January 15, 2012: Berry cinchy cowl :)

To be completely honest, I am not great at crocheting. As it turns out... I really do not like following patterns of any kind. Even in cooking, with recipes. I generally look at the basics of how to do something and then get creative with it. (FYI People do tend to like the things I cook... and no one has died, yet.)So, my crochet projects are generally cinchy - great word - and basic... but with a twist. I love the Threadbanger YouTube channel for learning cool DIY projects. This was the first crochet tutorial that I learned from. It is actually teaching how to make a slouch hat but you get the idea. With my limited crochet skills... I made some simple cowl scarves for my mom and sister this Christmas and they were a hit... and I wanted one for myself. When I made it, I thought it was a little to long; I wanted it tighter around my neck to keep me warmer. With that in mind, I incorporated a draw string in this one, where the strings come out of a little flower (which I have to get better at making). It slips over your head and then you can pull the strings to tighten it up for a warmer feel. Then, tie a little bow inside the flower. Cute and comfy.

January 1, 2012: I-Cord Necklace... or is it a scarf??

This is my first creation of 2012. I saw it on Etsy and wanted to learn how to make one. So, naturally (as most people would do) I Googled it! Specifically I searched "crochet cord." This led me to a YouTube tutorial on how to crochet an i-cord. I grabbed a giant crochet hook, turned on the miserable Jets game :( and crocheted away. By the time the Giants were running away with Dallas, I was done! Check it out!