Heart shaped hot pad

 (I'm writing this post now--in mid-November--but can't actually post it since it's a Christmas gift for my mom. Actually have a few projects I'm working on that I can't post about 'til after Christmas.)

I made this heart hot pad using this pattern that I found off of ravelry.com. The pattern was very clearly written and easy to follow, and I love how it turned out. Might be too cute to actually use, but that's up to my mom. I used red and white cotton yarn, so it can be used for its intended purpose. 

Note-When making crochet items that are used in the kitchen, you need to use 100% cotton yarns so they won't melt if hot things are put on them. You also need to be able to wash them at high temperatures, and acrylic yarns don't hold up well to that.

Such a cute and quick project! I love how the stitching turned out. The center was made alternating sc with dc to create the clustered look. There's probably a name for that type of stitch, but not sure what it's called.

Mary Jane Slippers

I made these slippers using this pattern as a Christmas gift for my sister. Had some problems with the pattern, mainly with crocheting too tightly around the top edging, but they ended up turning out pretty well.

I'm really not very happy with the yarn I used, I tried out Lion Brand's Wool-Ease Yarn, but I think I should have stuck with good ol' Vanna's Choice. The slippers look a little small on my feet, as they should--my sister wears a size or two smaller than me in shoe size. I tried to gauge how they would fit her by going by how they fit me, hopefully they end up fitting her okay.

Magnets

I made these based on a project sheet from Craft Warehouse. They involve gluing pictures or scrapbook paper to the backs of flat glass marbles, then adding a magnet to the back. They look really cool, they magnify whatever image you use.

I discovered a flaw in the process, however. If the paper you use for the image is not very sturdy, or is very porous, when you glue the magnet to the back using E600 glue, the glue bleeds through the paper. That's what happened with these two dragonflies.

The red ones didn't have that problem as much, a little bit, but not as noticeable from far away.

This cute little doggy was made from a card, so no problems there.

Made these ones for my sister (there wouldn't be any U of O stuff at our house, in this house it's only WSU alumni stuff). I coated the back of the paper with the glue used to initially glue the paper to the marbles, it helped to create a waterproof seal that the E600 wouldn't bleed through. One of the ones I made still bled through, but these four turned out good.



Okay, I take that back, looks like they still had some issues, but I think that was more from the other glue bleeding through, instead of the E600. Might have to try using Modge Podge on the back, that should work.

Simple scarf

Another gift (this one I got done right before my hand gave out). I used this pattern, which was a very simple design, but I loved how it turned out.



I used a skein of some Red Heart Soft Yarn that I found in a closet that was left over from a project a few years ago. I'm giving this scarf as a gift to my mother-in-law, but was really tempted to keep it. The yarn is ssoooo soft, and I love the color and mesh look to the scarf.

My poor hand...

After crocheting obsessively for the last month or so (wait, maybe longer than that, when did I learn? October maybe?), my hand has given out. I've become addicted to it, I seriously have a hard time sitting on the couch without yarn, a hook, and a project going. But after making ALL of my gifts this year, crocheting off and on all day for like three days straight, my right thumb started throbbing.

On one of the prenatal yoga videos I've done, the instructor mentions that pregnant women are more susceptible to carpal tunnel syndrome. I talked to my doctor at my 32 week appointment last week, and she said that it's very common. Swelling in the joints puts pressure on the nerve and can make your hand have sharp pains and go numb. And of course, repetitive movements are not good for it, they just make it worse.

AHHHHhhhh!!! No more crocheting????? What am I going to do??????

I've taken a break from crocheting for a few days, it's been hard, but it hurts too bad. However, the day I cut myself off completely (two days ago), I chopped a bunch of vegetables for a soup, which made my hand SO MUCH WORSE!! It throbbed all that night, and I haven't been able to use it much since. The pain is supposed to go away after having a baby and hormones and stuff go back to normal, but then I'll have a baby and won't be able to crochet. I'm a little broken up about the whole issue.

I'm trying to rest my hand now and not use it too much, which is hard, how do you not use your right thumb? There's a reason we have opposable thumbs... to use them!! Hopefully it won't take two more months (when baby is due) until it gets better. I'm in the middle of the last Christmas gift project, might have to just give them a picture of what it looks like. Until then, I guess I just have to survive the sadness of not being able to crochet. I'll have to think of some other activity to keep my hands busy while trying to rest on the couch until the baby comes. Hmmm... not quite sure what that's going to be. 

Berry Beanie

Just finished another sweet little hat for my soon-to-be-here baby girl. This pattern was from this blog, and was a pretty easy pattern to follow. I made size small, which ended up being on the small side of the pattern's finished measurements, and I also added 2 extra rows of double crochet to the length. I must crochet pretty tightly, seems like I always have to add extra rows.

So cute, can't wait to use it!!

Homemade stockings

After talking through what we wanted to do as a family for Christmas, we've decided we're going to hang stockings and fill them with things for each other, and not do bigger presents. I made stockings for Brandon and I a few years ago, but needed to make Madelyn one. And since I was making one for Madelyn, I thought I might as well make one for Audrey too :)