This is the blog post that almost didn't happen. SO many things went wrong with this blanket and I was definitely tempted to give up on it more than once. And after looking at the pictures just now, I found yet another mistake! Argh argh arrrrrrgh (don't mind me, just channeling my inner irate pirate). But despite all of its flaws, I still really love this blanket. There's just something about how cheerful and unique looking it is that makes my yarn-lovin' heart happy. So I'm going to share it with you anyway. And now that I've done just about everything wrong, I have some great tips for you if you want to make one of your own! Silver lining, right? 

If you're not already familiar with working corner-to-corner (C2C), go take a look at my C2C spotlight post first. It has a photo tutorial to help get you started, which is important since this pattern is written assuming that you already know how to do the diagonal box stitch. 

Sometimes I read food blogs and chuckle to myself when the author says something along the lines of "this is a great recipe!" (And yes, I am 100% including myself in that same category, in case you missed the gushing in my previous food posts.) Because of course they think the recipe is great—why else would they be sharing it? Nobody purposely shares gross recipes, except for maybe super villains. So don't get baking tips from Lex Luthor, I guess. 

Anyway...this is a great recipe! 

I have a love/hate relationship with Red Heart Super Saver (RHSS) yarn. On the one hand, it's cheap, which fits oh so nicely into my teeny tiny budget, and there are tons of color options. On the other hand...it's kinda terrible. I know, I know. I've probably just enraged the RHSS fan club. But it usually turns out so scratchy and I hate the way it feels in my hands when I'm working with it. It just doesn't seem worth the price tag. 

But then the RHSS inevitably ends up in my stash one way or another (it was on sale...it was a moment of weakness!), and I find myself musing over what on earth I'm going to do with it. As always, the internet saves the day: make whatever you want and then soften it! 
There are tons of yarn lovers out there using sneaky methods to soften up RHSS. The most popular suggestions revolve around 3 methods: machine washing, vinegar soaks, and shampooing and conditioning. Given my scientific background, I decided to set up an experiment to see what really works. It's not quite up to scientific rigor (n=1, after all), but I think it works just fine for my needs. 

If you've spent much time hanging out with other crocheters, either online or in person, you've probably at least heard someone mention "corner-to-corner" or "c2c" crochet. Rather than working across typical rows or rounds, this technique works the stitches diagonally across the piece from one corner to the next (hence the name). Although it's not a brand new technique, it's definitely been gaining popularity in recent years and people have gotten really creative with it, resulting in some pretty amazing projects. 

Want to see what I mean? Check out some of these amazing crocheted pieces created by fellow crochet artists using the c2c technique. For lack of a better system, the images are organized alphabetically by creator, so be sure to check them all out for a full dose of crochet inspiration! Most of these wonderful ladies have their own crochet pages or websites, so be sure to click on their picture to link to their pages (or copy and paste the written URL) and show them some crochet love!

Digging straight into a pint of ice cream is one of the most decadent experiences out there. It's basically the epitome of self-indulgence (but in an oh-so-good way). However, there's a problem with eating it straight from the container. Imagine you're sitting on the couch, you've got your Netflix queued up, and then you start excavating an ice cream tunnel straight through the middle with your spoon. Glorious, right? Until suddenly your hands start freezing up. So cold! But it's ice cream so you have to persevere...but it's so cold...but ice cream...but frost bite...dilemma. Well now I have a solution for you: ice cream pint cozies!

Every summer, my parents plant a huge garden that produces way more vegetables than our family could possibly eat. They always give as many away of the extras as they can, but there comes a point when there are just too. many. squash. What's a person to do? Sure, you could make zucchini bread. But let's be honest: zucchini bread is just cake that we pretend is good for us. So why not use your zucchini to make cookies that you can pretend are good for you!