Last month, I asked my Twitter friends if they thought I was crazy for wanting to crochet a blanket in the middle of July. Crazy? Maybe! But I had this idea for a checkerboard -style baby blanket, and knew I wanted to wrap up our little baby girl in something just like it. So off I went, crocheting little squares that a week later would be joined to create the blanket above. It turned out to be the easiest blanket I’ve ever made, and great for Summer, since you only work with a tiny section at a time until joining them at the end- and I will say, joining  all of the little pieces was certainly time consuming!

So how about you? Are you crafty with a crochet hook, or only wish you could be? Some people appreciate the finished product, but don’t have the desire to work on such an extensive project. I get that. But if you’re somebody who actually wants to learn, and feels overwhelmed- don’t be! I learned how to do all of the stitches you see here by viewing YouTube videos kindly shared by some pretty crafty ladies. You can check out how to do the single crochet (how I made the squares in the above blanket), this video is great. For joining the squares, watch this one. And if you want to make the granny ripple blanket below (fast and easy- promise!), view the crochet-along series here.

Oh, and if you want a crochet blanket, but don’t want to put in the time- I don’t blame you! I purchased the last blanket shown here on Etsy. It was too quirky and cute to pass up.

I’ve long admired the handiwork of crafty ladies on the internet with their knitting needles and crochet hooks. With just the memory of a 10-year-old impatient version of myself tediously making half-finished pot holders for my loving mother, I never thought I would have the gumption to create the gorgeous projects I admired online. Until last year, when I thought, eh, why not? Why not give it another go?

I have had an embarassingly short attention span when it comes to projects. Who knows whether this attitude was fostered by blog headlines that began with “Quick and Easy DIY!”, or the self-imposed pressure to crank out project after project to file away under the blog label “do it yourself.” I’m quite certain that the day and age of hours wasted on the internet and instant gratification was steering me away from my desire to craft beautiful, useful things for my home that would take longer than an episode of Law and Order (SVU!) to complete.

I do believe that quick projects have their place, but my own heart belongs with the detail-oriented work of a craftsmen. I’ve enjoyed engaging in time-intensive projects alongside Dear Ol’ Daddio, like restoring my 1950s bicycle, or turning piles of old barn siding into sturdy and beautiful tables for my home. But what did I have to do when the cold-weather induced reclusive feelings come to visit me this time of year?

So, I decided to give my camera trigger finger a rest and put these lazy forearms to work with an aluminum hook and a ball of yarn. Sure, these projects take a long time. But the quality and feeling of accomplishment that results is worth their weight in… yarn.

Last Winter I started and finished a ginormous chevron coverlet for our bedroom (yet to be debuted on this blog), and have already decided to make a mini version this year. (See top picture for my progress.) Want to join in on the needle arts fun with me? Check out these swoon-worthy projects below. With just a little bit of patience and dedication, you’d be surprised at what you can accomplish!

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This would make a really cute baby blanket, or perhaps even a table runner. Their shape reminds me of quilted yo-yos, which have been a favorite of mine for quite sometime. Fine out how to make these at Julia Crossland‘s blog.

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I’m a big fan of the granny stitch, not only for it’s lace-like aesthetic appeal, but for the quick fashion in which they are created. I told you, I’m impatient. :) Isn’t the scallopped edge a darling detail? Find out more at Attic 24.

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I first tried by hand at this project last year by following along with this series of You Tube videos. I was amazed at how beautifully the coverlet turned out, so much so that I decided to try a smaller version this year. For this version, I combined this simpler style with the one I made last year (I liked the way the edges were finished better in that one), and so far I love what I’ve done! Also check out The Lazy Hobbyhopper who shows picture instructions on her blog.

I mentioned before that I was working on a coverlet for my bed. Well, meet the inspiration! I think there’s something so “bohemian granny” about a crocheted blanket for a bed, and a chevron one really modernizes it for a current style.

I’ve subconsciously been craving one of these blankets, which is obvious by the last photo in this post, and by most of this post! Fortunately, it occurred to my conscious mind that I really need one to complete my bedroom restyle. So, I’ve been spending many hours working on a queen size coverlet (I used this video to learn how.) that measures 100 inches wide. I think I have my work cut out for me, eh?

Images: 1- Design Sponge; 2- Me; 3- Julie Alvarez