Starfish Dishcloths

I've been making many cotton dishcloths, all with a beach theme, but these are my favorite.  I made several of these for Christmas gifts, and although those who received them don't want to use them as dishcloths, they ARE using them as pot holders and trivets.  I just think they add some nice decor to a kitchen, even if they just chill on a counter.

The pattern is on the Red Heart website, or you can find it quickly by going to my Red Heart Pinterest board:  http://pinterest.com/beachgirlvb/red-heart-yarns-free-patterns/

Another Scarf

My sweet 83-year-old neighbor who walks with a cane has been bringing me the bulletin from our church every Sunday my surgery.  (We attend the same church, but different services.)  She also asked the church to put me on the prayer list to publish in the bulletin, which led to their making me an Advent wreath, which she also brought to me.
Until Christmas, she was bringing my mail to me every day, but because her family was visiting her, she knew she wouldn't have time, so she asked our mail carrier to put my mail on my porch next to my door.  She also has brought lunch to me a few times and some goodies from the grocery store including one of my favorites--pimento cheese spread.  Yum.
To thank her, I made this scarf for her because she says she often wears a scarf in the house to stay warm.  I used two strands of baby yarn and mostly used the stockinette stitch, with few purl rows randomly thrown in just to add interest.  The border is just one row of single crochet, one of double, and then one of single.  She was thrilled.

A Shrug and a Scarf for Christmas

I always try to find something unique for one particular friend for Christmas because she really doesn't need anything.  This year I really surprised her by knitting her gifts.  I was afraid that she wouldn't like the shrug, but she absolutely loved it.  She likes a little "bling," so I added trim to both the shrug and the scarf.  I bought both the shell trim and the bead trim on Amazon.

I used Lion Brand Cotton-Ease yarn in hazelnut.  I had found the pattern at Michael's before I had surgery, but you can find the pattern on the Lion Brand website by searching for Stockinette Stitch Shrug in patterns.  Here it is on my mannequin.  The ribbed edge folds back better on a real person.

For the scarf, I used Lion Silky Twist, Ocean.  I had some left from making a shawl (Shimmy Shawl on the Lion Brand website) for the mother of the young man I sponsor in Peru (I visited him in October on a Compassion Sponsor Tour.)  I purchased another skein of it and just made up my own pattern.  I actually don't remember exactly what I did, but I think I knitted five and purled two, and then the opposite on the wrong side.  The scarf is very soft and warm.  

Hats and Scarves

My niece's birthday is December 14th.  I decided to make a hat and scarf for her because she's so cute, it's fun to make pretty things for her.  I've been doing that since she was a baby (although I mostly sewed then).

I found a pattern on the Lion Brand website called "Softly Shaded Hat and Scarf."  The suggested yarn is Lion Brand Amazing.  I chose the color "pink sands" since I live near the ocean, and my niece loves pink and the beach.  Since I was buying the yarn online, I didn't notice that it is 53% wool.  Big mistake.  I'm allergic to wool, so although the yarn is awesome, I was sick the entire time I made the hat and scarf.  I am thankful it was easy to make and didn't take long at all.

I then decided I wanted to make the same set for a friend who had stayed with me immediately after my foot surgery.  I chose Red Heart Boutique Unforgettable, color "parrot."  The yarn is even prettier in person than it was online.  I loved it!

Both my niece and my friend love their gifts.  Here is my niece modeling hers on Christmas Day:

This is what I made for my friend with the Red Heart Yarn.  I used my mannequin, which has no head, to display it, so it looks a little funny.

I had a lot of yarn left, so I decided to make a simple scarf for my brother's girlfriend for Christmas.  I wanted it to be light so that she could wear it inside, so I made it narrow and just used a simple garter stitch, but I think it looks awesome because of the yarn.

Wine Cozy

This year I was able to make a lot of gifts because of my foot surgery.  Here is one that took me less than an hour.

I made this wine cozy for my neighbors.  I didn't want to just give them a bottle of wine--I wanted to make it "fancy."

I used Red Heart Soft red yarn, which made it a little stretchy.  My friend (who was out of work because of rotator cuff surgery) and her daughter took me to Michael's so that I could find red yarn.  The only red left was that variety.  I love the feel of it, and I think that's wasted on a wine bottle, but at least it looks good.

I already had white Red Heart yarn, so I used that for the top part.

You can find the pattern here:  http://www.allfreecrochet.com/Crochet-Gift-Bags/One-Hour-Wine-Bottle-Cozy/ml/1