Crochet All The Things! (ottoman cover)

Hold on to your hats my friends, I've been crocheting everything for the past 2+ years and if you sit still for very long around me, I'm liable to crochet you too! Crochet is pretty addictive but the upside is how very practical it can be. It has its limits to be sure, and there are some things that are just better off knitted, but if you stay firmly within crochet's wheelhouse, there's lots of awesomeness just waiting to be made.

Since I haven't blogged about my obsession with crochet yet, I'll have to back up and share some previous projects before I can show you what I'm currently working on.

My first big project* was to make a cover for our footstool out of all my practice granny squares (pictured above). I finally finished it late last Spring and the cats immediately claimed it for themselves.

When I first started crocheting, I got loads of "how-to" books from the library and a bunch of different yarns to practice with. I ended up with a stack of truly random granny squares and no plan for them.  We certainly didn't need more blankets or sofa throws, but I hated the idea of not using them for something. Then my eyes fell on our shabby-but-not-chic footstool still wearing its aging, "temporary" muslin slip cover. Needless to say, it got volunteered.

I had no real direction or blueprint to go by in order to construct the ottoman cover. I pretty much just winged it and made it up as I went along. That should be obvious by looking. If you're interested, these are the basic steps I took...

1. Took measurements of everything 
2. Laid the squares out on the footstool and/or floor, and played with placement... a lot
3. Took a digital photos when I was satisfied with the arrangement so I wouldn't forget what went where
4. Added extra rows of crochet around any of the squares that didn't match the others in size
5. Measured everything again
6. Bordered all of the squares with a row of single crochet stitches in off-white yarn
7. Connected all the squares into top and side panels with more off-white yarn
8. Connected the four side panels to the top panel, then I connected side panels to make corners
9. Edged the bottom with as many rows of sc and hdc crochet as needed to get it the length I wanted
10. Wove narrow elastic through the bottom edge of it so it would stay snugly in place yet still be easily removed for washing

I should add that I binge-watched every episode of every season of Den Store Strikkedyst that I could find while constructing this. I won't link to it as I don't know if it's even still available to watch anywhere. It's just like the Great British Bake Off. Except it's Danish. And it's about knitting. It's a competitive knitting reality TV show from Denmark. I think there were eight seasons of it. No subtitles. It was so awesome.

And that's my funky-random-ugly-yet-oddly-charming footstool cover.
I love it (and so do the cats).

Keepin' it cozy...
Steph

* not including the Cloche-hat/Basketball-cozy/Shopping-bag fiasco... as it's come to be known.

The Mended Part is Stronger

Feeling anxious about the state of things still? Yeah, me too. This may sound silly but, it's been how many months into this, and even with many of the restrictions being lifted...  I'm feeling more isolated than ever. Doesn't make sense. A lot of things don't right now. Hence the anxiousness.

I try not to put lots of links in my blog posts anymore since it's frustrating to click on them later just to find that they no longer go anywhere. However. I'm going to link to a few things I've been reading (and putting into practice) the last couple of weeks that have been helpful for me. Perhaps, if you're feeling stressed out they will be of interest to you also. . .

• Dealing with Anxiety from Karen at her sewing blog Did You Make That?
• Reasons to Write: Stress Relief from Mrs. Duffy at Letter Matters on the therapeutic value of writing
• Feeling Anxious? Try These 10 Easy and Actionable Tips from Anja at her blog Our Gabled Home
• My Morning Practice a thoughtful plan of action from Beth at her blog My Simpler Life
• A Message for the People with the Feelings from Pip at her brilliant blog Meet Me At Mike's
• Live Jelly Cam at Monterey Bay Aquarium ...because when all else fails, there is nothing more calming than watching jellyfish videos with soothing music.

The important thing about diffusing anxiety, is to take an active part in it — not just reading about what works... but working it. Is there something you do that helps you to focus, get calm, or breathe easier? Do please share in the comments! After all, different moods and different days often call for different approaches.

And just so this post is not entirely dependent on all that link-y goodness, I will talk about one of the things I've been doing to keep me grounded and a little more focused. Namely, mending. That's such a humble yet potent word isn't it? So many things can be mended: socks, sweaters, broken bones, broken hearts, relationships, rifts of all kinds. 

When you mend something, you bring the torn parts back together; you make it whole again. But even more than that, it becomes stronger where the mended part is. 

My old pajama top (pictured above), had lost its button a couple of times and each time I dutifully reattached it. The last time it happened, I noticed that the fabric under the button had ripped. I decided to mend it by sewing a sturdy patch over the torn place before sewing the button back on. Normally I'd try to blend the mend by matching the fabrics and thread as much as possible. That kind of attention to detail, while sometimes desirable, can also become a roadblock to finishing (which is the last thing I need more of). I decided that finished (and functional) is better than perfect, grabbed the nearest needle and thread, and got on with it. 

I rather like this particular mend: the thin soft cotton with its incongruously heavy little patch of denim sewn on with variegated thread. I was able to sew the button on securely and the pajamas were useful once again. I tend to like all the mends I do actually. They serve as reminders... memory markers... pats on the back... good feels... a sense of accomplishment and all that. It always feels good to fix things up.

When my pajamas are all buttoned up, the mended place is hardly even noticeable. I know it's there however, and I smile at the thought that the rest of the pajamas will eventually fall apart, but the mended place will still be strong as ever.

"Let us keep courage and try to be patient and gentle."  —Vincent van Gogh

...with ourselves and with each other, and in everything we do.

Hugs,

Steph

Vertically Challenged: A Love Story

This is a story about a girl who loved strawberries. This girl grew strawberries in a pot on her patio one summer and having had such a lovely time of it, decided she wanted to grow eighty-seven times as many strawberry plants the following year. 

Well, as these types of stories go, the girl, who spent way too much time on Pinterest, had a very handsome and handy husband. This husband built the girl a strawberry planter like the one she had Pinned on her gardening ideas board, but better.*

He then bought her bags of strawberry rhizomes. It was late winter.

They waited, the hubby and the girl, until fairer weather in which to plant those dormant roots. But the busy-ness of their life interrupted their plans and possibly they also forgot where they put the bags of rhizomes for a while. 

Suddenly they realized that it was past planting time! They found themselves behind schedule! Because of their negligence, sadly, a few of the plant-lets didn't make it. But the rest of them (Praise be!), grew up and seemed very very happy...

Stay tuned for the exciting next installment of As The Strawberry Turns!

The Strawberries Of Our Lives?... 

All My Strawberries?...

General Strawberry?

Oh, now that's just plain silly.

*This is a completely subjective statement and in no way is intended to diminish the total awesomeness of the source idea. The "improvements" he made included adding wood scraps to the sides and bottom of the pallet and a scrap piece of plywood to the back of it. It's way stronger and more durable than the original design... but also much heavier too. If you go that route, you'll need to have a couple of strong and obliging guys around (never a bad idea anyway) when it's time to raise the planter into place. He also painted it dark brown because he's totally not into pallet-crafts, and all things considered, I didn't object. After all, it can't help but draw the eye when we're on the patio, and it might as well not look like something we found in an alley and nailed wood scraps onto... not at first glance anyhow!

Hello! My Name Is... Herb

The great thing about chalkboards is that you can wipe them clean and start over whenever you want… I love that. I have two chalkboards in my kitchen that I use all the time. The one my Hubby and I made when we moved in here is one of my very favorite things. Both boards sport to-do lists, groceries needed, etc. on any given day of the year. Super handy.

Here today, gone before you know it
Needless to say, I love the look of chalkboard-craftiness as much as the next person, but practicality prevents me from using it for labeling my mason jars or identifying my herbs in the garden or any other alternative use where it's particular type of temporality (temporariness?) is not really a benefit. In other words, anywhere the writing is likely to get smudged off prematurely.

I need some cilantro... stat!
However, spring has finally sprung and I need to know my cilantro from my parsley at a glance (and Hubs needs to know too, as I often find myself in the middle of cooking and need him to snip some herbs for me). Mind you, we normally can tell the difference between our plants, but we've added a lot of new herbs this year… and well... plant markers are cute. There. I've said it.

The Lifecyle Of A Favorite Sweater (part 1)

Let's talk about clothes... and high school... and letting go of stuff... just for a bit.

Back in high-school, the only mainstream retail line of clothing that I remotely cared about, the only one that I sought out, the one I'd save up my allowance for... was Esprit. There was something so appealing in their fun fresh euro-chic look back then. I only had a few pieces, but I'd chosen them with care and I wore the heck out of them. Highlights of my collection included: a black lambswool sweater vest, a cute pair of white penny-loafer-type flats, a black and white polka dot pleated skirt... and a charcoal grey ribbed wool crew-neck sweater.

Esprit De Clutter

I kept that charcoal grey sweater long after it stopped fitting me and even after the moths had invited their friends over for lunch. I don't know why, but I just couldn't let it go. To look at it was to remember. It's dark neutrality transitioned easily between all my styles and it's simple shape transcended all trends... a true classic. Did I mention how soft and comforting it was? Just like a hug. If you had come back in time and told me that when I grew up I would intentionally shrink and cut up that sweater and then stuff it in my shoes, well, I would have totally called you a dweeb. I'm so sure.

What you see up there in the upper-left side of the photo are indeed the former sleeves of that very same sweater from my past. I figured that if it was going to take up space in my home, and could no longer be worn... maybe it could be put to use in some other way. The first thing I did (to stop the moth picnic), was to felt it. That's a verb. It means "to make felt". It's really hard to do: you run a 100% wool knit garment through the washing machine with soap and hot water and follow that with a tumble in a hot dryer. Ta-da! Wool felt. Thick and soft, and if you cut into it, it won't ravel. Gorgeous stuff.

Kissing The Cook

Hey good lookin', what'cha got cookin'? Making your own natural lip balms at home kind of blurs the line between cooking and crafting. Think about it: They're made with good-for-you edible ingredients like honey and olive oil, and they're cooked up right there in your own kitchen... only you don't eat them. Well actually, I've seen plenty of stats over the years about how much lipstick and lip gloss the average woman ingests over her lifetime (eek!). All the more reason to know what it's made from, eh?

The post that inspired all this kitchen-lab cosmetic cookery features three different lip balm recipes, each one yummier than the next. Normally I'd have had a really hard time choosing, but I only had all the ingredients on hand for one of them: Luscious Lavender Lip Balm. It didn't hurt any that I'm a sucker for anything with lavender (or alliteration) in it, so Luscious Lavender Lip Balm it was... did I mention that it has cocoa powder and honey in it too? Lavender-Cocoa-Honey-liciousness... it really is good enough to eat (but it probably works better as a lip balm).