Crochet & Blogs
Crochet is something my mom and grandmom taught me when I was a kid, so it's been part of my life for a very long time. I taught myself to knit in my 50s and absolutely loved that too, but eventually arthritis in my hands and wrists made both hobbies painful enough that I stopped.
I hadn't picked up a crochet hook or knitting needles in more than seven years when my nephew asked if I'd make him some new washcloths.
I made his original ones about a decade ago, which is a pretty good testament to how long handmade things can last! They're finally wearing out, so he asked if I'd make him another batch. He said he didn't care what color I chose.
Thankfully for him, this S'mores-looking cotton yarn was on sale.
After rummaging around for my old dishcloth patterns, I found a gritty stitch pattern on Ravelry and made two before switching to the lemon peel stitch. I think I've found my new favorite stitch for washcloths and dishcloths. It's easy, works up quickly, and has a really nice texture.
I have two more to crochet, then I'll block them and get them ready to deliver this weekend since we'll probably be playing cards together.
Of course, now that I've made these, I want some for my own kitchen. Mine are getting a little raggedy too, although I suppose I can't complain. They're closer to 15 years old!
My only complaint with this project has been the yarn.
Sugar 'n Cream has been my go-to cotton yarn for years and years, but I noticed a huge difference as soon as this yarn arrived. It's much thinner than I remember it being. Fortunately, it still worked well for the washcloths.
It looks like I'll be shopping for a new 100% cotton yarn in the coming months. I might even try a bamboo-cotton blend. There's no rush, though. I have plenty of other projects around here to keep me busy.
A Little Blog Housekeeping
Speaking of hobbies and projects, I've also been doing a little rearranging online.
Since moving to a free blogging platform, I've been settling into a more consistent writing rhythm. One of the changes I've made is creating a separate home for my gaming adventures.
Where Grace Meets Her is where I write about faith and the everyday places God meets me, along with books, photography, baking, crafts, and the ordinary moments of life. Gaming is certainly one of my hobbies, but it never seemed to fit naturally alongside those posts.
Rather than force it, I decided to give it a place of its own.
Not all gamers are Christians. Not all Christians are gamers. And let's be honest, not all grandmothers spend their evenings playing MMORPGs, ARPGs, or an embarrassing number of board and card games.
My sons are all grown now, and they still get amused by the stunned reactions from friends when they mention that their mom is a gamer. Apparently, it's not every day someone discovers that "Mama" spent years happily healing their pixelated backsides in PvP.
So Rhekkit Gaming now has a home of its own. That's where I'll share my gaming adventures, characters, ridiculous mishaps, and whatever other chaos I manage to get myself into.
Meanwhile, Where Grace Meets Her can stay exactly what I want it to be: a little corner for faith, creativity, home, books, photographs, and the everyday things that make up a life.
And apparently, at the moment, that includes a growing pile of crocheted washcloths.
I'm good with that.
Peace,
B
