WhichCraft

 The Wordy Bit I accidentally took over a month off! How did that happen?? Well, to be perfectly honest, I do know how it happened. Here at our house, it has been a summer full of gardening, cooking, baking, prepping, teen drama, and toddler drama. Not to mention, the Mr. is still working from home, and that can impact the daily flow. As such, the daily flow now looks nothing like it did this time last year. I also can't decide which I prefer: then or now. I truly enjoy having him around more, but our little is still having difficulty grasping the fact that Daddy needs to work. I'm hoping that starting preschool in a few weeks will keep her busy enough to even her out a bit.  That's right, I said preschool. I've been stocking up on supplies, and I even purchased a curriculum (The Homegrown Preschooler). I like the fact that it is all hands-on and craft-based. I even like that there are opportunities to include faith-based learning (I swapped their stuff out for my stuff...

Materials: Bernat Blanket yarn  Size N/P hook (10.00mm) Tapestry needle (for weaving ends) Scissors Terms to Know: ch - chain st - stitch slst - slip stitch sc - single crochet dc - double crochet dc2tog - double crochet 2 together Pattern (written in US terms): Chain 3 Round 1: 8 DC in the third loop from the hook (Note: this is my "Magic Circle" shortcut); slst to join to the first st Round 2: Ch 2; 2 DC in each st all the way around; slst to join (16 total stitches in this round) Round 3: Ch 2; DC in each st all the way around; slst to join (16 sts total) Round 4:  Ch 2; DC in each st all the way around; slst to join (16 sts total) Round 5: Ch 2; DC2TOG all the way around; slst to join (8 sts total) Round 6: Ch 2; DC2TOG around; slst to join (4 sts total) Round 7: Ch 1; 2 SC in each st around; slst to join (8 sts total) Leave a long tail. Break the yarn and wrap the yarn several times around the "neck" of the balloon before tying off and weaving in the ends. (Thi...

All You Need: 1 1/2 - 2 lbs strawberries, fresh or frozen (hulled and halved) 1-2 Tablespoons white, granulated sugar 2 cups heavy whipping cream 1 can (14 oz) Sweetened, Condensed Milk 1-2 teaspoons vanilla some sort of storage container, 7 cup capacity freezer food processor or blender a hand or stand mixer helps, too What You Do: First things first, we need to heighten the flavor of the strawberries while also removing the majority of the water from them. I do this in a two-step process:  I started by mixing my strawberries (I've used fresh and frozen) with sugar and placing them in the fridge to macerate. With fresh strawberries, this process can take 8-12 hours (or up to 24). With frozen strawberries, you're also wanting them to thaw, so it's best to give them a full 24 hours.  After they have sat in sugar for 24 hours, drain them as much as possible. But do not rinse them! And blend them in a food processor or with a blender. I have blended them...

Materials: Yarn Whatever size hook that is recommended by the yarn Scissors Patience The Wordy Bit Okay, so you've read over my broad-strokes on yarn. You went to the yarn store (online, hopefully) and found the yarn you want to create with. The label said you need a certain sized hook, so you got that, too....or you dove head first in and bought a bundle of hooks and notions. Either way, you've got yarn and hook in hand and you're ready to go! Right...? Well, if you're not, then this post may not be as informative as you were expecting. Maybe check back next week when I'm doling out my secrets on the perfect chicken nugget. Still here? Grab that yarn and hook, honey, and let's learn some basic stitches! The Slipknot Great band, but we're not here for the music. The foundation of any crochet project starts with a basic slipknot. So, I've got this picture here, and I'm going to explain my process. It seems simple to me, and I hope that...