Those Yarn Hookers

Wow. I can't believe I've neglected this for so long. But, sometimes life gets in the way. 2022 and 2023 were rough for me. In 2022, after a well fought battle, we lost Bill, who was definitely the best of us three Batman kids. Haz and I did get to Minnesota over Memorial Day weekend that year to visit with everyone. Not sure we were quite expecting to have it be the last time. ❤️ 2023 was mostly just dealing with stuff breaking. First, our car died. Then the AC went out over July 4th (thankfully just a new motor and not a whole new unit), and then Cox Internet constantly going out to the point I had to miss work. We switched to Starlink, and while we did lose some speed, the stability is amazing! And the water heater died and needed to be replaced. 😲 To top it all off, Haz messed up his shoulder putting up the Starlink dish, and Dispatch Health sent us to the ER because his BP was so high! That worked out for us in the long run, because we (finally) got a new primary care doc...

 Wow!  2022 is already here! Still at the new company I started with in 2021.  Same work as I did at my previous company, but better pay and benefits, and I did get a small promotion. Had a small hiccup with some people who don't take any kind of feedback well and complained to the manager.  They're on a different shift, so for my own sanity, I'm just not going to deal with them anymore.  Let their Coordinator and Supervisor deal with them.  Not my problem! Reviewed my copy of The Life Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck  and my copy of The Four Agreements  now lives in my work bag.  I actually have all of the "No F*cks Given Guides" and highly recommend them.   Finally got the car into the shop and nothing majorly wrong.  A couple of seals and a hose needed replacing.  Hose is on order, and will be installed soon.  Passed emissions and tags renewed with no issues.  So nice having a car again so that I don't have...

 Hello Hookers! I know, I know, it seems like I haven't posted in forever! While the pandemic isn't as over as we'd have thought it would be by now, it is a breath of fresh air that things are slowly returning to some semblance of normal.  Though, I don't think we'll ever get 100% back to the way things were before. The new job is going awesome!  I got a small promotion.  I'm doing Workflow Coordination, still on the overnights, and I still get to have some hands on.  I do have to pull extra hours on the weekend, but hopefully that won't be forever.  Overall, making the move to this new company was a great change for me.  I am feeling happier and less stressed. As much as I love crochet, I have been working on other hobbies, too.  Got a couple of awesome new jigsaw puzzles, one which is in process.  We've been doing a once a month D&D game online, and hope to resume one of our other games, also probably once a month soon.  I'm also t...

My goodness, where has the time gone? I'm glad this horrid year is over for so many reasons! I hope everyone managed to stay free of COVID-19.  We sure did!  For the most part, we're still hunkered down, and will probably stay that way until we can get the vaccine. We did have some good things happen this year, though! First, we were able to take a trip to Alaska to visit family up there.  The circumstances behind the trip weren't ideal, but we were glad to finally be able to take a real vacation, and we had an amazing time.  My brother and sister-in-law were awesome tour guides, and we can't wait to go back! Second, we were able to get a new-to-us car.  Found a great deal on a 2000 Kia Sportage 4dr with very low miles that we dubbed "Squig."  A few things to be fixed, but mostly convenience things, and to be expected on a 20 year old vehicle.  The motorcycle will still be my primary commute vehicle,  but Squig will be a great backup for my S...

I hope everyone is hanging in there.  We're trying to keep things as normal as possible. We get takeout once a week which supports delivery drivers and restaurants. We still get our groceries by delivery, since still no car. But, the delivery fees and rideshare fees are nothing compared to a car payment.  Thanks to the @55hats in charge not putting any protections on the stimulus, our money went to an old debt. That's really going to stimulate the economy, right? I've been trying to keep busy. Making masks to donate to a shelter. I figure since people in shelters have a harder time distancing, they could use the masks more. And, I don't crochet for the money, I do it for the joy of it.  In the meantime, I'm also planning a BBQ potluck for our anniversary and hopefully the end of this. But, I would much rather this go on longer now than stopping too soon and having to do it all over again. I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy.  Until ne...

So, 2020...What can I say? It's been interesting so far... Hard for me to believe this little project of mine has been around a year already. When I started this endeavor, I had intended to do weekly blog posts, with accompanying posts and memes on the Facebook page. But, it has been slow going for me, especially with the events of the last 1/4 of 2019. And, now the insanity caused by COVID-19 has everything up in the air. Many people are working from home. My company is preparing to, but our situation is a little more complicated than others, so it's taking more time.  The thing that has me most concerned is the selfishness I'm seeing. I'm honestly more concerned that I'm not going to to be able to get the things my family needs to survive than I am about getting sick. I talked with a neighbor yesterday, and he said most places are still out of most things. And, since we don't have a car, we rely on delivery services, which makes shopping for supplies even hard...

Now that it has been gifted, I can make this post. This is a compilation of the WIP photos that have been posted to the Facebook page. It was slow going at first. I did decide to make the starting chain with one hook bigger so that the chains would be loose enough to crochet into. With the thread and such tiny hooks, it was hard not making the stitches too tight. I did find early on that when doing DC's in the CH spaces, it was much easier to crochet around the CH space than in the CH stitches. Once I got through the bottom border knots, work picked up, and seemed to go much faster. Unfortunately, at this point, work was stalled by the sudden passing of my father, and a whirlwind trip to Omaha to spend some time with my brothers while we grieved and put everything in order. (Thankfully, there really wasn't much to do, despite Dad having no end of life planning, and my brothers had it pretty much done by the time I got there.) Once I got home, and recovered fro...

It's been a slow process, but I am slowly starting to feel better. I had a good week at work last week with almost zero stress and anxiety. I'm getting back to my old self a little more every day. My husband said I'm getting back to being "loud and hyper" which makes him happy to see, even if it annoys him when his depression is in full swing. The meds, and the self-help tools, definitely seem to be helping. I did place a call into my company's EAP to get some counseling, but had a hard time getting an appointment, and just haven't bothered to call back. I know what drives most of my issues, and I'm not sure a counselor can really help anyway. I've also started yarning again. With my husband's encouragement, I started a Celtic Knot Filet . My end goal for this project is as a wedding gift for a couple that we play D&D with. I'm about 1/4 of the way through. Here is a work-in-progress photo: I have an afghan project pla...

Again, sorry for the silence. While my hand is doing much better (the brace for work and the exercises I've been doing have helped a LOT), I've found myself in a funk of late. I've learned that I have Anxiety and Depression issues, and am working on getting some help. I've dropped a pretty penny on self-help books (I highly recommend the "No Fucks Given Guides by Sarah Knight), trying to arrange a counselor, and have a started new meds. These, with my Crochet, are helping. I finally got the gumption to finish the bucket bag I was making for myself, and I have a fillet project planned. Hopefully I'll be posting here a little more frequently going forward. It's just been a slow road to get me back to normal. Though, to be honest, I have had these issues for so long, I'm not really sure what normal is for me. In the meantime, keep on hooking!

After creating the Dice Bag pattern, I cranked out 6 more of them for gifts for my D&D group, and to test on Etsy. Since then, I have been experiencing an odd tingling in my thumb, and after some marathon paper cutting this weekend, in one of my fingers. My fear is that almost 20 years of computer work with crappy ergonomics has finally caught up with me. And the timing could not be worse. The account I work on for my company started off as a trial run. But, the client has been extremely happy with our work, and we are in the process of acquiring the full contract. My manager has been scrambling to fill all the new positions, and we start the first phase of expansion next week. Luckily, I already have a doctor appointment in mid-August for a follow-up on my weight, cholesterol, and blood pressure, so I can kill two birds with one stone.  If I can make it until then. One of my coworkers is going to lend me a brace, and I'm hopeful it will help. In the mean time, I'm ...

Wow! I am so sorry! I cannot believe it's been over three months and I've been silent. I've been dealing with life issues, mostly at work, which required some serious self reflection and some work on myself.  I've barely touched my yarn at all. I still have hopes to get some videos posted, but the husband still hasn't edited them (though he has reviewed them, and liked what he saw). He's been dealing with his health. We both have finally started seeing a medical professional again, and are working on getting our health back on track. My work is going well, overall, and is about to get much busier, which is actually a good thing. I'll try to be a little more active in the Facebook page, even if just sharing posts from the pages I follow so there is some content. In the mean time, as always, keep on hooking!

The weather is finally getting warmer.  The mornings are still a bit cool, but the afternoons are absolutely gorgeous. Yet, I'm still finding myself with such a lack of energy lately.  I can't bring myself to enjoy my favorite hobby lately.  While the hubby and I have a newfound obsession with D&D lately (and enjoying running a campaign with the daughter and her boyfriend), it hasn't taken away from the time I have to crochet.  I just don't want to do it lately, which saddens me. Work has been steadily picking up, and I'm having issues with an employee (which should be resolved soon), which has me feeling extra run down lately.  I can't even enjoy computer games with the hubby lately because I don't even want to look  at a computer after work, especially when it seems like I have to help out from home every weekend lately.  And, our contract is about to be expanded in a huge way, which means more work and more staffing.  It's a good thin...

Hello All! The start of the new year has had some hiccups for me.  But, seems to finally be smoothing out. We had a nasty surprise of termites in our home, but thankfully, the treatment wasn't too expensive, and seems to to have done the job.  And, $75 a year to renew the warranty will bring some peace of mind. We have a shed purchased, which is currently sitting in my carport in a cardboard box.  The weather hasn't cooperated for us to get it assembled.  Once we can make that happen, we have some work rearranging our front rooms, creating a dedicated office for Haz, with the main room for crafting and my computer, and also giving me space to work when I need to help my employees at work. We've also taken steps to get our health back on track.  Getting check-ups for the first time in too long.  But, I got a clean bill of health, overall, though I did get the "diet and exercise" talk because I am  overweight and my cholesterol is a little high....

Hello, All! While we had a momentary set back with the termites, they have been treated and are on their way off this mortal coil. Thankfully, the treatment is also guaranteed, so if they have to come back and treat again, it's at no charge to us. I do have 3 tutorials recorded and with the hubby for editing, but these weird twists in our lives have put them in the back burner at the moment. We have a shed waiting to be assembled, and then need to do some reorganizing in the house. Once that is completed, I can focus more on this blog, and the Facebook page and YouTube channel. I have 2 project videos planned for recording next. And, I just picked up a set of Tunisian Crochet Hooks so I can learn and play with that technique. In the mean time, keep on hooking !

Sorry for the silence of late. Life sure has a way of throwing a wrench into the works and messing up everything. We discovered an active mud tube in our home this weekend. Termites! All rain Arizona has gotten this winter, combined with the road construction about 50 yards from our house are probably what brought the little buggers out. But, the hubby is getting an exterminator arranged, so hopefully it will be taken care of soon. I do have 3 tutorials recorded and in the hubby's hands for editing. Hopefully he can get in it once things get back to normal. In the meantime, keep on hooking!

Hey, Folks! I was hoping to have the first video posted, and a few more ready for editing this week, but the husband is behind with his computer needing new memory, and I'm laid up with a literal pain in the neck. Not sure if I've been sleeping wrong, or what, but the pain woke me from a sound sleep in the middle of the night. I should be back in commission soon, and hopefully will have some stuff ready for you next weekend. Until then, Keep on Hooking!

Unfortunately, the husband has to replace the ram in his computer, so the editing of the 1st video is taking longer than anticipated. :-( Hopefully, he'll get his system back up and running properly during the week, so he can resume editing.

I can't believe it's Friday already! I have the first video in the Tutorial Series getting edited now, and will hopefully have it posted soon. The next one is in the planning stages, and may get recorded this weekend. Do you ever get the feeling at the end of the week that you just didn't do your best, or that you weren't very productive? That's pretty much how I felt at the end of my shift tonight. Don't get me wrong. I got everything I needed to done at work, and then some. But, I can't help but feel that I could have done more. Maybe it was just because of the short work week after a long vacation. Maybe it was the cold that keeps lingering in the background, never quite coming to fruition. In any case, all I can really do is let it go, and promise myself to try to do better next week. This blog, and being able to share my thoughts is one way I can work on letting go and moving on. Crochet is a big help for me in that aspect of my life. I ...

Welcome to Those Yarn Hookers! I created this blog for several reasons. To have a place to post my crochet patterns for the world to see; a place to write my musings, share my favorite memes, and discuss yarning; but most of all, to share my love and passion for crochet! My Mom was an avid crocheter, among other things. She tried to teach me several times while I was growing up, but I never had that “aha!” moment, and could never do more than a chain. A few years ago, my husband was away from home (an out of town trip with friends that I couldn’t attend due to work, I think), and I was feeling extra depressed and missing my mom. Somehow, I had ended up at the Joann website, and was browsing crochet stuff. A few clicks later, I had some yarn, hooks, and a For Dummies (my favorite books for learning anything!) book ordered. A couple of weeks later, we were out for a yarning and coffee date with some friends, and it happened. The “aha!” moment where everything came together. ...