August Yarn Along: Cleaning Up, Cleaning Out

I'm a little late to Ginny's Yarn Along, but better late than never, right? In fact, it's probably not escaped your notice that I've been absent lately. But don't worry, between a hasty visit to Florida, starting up school again with the littles, and working on some sewing, I've been "gainfully employed."

And my latest escapade has been to dabble with crochet. I started mostly because I'd like to teach Little Man and Rosa as a handicraft, and it seemed simpler than knitting. We haven't got past a simple chain yet, so I'm not sure how that will work out! But I've been enjoying it, which surprises me more than a little. Here's my current project -- a much-needed washcloth for Rosa in KnitPicks Shine sport:

It's just a swatch of arcade stitch, which I'm now edging with a simple double crochet. Crochet is quite satisfying in how quickly it works up, and the interesting stitch possibilities. I think, like knitting, I had long dismissed it because most of the projects I saw just didn't appeal to me, and were often done up in acrylic yarns. My love for knitting really blossomed when I started seeing projects in natural fibers; it's just taken longer for me to find that with crochet.

Here are two other projects, also washcloths, for Laddie and Scout. I love how quickly crochet washcloths whip up! Video tutorials on Youtube have been invaluable, as I'm still inexperienced with written crochet patterns. These are definitely beginner attempts, but perfectly suitable washcloths. The green "starfish" is made in a cotton dishcloth yarn, and the waffle patterned cloth behind it is made in KnitPicks Cotlin that I've had in my stash for ages.

My reading is Missional Motherhood by Gloria Furman, which I'm resuming after a "leave of absence." It's excellent! I'm not done yet, but I highly recommend this book to any woman, not just mothers -- Gloria makes the point that being a woman is about being a nurturer, whether she ever bears children or not. I love Gloria Furman's writing, and this book is really a challenge for me. A cleaning out, if you will, of many wrong and selfish perceptions I've unknowingly held about motherhood. Cleaning, it would seem, is the theme of this yarn along for me, since my fiber project also has a cleansing purpose!

I encourage you to go and join in the fun on Ginny's blog, or browse some of the other lovely creations in the link-up!