At the start of each year, I always revisit my to-do list and renew my promise to self to be productive, purge and declutter, get organized, spend less time on the internet, engage in hobbies other than hair, decorate on a budget, etc. Of course at the turn of this new year, things were no different EXCEPT I am holding myself accountable and will make good on my promises this year unlike all other years.
First up, crocheting! Crocheting is a hobby that I randomly decided to pursue a few years ago. It stemmed from two specific events: my husband having medical issues and my love for slouchy beanies and scarves. I find crocheting peaceful and therapeutic, thus it’s helpful when I’m under a lot of stress. I definitely prefer to buy my beanies and scarves BUT the cost can be super expensive. So, here’s where my hobby comes in. I took to YouTube to learn crocheting. The motivation to learn came and went. So, fast forward, here I am, almost 3 years later and I’m finally taking crochet seriously.
I recently came across an easy chunky cowl pattern and thought I’d give it a try. The pattern suggests it would take an hour. Wrong! I’m a beginner so I’m a slow crocheter. In total, it took about 5 hours with taking breaks. My cowl isn’t perfect and definitely has flows, but I’m very pleased with the end result! The biggest compliment, a few family and friends have asked for one. I of course need to get my skill up before I do that but hey, that made me feel good anyway. Now that I’ve been bit by the crochet bug, I’m ready for my next project…hopefully, a slouchy beanie.
Edited to add: I used Bernat Blanket yarn. It’s “Super Bulky” and has a weight of “6” with a recommended hook size of 11mm. I used a 10.50mm hook because I could not locate a 11mm hook locally.
What to-do list items will you make priority this year?
LOVE IT!! Looks really slouchy and warm!
My priorities this year:
1. buy land for my and my husband’s retirement and to leave to my 5 kids (buy enough acreage to give each some land)
2. start a sustainable farm (I am also a certified permaculture designer)
3.Rehab an old farmhouse or build an earthbag home
4. begin plans for a shade house and a greenhouse
5. get rid of a lot of stuff (downsize) in prep for a move by 2017.
6..see my last child off to college
7. repair and prepare the home I have now for sale or lease
Personal: continue on my rawfood/vegetarian path and perhaps by Sept begin yoga.
Great goals! You can do it. What will you be farming? Having land to pass on to the kids is an excellent idea. I totally need to do some home repairs. Nothing major but still, some minor items to enhance the look. A coat of paint will do wonders for us.
I want to have a sustainable farm, so I must create a few ponds to catch and store rain water then use a lot of that water to gravity feed my garden. I will have a huge garden with fruits, nuts, and veggies. thinking about chickens for their manure and ability to take care of a lot of bugs and till the earth with their scratching (and guinea fowl)…
Since we rarely eat meat or eggs, there is the “small problem” of all the unfertilized eggs from the chickens.
I will grow all our own veggies or as much as I can (especially with the green house)
Fruit: persimmons, grapes, apples, pears, figs, peaches, strawberries, black berries, gooseberries, quince, etc
Veggies: peppers, tomatoes, zuchinni, beets, collards, mustard and turnip greens, cabbage, kale , all kinds of beans and peas, broccoli , broccoli ,okra, lettuces, corn, sweet potatoes, spinach, rabe, avocados (in the green house iwth the figs) etc and all kinds of culinary and medicinal herbs
The most important thing will be me tending the land and trying to put as much as possible in a food forest so that it grows perennially like the greens, so I do not have to continually plant it –it would grow wild.
Hard times are coming due to global changes and how our country depends on too many for our food–there may be shortages of food AND water.
To learn more about food forests–you can go on youtube–the idea is everywhere you can, you have something you can eat or use to help yourself and you try to store an abundance of water and not depend on wells or city water because the US is losing ground water or underground aquifers and when that happens on a larger scale–we will be in a world of hurt similar to Somalia or Ethiopia.
Right now, Nevada, TX, Arizona, California, Colorado and parts of New Mexico all buy their water from other states who are enacting more and more laws to control water ways and in some states, to try to enact laws to force private owners of lakes and ponds to turn their water over to the government so that city dwellers can use them (the EPA tried to pass a law stating anything larger than a large puddle was under their jurisdiction but the Supreme Court struck it down, however they signed themselves the “right to ownership of “ALL WATER SOURCES” LARGER THAN A PUDDLE were theirs to distribute, regulate and commandeer if needed.
Of course this is alarming. A good book to read is “when the rivers run dry”
This is not apocalyptic fiction, the science is indisputable, due to intensive farming, much of the State’s (and the world’s underground aquifers are being depleted) they cannot be refilled in our lifetime it takes about 10,000 years for the aquifers underground to recharge about 1 inch –most of the water that rains or we have stored in the ground is recycled from the oceans and rivers via transpiration (goes up in the clouds and back down again)
The IPCC (The UN international government panel on Climate Change predicts by 2020 the most important commodity in the world will NOT be oil but water and that by 2030 if nothing is done, at least 40 to 45% of the world’s humans are subject to dying of either thirst or famine and this includes many in the Western world due to water and food shortages.
One of the main groups at risk are blacks–who tend to focus on things like dancing or cars or clothes and seldom see the importance of buying land, stocking up and not living from day to day–
WHAT will happen in large urban populations when famine or drought dries up sources of food in China and elsewhere? Or in the US (currently, it is believed that over 85% of our groceries are now imported) American farmers rarely grown food for domestic markets and instead grow one crop like wheat, rice, soybeans or corn–for world markets and use.
So the question is, since we are so globally connected and dependent–what happens in our cities (where most people of color live) when the water begins to dry up, or when the food trucks no longer can deliver to the stores? It takes a season to change most fields over to a different crop–that is normally 6-8 months–what do people eat during the change over?
In the case of corn crops (most farmers now concentrate on growing corn) it takes 2 seasons to grow anything on land corn has been on because it draws down or depletes the nitrogen in the soil too rapidly.
the thing is–despite farmers’ markets, most Americans are not prepared in anyway for a food or water shortage–they are supposed to be apparent by 2017-2018 –when they become really apparent, the price of useable land will skyrocket making it out of reach of most in the cities–so what will people eat? Especially people, who know nothing about gardening, do not have access to land and depend on the government to bring in both food and water (all food in the US in stores is subsidized by the government.
I will be growing to grow sustainably, this means I will NOT be buying my seed from Lowes or Home Depot but instead will buy heirloom vegetables so that I can plant and replant the seeds (many companies only sell Monsanto seed which does not allow it to be replanted later (sterile) I also plan to collect my own water.
Self sufficiency means the less you depend on others, the less likely their failures or corruption or disruption, will affect you.
Forgot to add that currently the US government has a stockpiled food supply that would last the country about 1 week. After that, it is every man, plant and animal for themselves.
if droughts hit our sources in Central and South America or we have more drought out west or in the Southern states (both TN, and GA experienced significant droughts in recent years) we have no stock piled food nor do many places store water.
Most Americans do not realize that all the water on the planet is constantly recycled and very little “new water” is produced atmospherically. It is in a constant loop BUT the way we use the ground water and lakes renders much of it unpotable.
That is water lost.
I will be growing as many kinds of perennial veggies as I can, and probably will have at least 1 pond stocked with fish…as another protein source.
My great-grandparents had a farm (vegetables & animals). I was too young to remember that but my mom tells stories about it. They had chicken and cows, among other things.They rarely needed to go to the store for anything. In those times, it was called “going to town” for country folk. 🙂 My family still owns the land. Planting pine trees may work better for us.
It is so funny that you mention this. Over the holiday I had two weeks off from work. My 10 year old daughter was out of school so I thought I would show her how to crochet. I learned when I was just a little girl and its one of those things you never forget and can fall back on it when needed. In addition, I have been spending so much on silk lined beanies I thought I would start making my own. So far I have made 2 cowl neck infinity scarfs and a few hats. I also find crocheting relaxing and therapeutic. I plan to stick with it.
That would be a great mommy / daughter moment. I don’t have any relatives or friends that know how to crochet so it’s just been me and YouTube. I’m so over the moon on my accomplishment. Congrats on making a few items. I wanna do some beanies and stitch in silk for a little protection.
Very cute
Thank you, Leisa
I want to keep on running.
I would love to run but I have horrible shin issues. Do you run marathons?
This looks so cute and SO WARM!
TY! It’s so soft and yes, warm. 🙂
Beautiful and looks so cozy! Love it!
Have a wonderful week!
Hugs and love from Portugal,
Ana Love Craft
http://www.lovecraft2012.blogspot.com
Oh wow, Portugal! How cool is that. Thanks for swinging by. Giving you hugs and love as well. Have a blessed week!
This awesome I love it!
TY, Robin!!! 🙂
I think you did a wonderful job, dear! I love the yarn you used. It makes it chunkier.
TY, Nerline. It is Super Bulky. I’m working on a project with worsted weight (4) and I don’t like it at all…it’s taking way too long. I prefer bulky so the projects move faster. 🙂
I am a DIYer on a budget too and love crocheting for the therapeutic benefits as well. I am so slow at crocheting since I pick up on it here and there but I enjoy whatever I finally do complete…flaws and all. As a matter of fact, I still wear my first scarf I crotcheted 7 years ago! I LOVE the chunky cowl though! I could so use one right now. Great job!
My to-do priorities include growing spiritually stronger, transitioning more into a minimalist lifestyle, and budgeting my finances consistently each month.
TY! Oh my gosh, I’m a slow crocheter too. I’m working on a beanie right now and it’s driving me nutty since I’m using a smaller weight yarn and smaller hook coupled with I’m a slow crocheter…my progress is like molasses.
The last time I crocheted was in 1982. All of February I crocheted before the birth of my first child. I was crocheted right up to my due date–marathon crochet. I made it 3 sweaters, a bunting (coat without legs but is zipped up) 2 sets of booties, a nigh gown with a puffy shell stitch, and 2 afghans or throws. I came from a family that sewed, knitted, embroidered and crocheted. We all kept sewing and crocheting but with the exception of my oldest daughter, none of us knit anymore.
Back in the day.. it was the norm from many moms to teach their girls needle arts. I was 7 when I was taught to crochet, but 10 before my mother ever bought me my very own yarn. There used to be arts and crafts at school that we went to instead of outside in the winter, so my mother had to scrape money together to get me some yarn for my “project”
In the beginning, I guess most started, (or at least I did) with the ubiquitous scarf.. then later I moved onto berets which back then, we called “tams”. Mostly we would just make long scarves that later we would just add onto until they were often weird, super heavy afghans.
it was not until 1982 that I began to follow pattern books and learn many new stitches.
I remember my mother sitting us all around a table to teach us these things and often when we came home from school some new little kit would be on our beds. Latch hook, weaving supplies, knitting needles–but my very favorite EVERY SINGLE TIME to come home and see it were embroider kits because we always got a Nestle Crunch bar with them…
My other favorite thing was Tri Chem which was coloring specially made designs with liquid fabric paint. we got those kits from school–you ordered them like you ordered books for sale.
I have not crocheted since 1982 but I did proceed to continue needle crafts–sewing stayed a part of my life as did quilting and piecing quilts and I made a few outfits for my kids.
Lol on the Nestle Crunch Bar! Nothing beats good childhood memories. What’s your favorite hobby right now?
Very cool! My grandma used to make me help her fix up her yarn so I have a healthy respect for all things crochet and knit. I actually decided to finish all my half-done projects so I’m knitting my top. Can I ask what kind of crochet needle and the weight/consistency of the yarn?
I used Bernat Blanket yarn. It’s “Super Bulky” and has a weight of “6” with a recommended hook & needle size of 11mm. I used a 10.50mm hook because I could not locate a 11mm hook locally.
Hm thanks Jay! This looks doable and you really can’t have enough cowls/scarves.
The cowl looks great. And crocheting is always one of those crafts I want to take up, but never seem to have the time to do. Hope you have a great day!
That came out great! I’my finally comfortable with single crochet, so I’m going to work on half DC next. Since I have learned to crochet in a circle, I think I can start on a beanie now? I do love to crochet ribbon and ruffle scarves! I have a bunch of them! Have you started on your next project?
TY! What tutorials do you follow for ribbon and ruffle scarves? I think you can knock a beanie out for sure. I started on a beanie but haven’t picked it up in a few weeks. I need to get back on it.