Curling up with my crochet hook...

It is only the second week of January, and the winter is already feeling too long. We have been quite blessed with mild winters in the past. In the 10 years that we have lived here, we have seen very little snow. The snow that we have seen, is never much and never lasts long.

This year, winter came early and is refusing to leave. We received almost two feet of snow the week before Yule, and here halfway through January....it is still here. It has been extremely cold, and the snow has melted and refroze repeatedly, making it a slick, sharp, glacier of a landscape. No good for snowman, sledding, snowball fights or any of the usual winter fun. We have been stuck inside, staying as close to the wood stove as possible.

This means lots of snuggling, lots of books (we are currently reading Eragon), lots of board games and lots of time crocheting.

So i don't really do New Years Resolutions, although at the end of the year i do find myself reflecting back upon the past year and trying to become optimistic about the year to come. i have ideas and goals about what i'd like to see happen or what i'd like to see change, but i don't make solid resolutions.
One thing that i am pushing for myself this year is to challenge myself more. i have been crocheting for years, and i'm quite good at it..i think. However, i have never taken the time to learn to read crochet patterns...i don't even know the names of the different stitches i use. Which means, i can't write my own patterns ...nor can i ever make anything twice. Well, at least not the exact same. So one of my goals this year is to learn to read patterns, and learn to write my own.

While browsing around online, i came across this fabulous pattern called the Diamond Ridges hat on another blog, and had to make one for my daughter. i was able to read and follow the pattern, although i had to look up the different stitches as i went along. i got stuck on row 5, but the author has a tutorial on her site clarifying that part of the pattern. It took a little while for me to figure it out, and then it all clicked. i am quite proud of myself, and pleased with how the hat turned out. This is a really a nice thick winter hat, and Sage loves it. i made a second one for my sister, and was able to breeze right through it. i guess i can no longer say that i do not read crochet patterns. :)

While sitting and snuggling in front of the woodstove, i have been playing around with different hat styles. i've been making a lot with the brims and decided to try incorporating the stitch that i used in the Diamond Ridges pattern in the middle of my regular hat pattern. i'm very pleased with how it turned out, it really kind of spiced up this rather basic style. My husband liked it so much he requested one for himself. So my next attempt will be a similar hat using a variety of colors...which should be another challenge for me.

i would love to say that i am embracing the season, but truth is i am not. i am ready for spring, i am ready for the snow to melt and ready for something else. i am however embracing the challenges, and pulling myself out this state of complacency and not only accepting change but encouraging it. One change you my readers, can look forward too is more blogs, more work for sale and a few fun giveaways! i am feeling very generous lately, and am excited to start giving back to those who have been showing us support all these years. ;)