Handworks Crochet and then Some!

It’s been to long!!!  But check out the lovely lace cardigan I’ve been working on! And the Bavarian stitch Afghan below... I’ve not been posting but I’ve been working!  Making tons of changes to our home, farm and life in general. Horses have taken over the farm and a good part of my heart.  I’ve decided to let go of ALL my hobbies but my number one favorite all time ... creating crochet fashion!! I want to be amazing at crochet. Which means more focus on it alone. I started this last year .. the focus to get better. And I did!! Much better!! Then spinning and sheep and other things got in the way so I had to stop and clear my space for good!  It’s all I care to do these days.. doing any other hobby only made me wish I was crocheting instead .. or with my horses! I no longer want to spin yarn.. been there done that. My favorite yarns are made with plant fibers or silk anyways which is hard to find, hard to spin and often more expensive than just buying the yarn itsel...

A wonderful year.. filled with creative learning , farm fun , city coffee shops and people I love ❤️  A very blessed year.  Some favorite pictures .. favorite projects... And because they make my husband happy ... our Meishan herd and a happy new year recipe!  Praying this year is as blessed 💕💕 thanks to God 

Buying a whole fleece to process is huge! Even just an average 5 pounds of fleece can yield a lot of yarn! And because you hold the key to how and what it's processed into you can get many different yarns and projects from that one fleece. I would have never bought a whole fleece as a beginner. It's just to much!  But I bought sheep ... so there I was with a couple of whole fleeces!  My first fleece came from a dairy sheep I called Bo Peep. This was in 2013. She was a great milking sheep with an average mid grade type white fleece. And it, like my other dairy sheep fleece did not felt. Made it very unintimidating to wash as I had been told horror stories of washing wool wrong or to rough and ending up with a big felted ball of ruined wool! Low in lanolin and not being super fine it was an easy fleece to clean. Crimpy and strong , average length also made it a perfect for a beginner spinner like me!  It carded super easy too!  I hit the ground spinning with that fleec...

Granny square project!! Who loves squares projects?? So easy so versatile for so many different items.  Recently in a Facebook group I saw they had started a square along project.. any kind of squares! Being primarily a crocheter I immediately think of the granny square but I don't feel like a granny square blanket...  so I disregard starting anything but then I see someone making granny squares for a tote!!! And well,, I always want  need  a new bag! Perfect! I remembered some cute bags in magazines I have ( I'm hopelessly addicted to magazines!) and here it is. From the magazine For the love of crochet , My squares project.. A hobo bag!! How stinking cute is this bag!? And so simple..Blue denim color yarn  with off white and brown tweed yarns! Perfect bag for fall or winter.. should it take me that long to get it done. The holidays tend to slow down 'all about me' projects!  I have 8 more white squares to make then I can start the flowers. Need to find th...

This summer I decided my crocheting was in a rut.  I'm a really fast crocheter if I'm using the basics and stitch patterns using the basics like sc, dc, tr. ... shells, star stitched, bubble stitch and so on. You can do a lot of different things with base crochet stitches!  In crochet there are many, many techniques though! I want to expand my knowledge and skill.  So I bought a booklet from Annie's on Love Knot technique, aka Solomon's knot. It took awhile to understand and get my hands used to the pattern but once I got it I flew through this breezy summer scarf made up in cotton/linen yarn!  There are other things you can make with this technique.. this will probably be my next love knot project.  Here is a good no nonsense video link if you need more than just a written description and pictures.  https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PVGNkl4Ecec Here is the book I learned from. Right now it's on sale for .99 cents!  https://www.anniescatalog.com/detail.htm...

Alot going on as usual... and no, no sewing to be done with my sewing rooms still all packed up ready to move when everything is all done! But I have been doing some crocheting... a little bedside rug here... of thick chenille yarn. More and more dish cloths... seriously, if I could stop I would.... and a hat made from suede yarn... the little brim makes it look 'sporty'! And doing canning, when I have something that needs to be canned. Homemade chicken broth is a hundred times more flavorful than store bought! So is homemade mushroom broth!... and alittle Spiced blue berry jam made from some blueberries mom had in her freezer... I love having jars of mushrooms on hand for homemade pizzas! I waited for months for organic oranges to go on sale... finally! $4 a bag! I wanted to make my own Grand Mariner for Bald man for awhile and since you have to use the zest of the orange they had to be organic, since it took so many they had to be on sale!!! With the left over oranges I ma...

The Bald Man and me... out on the town doing a little celebrating! Nights out in Knoxville will be fewer and farther between... and I'll tell you why in a second... First.... I've been crocheting my little hands to the bone.. but with most of the things I've been crocheting are gifts I can't show till after Christmas... But heres a couple of doilies I've done for myself in between presents... A pineapple doily... I love doilies, they look so elegant and old fashion... I've been sewing some... again just gifts that can't be shown yet.... But in the kitchen today I roasted a big 'Cinderella' pie pumpkin and made this Pumpkin Chutney... turned out yummy!!! I used a recipe found on Putting up with the Turnbills blog.. you can find their site on the side bar of links I have. And Pumpkin pie!!! I love real homemade pumpkin pie!!!! And I have so much pumpkin puree leftover I can foresee pumpkin breads, muffins and cookies,, maybe a soup in the next week!...

I just LOVE the way food looks all preserved in canning jars!!!! Here are a couple of my latest... Dill Pickles and Pickled Banana Peppers...so pretty... Since last post I have now started to take over the 3 big shelf in our pantry.... Few more pretties up close.... Canned Summer Squash (great for squash casseroles!) Pickled Hot Peppers (going to be a present for someone!!) and Anise Pears And I've dried and vacuum bagged about a bushel of apple rings, lots of sweet potatoes and bell peppers! Anyone know what this is???? Its a Cushaw squash!! This huge squash was only $5!! And they are sooooo good!! Many meals can come out of this on squash (it weights ALOT!)... soup, pies, just roasted is really good to! I even canned some Cushaw butter! Anything you can do with sweet potatoes or winter squash you can do with a cushaw! Yep.... Muscadine wine in the making.... also Elderberry wine, Concord wine and an Apple wine. It takes so long though... which is why The Bald Man and I have be...