it because I did HDC instead of DC?  The yarn is slightly thinner too, but that’s how the Yarn Bee Soft Secret is. It’s kinda like Caron Simply Soft.  I think I will frog it and start over following the pattern I have instead of trying to do it on my own. I should know better, trying to figure out a pattern on my own doesn’t always work. 😂

Another New Hat Started and Finally Frozen Pizza Success

 

Hey friends happy Thursday.  Today was pizza day 🍕 for us, but more on that in a bit. I started another preemie hat yesterday.  Previous I have made 3 with some worsted weight yarn.  Here’s what they look like. 

Here’s the current preemie hat WIP.  I am using some Yarn Bee Soft Secret. Its nice and soft. I have started the body of the hat. I am a couple rows in.  I can’t wait to finish this one amd make some more. Finally a project for my Yarn Bee yarn.

Now for thr pizzas.  They were much better than usual.  My regular oven tends to burn them before the cheese is melted.  This time I cooked the cheese pizza exclusively in my toaster oven. The other one i started in the regular oven and finished in the toaster oven. Much improved for both of them.  Hubbie commented that he wishes the crust on his was a little crispier. I will try to improve on that next time.  I think I will be doing the frozen pizzas this way in the future.  Note I did thaw them before baking. They each took about the regular time to bake.

Tonight we went to Braums so I could check thier fresh market prices. Thier app and website don’t seem to be working for any of my devices.  I made a list on my phone withnthe item, size, amd current price.  At least now I have a better idea what they have available, that I would purchase, and the approximate prices for those items.  Hopefully using thier little grocery section will help with my stress level when grocery shopping. 🛒  Some items I will still need to go to the regular grocery store for, but the less I need from there the better.  The local farmers market is due to start back up soon.  I need to try and support local farmers as well, unless thier prices are higher than i can get at the grocery store or Braums.

Hopefully tomorrow I can have a finished crochet project or two to share with you. 

❤️🧶

Finished Latest Hat

 

This hat turned out absolutely lovely. I only had to use those 2 colors that mom had used to make a too small hat with. I actually have a small amount of each left over. I have started unraveling another hat. Note to me to take a picture tomorrow before I have it completely unraveled to show before and  after.  I think I’m about 20 hats away from 100, unless I haven’t written them all down, which is quite possible. 

Until next time…….happy crocheting ❤️🧶

Couple of Reworked Mom Hats and Another One In Progress

This weekend I have been reworking some "Mom hats" that I have been given.  My mom loves to crochet but, anymore,  she doesn't always make useable hats.  They probably look good to her and look like they would fit, when in reality, they may fit a baby doll.  I take them apart and use the yarn she has put together (she always makes double thick hats with 2 strands of yarn) and recreate them and make a single thick hat, most of the time.  This weekend the first 2 I made were double thick.  If I remember on the next on I re-do I will take a before and an after picture. Usually I do have to add some yarn of my own, or use some from another one of her hats. 

This is the first one I remade.  This one is a double thick hat.  I added some of my own yarn at the top and used some white from another all white hat she sent my way.

This one is another double thick hat and more of the white from the first hat I redid (which I do still have some left to use on another hat) and a yellow/tan combination she had put together on another too small hat.  There's some of the yellow/tan left as well.

This is my current rework.  Both of these yarns were on the same hat.  I just unraveled it and am making a single thick hat (usually my preference).  I will probably need to add some yarn to it, but we will cross that bridge when we get there.

No worries I still have the knit hat and the loom knit hat in the yarn bowl.  I haven't forgotten them.  I guess it's just time for something a little different.

 

Here are some recent finished projects for February

I've been a bit busy with life since that snow we had a couple weeks ago and haven't had time to make a video.  Here are some things  have made this past month and a couple new projects I am currently working on.  I have included the pattern links I have, all patterns are free.  (Links open in a new window)

Crochet Woven Heart

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/woven-heart

Mini Mitts Potholder

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mini-mitts-potholder

Crochet Basket Weave cloth

Tunisian Crochet Basket Weave Cloth

Tunisian Crochet hat, in the round, top down

Crochet Basic Striped Beanie

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/basic-striped-beanie-2

Crochet Basic Striped Beanie

Crochet Basic Striped Beanie

THese are the 2 current WIPs I have.  The hat is almost finished.

Knit Ross Hat

https://smellslikeyarn.com/product/ross-hat/

Knit Grandmother's Favorite Baby Bib

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/grandmothers-favorite-baby-bib

 

Reusing Yarn From A Too Small Mom Hat

 

Winding A Scrap Yarn Ball

 

I Have Start-itus

 

I'm still working on this orange/white hat, and the basket weave crochet washcloth, but I also started several projects over the weekend.  Whether I finish them or frog them, time will tell.  So what did I start?  I started 3 tunisian projects 1 which I'm pretty sure I will finish.  I started a 3x3 tunisian basket weave project, a 2x2 tunisian basket weave project, and a tunisian in the round headband/ear warmer.    Can you guess which one I will most likely finish?  Leave me a comment and let mw know which one you think I'll finish.

✨Bonus Video✨ Surprise Hat Donation from …… Guess Who?