It’s Wednesday! Have you tried that Dill Pickle Vinaigrette yet? If not, what are you waiting for—an empty jar of pickles? 😉
Today was a low-key day. I started it off thinking that I’d call the doctor’s office this afternoon to check on my mammogram results … but it turns out they called me first. The girls are OK.
That’s a relief!
Other than that, not much is going on. I’ve been walking — a lot — and crocheting — a lot more.
I set an August goal of getting 177,000 steps. That averages out to 5,900-ish steps a day, which is a bit of a stretch because I’ve been lucky to get 5,600 a day.
(For me, that’s good. When I’m not trying, I barely break 2K. You can call me Sedentary Shelly.)
As of last weekend, I was basically on track — a bit short of 5,900/day, but not so far off that it’s impossible to make up.
I can do it!
As for the crochet, I’m trying my hand at my own design. I’ve been crocheting quite a bit for a couple of years now as I’ve taught myself new stitches spotted on Pinterest.
My mom taught me to crochet the basic stitches — single and double crochet and the ripple stitch — when I was in first grade. I’ve made dozens of afghans and baby blankets over the years, including one for my nephew (in the classic ripple stitch) and this one from Daisy Farm Crafts for a friend’s baby.
My crochet habit has led me to discover new-to-me designers like Breann from Hooked on Homemade Happiness, who also loves to read and lives in Arizona (though nowhere near me).
The first sweater I made — basically a rectangle sewn together and capped with sleeves — was one of Breann’s designs.
I was taken in by her promise:
“If you can crochet a rectangle, you can make a cocoon sweater.”
Breann @ Hooked on Homemade Happiness
She was right. I made two before I was confident enough to move on to something more involved. I’ve also made a couple of her Basic Tees, and a cardigan that inexplicably was too large even though I’m pretty sure I tested for gauge before I started.
Next up, I’m eager to try one of Breann’s newest patterns: The Crop Tank Top (though I may add a few rows to make it a bit longer).
Another designer I recently discovered is Keysha, the brains behind Designs by Key. Her work came to my attention through Instagram, in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, when some of the crochet folks I already followed were amplifying the work of BIPOC designers.
I immediately fell in love with Key’s NJ Dress and made a trip to the yarn store to pick up the yarn to make one of my own.
Since then I’ve made a second — slightly longer — NJ Dress in mint green. Again inexplicably, it’s still tight on me. (I’m pretty sure I used the same hook for both … gauge is NOT my friend.)
Good thing this is a weight-loss blog. It’ll fit soon enough!
Back to my first attempt at a design. It’s nothing special, just a scarf. Here’s a sneak peek.
Next up, I intend to try making the same pattern with a different yarn and hook size. We’ll see how it goes!
Another plus: Crocheting keeps my hands busy so I can’t snack!
Adventures in weight loss, cooking & life 