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.

100 Hats for Preschool Donation

(edited and compiled from a couple posts from my previous blog)

One of the ladies from my church helps with the preschool classes at a local grade school. My church provides backpacks and school supplies for the preschool each fall. A couple years ago my mom decided to make hats for them. I helped her a little but she made most of them. Mom has moved away to another town so I have decided to take over. I enjoy making hats and giving them away. I’ve done it for several years, just not in that big of a bulk.

Got the notice from my friend at church on Sunday May 9, 2021 that all previous donated hats had been given out. I would like to have the hats all made and ready to take to my friend by the first Sunday in November, unless it looks like winter is coming earlier than usual this year.

I counted my hats I had stored plus ones I’ve made so far this year. If I counted correctly I had 40 hats. I need at least 100 total. I’ve finished, with a small donation from my sister (8 hats) the 100 hats to donate to a local preschool.

You can watch my YouTube video to see all 100 hats I’m donating.

Started 5/9/2021. Finished 9/27/2021. Delivered 10/3/2021. 😁

Twiddle Muff Challenge

So I had to practice my back and skills today. Needless to say I'm pretty terrible at it. However I promise you I did not hit anything. When I went to get lunch there was a delivery truck sitting in the alley so I had to back almost three-quarters of the way down the alley in order to get out.

Have you ever heard of a twiddle muff? One of the ladies in the crochet group that I host once a week had mentioned making one for one of the older ladies at church that suffers from Alzheimer's. Today I challenge the crochet group to make at least one twiddle muff between now and October. If they do not have an elderly person in mind then I suggested that they donate their twiddle muff to a nursing home. As soon as I finish my current project I plan to start working on a twiddle muff. Here is my current project it should be done either tonight or tomorrow.

Had a wild and crazy storm tonight. It rained duper hard and it was swirling around. The wind was blowing like crazy. No damage for us but the truck stop had the awning over the diesel pumps blow over.  

I did finish the bag I started. Actually I just need to weave in the final end. What do you think ?  It's the Cosmetic Bag from the Crochet Crowd webpage. I learned a new stitch as well as a better way to make the bottom and side separation. 

Well that's all for today. Thanks for stopping by. 🌈

i just don't know

things have gone topsy turvy the past couple of weeks.  it all started when i found the freezer door not closed all the way, and now all my freezer meals are frozen in blocks of ice and i will have to move the freezer probably outside to defrost it.  i haven't made a menu in about 2 weeks (since my last hhm post) and have just been lazy.  thankfully wednesday night supper at church started back up last week, which helps on a meal.  also we are open one more night a week, thursday evening, at the castle.  also we had a holiday in the middle there.

i feel so.......distracted, discouraged, undecided.....whatever you want to call it.  i'm not getting things done like i should.  i have been trying my best to stay off facebook, but i end up going there anyway.  i do keep up with my groups and pages (i admin both and have some that i am a member of and read mostly, it's how we know what's going on around here), and I do have messenger because my friends refuse to move to a different format or contact.

thankfully in 2 weeks we are taking some much needed time off.  just a few days, even though we can't really afford it, but we need to get away.  other than holidays we have only taken 1 day off this year.  gotta work to get paid and if you don't work you don't get paid.   it's a never ending circle.

i have been crocheting lately though.....here's what I've made since i last showed you:

i decided to participate in the crochet crowd's mystery amigurumi challenge week 1 has 4 random parts. tonight i made part 1.  the next clue comes out next wednesday, so i have a few days to finish the other 3 parts.

i knitted another dishcloth. finished it today and just need to weave in the ends

i made a bigger dice bag for my oldest son. this is the one i made him for christmas last year. it was stretched tight enough i was afraid he would loose his dice.  he assured me he wouldn't.  i decided to make him one anyway.  now he has room for a few more dice than he has now.

i finished that 3 color spiral slouchy (and it still hasn't sold, *sigh*)

and last but not least, i restarted making a shawl/poncho/whatever it turns out to be, using a different pattern that i was using earlier this year.  cold weather is going to be here sooner than i would like and i need to be ready for it.  it's just regular crochet but i only had the correct size needle in my tunisian hook set so that's what i'm using.  i'm actually farther along than this now, i've used 4 balls of yarn i think, or maybe i'm on my 4th one, not sure.  it's gonna be awesome when i get it finished.

ok back to my sulking corner for a while longer.  

Rich Textures Tote

Its finished!  This is the week 1 project for the Yarnspirations summer beach bag stitch along.  I used acrylic yarn and had to barter for more because I didn't have enough. I love how it turned out. It was quite easy to make.  Links to this project can be found on yesterday's HHM post. Now off to work on the next hooked project.

Before I post this, let me show you what we had for supper tonight.....Steak Fajita Queadillas.  MMMmmm they were good.

Current WIP

For some reason I decided to make one of the Crochet Crowds Summer Beach Bag crochet along bags. I don't know what possessed me to do so. I chose the Rich Textures Tote and expected to have to watch the tutorial video step by step. I've watched it once for "bobble stitch" clarification. I've even been following the diagram instead of the written pattern. It makes more sense this time. I started it Yesterday afternoon and will probably have it finished tonight or tomorrow. I'll share the finished  bag once I'm done. I'm over half way now. Its super easy! Here is an inside out photo so far:

Can't wait to get it done.

Crochet Challenge Hat Complete

Most definitely a challenge for me, but I did it!  It took me 5 tries.  I finally ended up watching the video tutorial step by step and stopping it after each step to complete the current row.  I don't expect to win first place.  Just the satisfaction that I DID IT is enough for me.  The 2 kitty cats are for the two kitty cats we lost last year.  Yellow = Gwen and Black = Reecie.  I used leftover yarn to make it, thus why it's so colorful. :-)  I thought I was going to use the light blue, but after a few re-starts I decided not to.  Here's my Challenge post if you want to go look and maybe challenge yourself.  It goes all month.

January Crochet Challenge

In the past month or so I found The Crochet Crowd on Facebook (link is to their web page).  They have a Crochet Challenge for January and I am participating.   This will be my first ever challenge with them.  WOW!  It is a challenge for me.  The stitch is nothing new, but it's a new concept of using the stitch.    Want to join in too? it's not too late, just follow the links and instructions on how to participate.

Here is the yarn I will be using.  Will have to see what kind if buttons I can find.  One of my facebook friends said she had some buttons I could look through, so I might just do that too.  Can't wait to get started.