Weekend project: Crochet washcloths

Hello, everyone!  Hope you're all enjoying the weekend.  I spent the afternoon with my hubby, who talked me into actually leaving the house today, even though I didn't feel like venturing out in the 18 degree temps.  But we bundled up and headed to a local mall to check out the winter sidewalk sales.  Then we stopped at one of my favorite restaurants, Monterrey, where we dined like royalty on enchiledas and fajitas.  It's wonderful how spicy food makes you feel a little warmer on a cold day.

Even though I'm spending a lot of time indoors, I'm trying to keep myself busy instead of zoning out in front of the TV.  I just finished up my first crochet project of 2011, a set of handmade washcloths.  I found the pattern in an old issue of Crochet Today magazine, my favorite source of crochet inspiration. (You can buy back issues online.)  I used Eco-cotton yarn for this project and was pleasantly surprised to find that these washcloths ended up very soft, not scratchy.

A few months back, I visited a southern Iowa knit shop, where the owner told me her grandmother used to knit everyday. The shop owner said she still has the washcloths that her grandmother knit many years ago; they have held up wonderfully despite years of use.  So great to find a craft that is both decorative and practical.

If you're interested in learning to crochet, I recommend the book "Teach Yourself Visually Crocheting."  I also watched You-Tube videos whenever I got stuck on trying to learn a new stitch.  The nice thing about crochet is it's quick and inexpensive.  I can usually finish a project in less than a week, depending on the size.  The hardest part is trying to find the supplies when you live in the middle-of-nowhere Iowa.  I've actually started ordering the yarn, crochet needles and other notions on Joann.com. Yes, I have to pay shipping. But it saves me an out-of-the-way trip, especially when the store might not have the yarn I need.

So what's your favorite winter craft project?  Are you a knitter? A quilter? Or do prefer to spend time in the kitchen?