I love to crochet. I find it wonderfully calming and peaceful, and yet it fulfills my need to always be productive (I swear...I didn't just watch an entire season of Downton Abby...I crocheted four hats!). One of the best things about crochet is how easy it is to learn. For my inaugural craft post, I figured I would post something quick, easy, and useful.
I taught myself from a book while working night shifts as a registration clerk in an emergency room. Between the ambulances and steam of sick and injured individuals, things could get pretty dull...especially between the hours of 1AM and 5AM. Not that anyone minded dull in the emergency room, because the alternative, was, well, and emergency.
Anywho, in order to keep my mind and my body awake, I needed something to do with my hands: enter crochet. Once I caught on to the basics, I found myself whipping out hats, scarves, and mittens like nobody's business. And while I've since learned more complicated stitches and designs, I've always found that my favorite projects are the simplest ones. This brings me to the topic of this post: The World's Easiest Crocheted hat. Let's face it, if winter is coming and you need to make hats for a lot of people (your kids, your spouse, nieces and nephews, etc...) it isn't realistic to spend days on a super complicated pattern for each one. Rather, it makes a lot more sense to make several in a day or an afternoon.
This project is suitable for a beginner, though even experienced craftster can appreciate its simplicity...In fact if you've been crocheting for a while you are probably familiar with projects like this. Just keep in mind, simple can still be beautiful, especially if you use a nice quality yarn.
Pattern:
Materials: 1 skein of bulky weight yarn. Size H (5mm) crochet hook. Color is up to you!
Tip: I like to use Paton's Classic Wool Roving. It is 100% wool, so it is very warm, but not too expensive. I usually buy it at Michael's when they have a big sale, or I have coupon for significant savings.
*Note: Measure the head of whoever you are making this for. Once the base of the hat it large enough, stop increasing and skip to row 14. For a child, you may only need to go to row 5 or 6. For someone with a large head (like my husband) you will likely need to make the whole pattern.
Stitches you will need to know: slip stitch, single crochet (sc) and half-double crochet (hdc).
To start: Chain 5. Join with a slip stitch to join a ring
Round 1: Chain 1, then SC 6 times in the ring. (6 stitches)
Round 2: Ch. 1, then *SC two times in each stitch around*. Join to beginning stitch with slip stitch. (12 stitches)
R3: Ch. 1 *1 SC in next stitch, 2 SC in next stitch* around. Join to beginning stitch with slip stitch (18 stitches
R4: Ch. 1 *1 SC in next 2 stitches, 2 SC in next stitch* around. Join to beginning stitch with slip stitch. (24 stitches).
R5: Ch.1 *1 SC in next 3 Stitches, 2 SC in next stitch* around. Join to beginning stitch with slip stitch. (30 Stitches).
R6: Ch.1 *1 SC in next 4 Stitches, 2 SC in next stitch* around. Join to beginning stitch with slip stitch. (36 stitches).
R7: Ch.1 *1 SC in next 5 stitches, 2 SC in next stitch* around. Join to beginning stitch with slip stitch. (42 stitches).
R8: Ch.1 *1 SC in next 6 stitches, 2 SC in next stitch* around. Join to beginning stitch with slip stitch. (48 stitches)
R9: Ch.1 *1 SC in next 7 stitches, 2 SC in next stitch* around. Join to beginning stitch with slip stitch. (54 stitches.)
R10: Ch.1 *1 SC in next 8 stitches, 2 SC in next stitch* around. Join to beginning stitch with slip stitch. (60 stitches.)
R11: Ch.1 *1 SC in next 9 stitches, 2 SC in next stitch* around. Join to beginning stitch with slip stitch. (66 stitches)
R12: Ch.1 *1 SC in next 10 stitches, 2 SC in next stitch* around. Join to beginning stitch with slip stitch (72 stitches)
R13: Ch.1 *1 SC in next 11 stitches, 2 SC in next stitch* around. Join to beginning stitch with slip stitch (78 stitches).
R14-R19: Ch.1: SC in each stitch around. Join to beginning stitch with a sip stitch.
R20-22: Ch. 2: HDC around. Joint to beginning with slip stitch. Fasten off. Weave in the ends...and you're done!!
What's great about this pattern is you can jazz it up if you want to. You can crochet a flower and add it to the hat, or change colors every couple of rows, or maybe just change colors for the brim (R20-R22).
For added warmth and insulation, you can sew a felt or fabric lining into the hat.
Another great way to use this pattern is as a teaching tool for a child learning their multiplication tables. As you increase, each row it is a multiple of 6. This can be a fun way to incorporate math into everyday activities.
Happy crafting! If your weather is anything like we've been getting here, you may be spending many an afternoon cooped up in your craft room.
Until next time,
-JoAnna
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Monday, January 5, 2015
Coconut Flour Chocolate Chip Bites (V/GF/P)
For the past three days it has not stopped snowing. The cars on the streets are so thoroughly buried, they look like they were built entirely out of snow...no metal or glass parts to speak of. As such, we've been pretty much homebound: the buildup of ice and snow on the highway has made it pretty hard to justify any nonessential trips into town, and there is an avalanche warning for our valley, so any snowshoeing is pretty much out of the questions. Needless to say , I've found myself engaging in some pretty serious nesting behavior: we're talking hats crocheted, cookies baked, and no less than 3 flavors of venison jerky languishing in the dehydrator. I also literally ran out of things to wash (something that has never happened in our house...ever).
Now I'm not normally much of a sweets person, but the cold and snow gave me a hankering for chocolate chip cookies. Of course, my husband is usually the one who eats the lion's share of my baking endeavors, and since he generally strives to follow a paleo diet ( think no wheat, no dairy, no refined sugar) I thought it only fair to keep this in mind when I whipped out my kitchen aid.
Thankfully we had some coconut flour in the cupboard, to form the basis of my cookies. Now, for anyone who has not worked with coconut flour before, it is important to be aware of a couple of things: 1. Coconut flour does actually taste like coconut, so whatever you make will have a light coconut flavor. 2. Coconut flour does not behave like regular flour. It for the most part retains whatever shape you form the dough into before baking. If you want it "cookie shaped" you need to flatten it down before you put it in the oven. 3. Dough made from Coconut flour is much more wet than dough from wheat flour. You use a lot more binder (such as age) and much less flour, proportionally than you do with wheat flour. 4. Don't be discouraged if your first attempt with coconut flour isn't perfect. It can be a bit finicky, but I promise, with practice the results can be great. It is possible to make really moist, really delicious cookies that don't dry out.
To make the Coconut Flour Chocolate Chip Bites you will need the following:
-3/4 cup coconut flour
-3/4 cup crushed walnuts (I usually just mash walnut halves with a rolling pin)
-2 TBS coconut oil
-3 eggs
-2/3 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips
-1 tsp. Vanilla
-1/2 tsp. salt
-1/4 cup honey
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
In a bowl (I use my kitchen aid mixer, but you can just as easily mix this by hand) combine the coconut flour, walnuts, and eggs. Once these are well mixed, add the vanilla, honey, salt, and coconut oil. Finally add in the chocolate chips. Just like that, your dough is made! Remember, the dough may appear wet and seem to come apart. This is fine/normal.
Line a cookie sheet with was paper. Scoop out dough by the spoonful and then use your fingers to press the dough together and form it into your desired shape (round balls or flattened into more of a cookie shape). I prefer to mold mine into little spheres. Keep in mind the dough doesn't really spread, so you can place the cookies fairly close together on the sheet.
One your cookie sheet is full (I usually can fit one batch of 18 cookies onto a single sheet) pop them in the oven for 12-14 minutes. Once they are done they should be slightly golden brown along the top. One you take them out of the oven, let them sit for about 10 minutes to continue baking themselves and becoming set. Otherwise, the cookies may flake apart.
Once the cookies are finished setting up, the should have a nice crisp layer on the outside, but remain soft and delicate on the inside. My husband and I both love these cookies, and while they aren't necessarily "low calorie", they definitely have a lot less sugar and a lot more protein than your regular cookie recipe.
Enjoy! I know we sure did. They were just what we needed to keep out spirits up during the snowstorm. I especially liked having my treat along with a cup of coffee.
Until Next Time!
-JoAnna
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Forget New Years Resolutions...I'm Making Plans!
Hello all!
My name is JoAnna and welcome to my blog, where I will chronicle my journey to create (as the blog title would suggest) my own healthy and happy homestead. As I learn the ins and outs and tricks of simple, sustainable living, I hope you'll join me. My goal is to share information that is inspirational and useful (and if all else fails, humorous).
Some topics I'll cover in this blog include:
-Healthy Cooking and Recipes
-Gardening/Urban Farming
-Crafts and Hobbies for the Homestead
-Household tips and Sustainable Living
-Pets and Urban Farm Animals
-General Health and Wellness
-Miscellaneous fun
I realize this is quite a variety of things to write about. However, I've always been the kind of person who wants to try everything. As a kid, my parents were continually telling me to slow down, but let's face it: It just isn't in my nature. Instead, I'd rather embrace my eclectic (some would say flighty) nature and use it to my advantage in order to live a life of positivity and joy.
About Me
Before I go any further, I should probably share a little bit about myself. Here are the basics: I am 27 years old, married to my adoring husband "K", and together we have four dogs and two cats. We enjoy lots of hiking, fishing, snowshoeing, and camping with our dogs. I also do a lot of downhill and cross country skiing ("K" prefers not to move so fast). This past September we bought our first home in small town Montana (and when I say small, I mean small...even by Montana standards). There is no stop light, police station, or grocery store. Horses, dogs, and chickens running loose through the neighborhood is fairly common occurrence. Even though this means a 30 mile commute to work each way, "K" and I love our sturdy old house, and plan to make the most of our quarter-acre lot (we also are doing our best to offset our carbon footprint...but more on that in future posts). Last October we converted an old shed into a chicken coop, and in the spring, we plan to add chickens, ducks, and possibly a milk goat to our menagerie. We haven't decided about the goat yet, as we want to make sure we have enough room. Also, two of our four dogs are border collies. I don't want them to herd the poor thing relentlessly.
In the past five months, we've experienced all sorts of new homeowner disasters from the furnace breaking down to the pipes in our laundry room bursting on New Years Eve. However, we've
done our best to weather these storms with a positive out lookout and an eye toward the future. I'm sure the solutions and details of these disasters will make there way into future posts.
That's enough about me for now. I'm sure more details will emerge as time goes on, but this way I won't bore you with a prolonged autobiography.
Welcome to the New Year
As you may have realized, this inaugural post is very near to the beginning of 2015. However, writing a blog was not a "New Years Resolution". Rather, this year I decided rather than making resolutions, I would make plans. Resolutions can be so vague...we say things like I resolve to lose weight...I resolve to drink less...spend more time with my kids...etc. But the problem is, these resolutions don't say at all HOW these lofty goals will be accomplished. Instead, I made detailed plans to help me get what I want out of life. Creating this blog is one part of my greater plan to live a more sustainable and fulfilled life.
Another big part of that plan is my garden. I am ecstatic, excited, and thrilled beyond reason to be able to have a big, beautiful, productive garden this year. Even though it is January 4th, we have been experiencing subzero temperatures for the past week, and it is currently dumping buckets of snow outside, I already planning this massive undertaking. I've drawn detailed sketches of our backyard and front yard, and mapped out the best places to place raised garden beds to maximize our space. I've already figured out where to plant each vegetable to get the optimal amount of sunlight. I've created a "shopping list" of tools, lumber, and hardware we'll need to get the job done. But I'll write a more detailed "how to" post on all of this soon. I don't want to get ahead of myself! Really I just want to show how much more effective planning can be than New Years Resolutions. Whatever it is you want to accomplish, make a plan, and then make it happen!
I am excited to begin this blogging and homesteading journey. Now, I realize the changes and challenges my husband and I will be facing won't happen overnight. We will have to take some baby-steps. Store bought sprouted-grain bread and canned tomatoes aren't going to disappear from my repertoire like magic. I probably won't sew our clothes at home (though handmade sweaters, hats, mittens and blankets are all reasonable). However, over time we will learn and grow, and I will share our successes (and failures) for the benefit of all.
Until next time!
-JoAnna
P.S. Comments, feedback, and questions are always encouraged! I welcome constructive criticism, advice, and communication with readers. I only ask that readers refrain from abusive, offensive and vulgar language.
My name is JoAnna and welcome to my blog, where I will chronicle my journey to create (as the blog title would suggest) my own healthy and happy homestead. As I learn the ins and outs and tricks of simple, sustainable living, I hope you'll join me. My goal is to share information that is inspirational and useful (and if all else fails, humorous).
Some topics I'll cover in this blog include:
-Healthy Cooking and Recipes
-Gardening/Urban Farming
-Crafts and Hobbies for the Homestead
-Household tips and Sustainable Living
-Pets and Urban Farm Animals
-General Health and Wellness
-Miscellaneous fun
I realize this is quite a variety of things to write about. However, I've always been the kind of person who wants to try everything. As a kid, my parents were continually telling me to slow down, but let's face it: It just isn't in my nature. Instead, I'd rather embrace my eclectic (some would say flighty) nature and use it to my advantage in order to live a life of positivity and joy.
About Me
Before I go any further, I should probably share a little bit about myself. Here are the basics: I am 27 years old, married to my adoring husband "K", and together we have four dogs and two cats. We enjoy lots of hiking, fishing, snowshoeing, and camping with our dogs. I also do a lot of downhill and cross country skiing ("K" prefers not to move so fast). This past September we bought our first home in small town Montana (and when I say small, I mean small...even by Montana standards). There is no stop light, police station, or grocery store. Horses, dogs, and chickens running loose through the neighborhood is fairly common occurrence. Even though this means a 30 mile commute to work each way, "K" and I love our sturdy old house, and plan to make the most of our quarter-acre lot (we also are doing our best to offset our carbon footprint...but more on that in future posts). Last October we converted an old shed into a chicken coop, and in the spring, we plan to add chickens, ducks, and possibly a milk goat to our menagerie. We haven't decided about the goat yet, as we want to make sure we have enough room. Also, two of our four dogs are border collies. I don't want them to herd the poor thing relentlessly.
 |
| Some of the gorgeous Scenery Hiking in Western Montana |
 |
| "Sonny", my beautiful boy border collie, enjoying a hike. |
In the past five months, we've experienced all sorts of new homeowner disasters from the furnace breaking down to the pipes in our laundry room bursting on New Years Eve. However, we've
done our best to weather these storms with a positive out lookout and an eye toward the future. I'm sure the solutions and details of these disasters will make there way into future posts.
That's enough about me for now. I'm sure more details will emerge as time goes on, but this way I won't bore you with a prolonged autobiography.
Welcome to the New Year
As you may have realized, this inaugural post is very near to the beginning of 2015. However, writing a blog was not a "New Years Resolution". Rather, this year I decided rather than making resolutions, I would make plans. Resolutions can be so vague...we say things like I resolve to lose weight...I resolve to drink less...spend more time with my kids...etc. But the problem is, these resolutions don't say at all HOW these lofty goals will be accomplished. Instead, I made detailed plans to help me get what I want out of life. Creating this blog is one part of my greater plan to live a more sustainable and fulfilled life.
Another big part of that plan is my garden. I am ecstatic, excited, and thrilled beyond reason to be able to have a big, beautiful, productive garden this year. Even though it is January 4th, we have been experiencing subzero temperatures for the past week, and it is currently dumping buckets of snow outside, I already planning this massive undertaking. I've drawn detailed sketches of our backyard and front yard, and mapped out the best places to place raised garden beds to maximize our space. I've already figured out where to plant each vegetable to get the optimal amount of sunlight. I've created a "shopping list" of tools, lumber, and hardware we'll need to get the job done. But I'll write a more detailed "how to" post on all of this soon. I don't want to get ahead of myself! Really I just want to show how much more effective planning can be than New Years Resolutions. Whatever it is you want to accomplish, make a plan, and then make it happen!
I am excited to begin this blogging and homesteading journey. Now, I realize the changes and challenges my husband and I will be facing won't happen overnight. We will have to take some baby-steps. Store bought sprouted-grain bread and canned tomatoes aren't going to disappear from my repertoire like magic. I probably won't sew our clothes at home (though handmade sweaters, hats, mittens and blankets are all reasonable). However, over time we will learn and grow, and I will share our successes (and failures) for the benefit of all.
Until next time!
-JoAnna
P.S. Comments, feedback, and questions are always encouraged! I welcome constructive criticism, advice, and communication with readers. I only ask that readers refrain from abusive, offensive and vulgar language.
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