My chickens started laying eggs in abundance and I could only hold so many in my hands! This egg bag needed to be made in order to save myself from stuffing dirty eggs into my jacket pockets.  This project is a quick 2 hours and can easily hold more than 12 - 20 eggs. I only have 11 chickens right now so I haven't need to put more eggs into it. I wanted a sturdy bottom, open sides to breath, and cotton yarn to handle the dirty work of farm fresh eggs. And it helps that my kids are excited to use it and carefully bring eggs into our home. It was a little dodgy before, haha!

ch 43
rd 1: In 2nd ch from hook, sc, sc across to the end of ch. Not turning you work, working into the other side of ch, sc across on this side, join with sl st to first (84)
rd 2: ch 2, hdc in same as last sl st, hdc around, join with sl st to first 
rd 3 - rd 5: REPEAT rd 2

rd 6: ch 1, sc in same as last sl st, *ch 5, sk next 3 hdc, sc*, REPEAT from * around, ending with ch 2, sk last 3 hdc, dc in first sc
rd 7: *ch 5, sc in next ch-5 loop, REPEAT from * around, ending with ch 2, dc in last dc of
previous rnd
rd 8 - rd 12: REPEAT rd 4 or until desired length

rd 13: sl st in next ch-5 loop, ch 1, 3 sc in same sp, *1 sc in next sc, 3 sc in next ch-5 loop, REPEAT from * around, ending with 1 sc in last dc, join with sl st to first (84)
rd 14: ch 2, hdc in same as last sl st, hdc around, join with sl st to first
rd 15 - rd 17: REPEAT rd 14
Fasten off, cut yarn, weave in ends

STRAP:
Lay bag on a flat surface. Mark center 12 stitches on upper edge of both sides of bag. Join yarn with sl st to first of these 12 stitches.
r 1: ch 1, sc in same as last sl st, sc across, ch 1, turn (12)
r 2: dec, sc 8, dec, ch 1, turn (10)
r 3: sc across, ch 1, turn (10)
r 4: dec, sc 6, dec, ch 1, turn (8)
r 5: sc across, ch 1, turn (8)
r 6 - r 51: REPEAT r 5 or until desired length
r 52: inc, sc 8, inc, ch 1, turn (10)
r 53: sc across, ch 1, turn (10)
r 54: inc, sc 10, inc, ch 1, turn (12)
Working on the wrong side of your bag, join the strap to other side of bag working 1 sl st through
the other matching marked 12 stitches on the bag and the 12 stitches of the strap
Fasten off, cut yarn, weave in ends

To finish off my bag, I added a loop on the top center of the strap so I could easily hang it on a little hook on the wall by the door. 

My son came downstairs in his pirate costume and I was struck with the impulse to make him a pirate beard. Just so you know, it doesn't take anything to push me towards making piratey things. My soul belongs to Pirates of the Caribbean. For this project, I played around with the length, measuring it to his cute face, and then to my own for an adult version. It took me 4 hours to make the crochet base and then attach all the yarn strands to make the hairy beard. When I gave it to my son, he wouldn't take it off or share it with anyone else. Grab your hook and yo-ho! Happy crocheting!

Hair
Cut yarn strands 14"-15" long or any length you'd like. I cut enough strands to border the outer edge of the whole beard, inner edge of the mouth, then across the front loop of rows 3, 5, 6, and 7 for the child version and rows 3, 5, 7, and 8 for the adult version. An estimate of total strands is 100 for child and 140 for adult. To attach the strands: take one strand at a time and fold them in half so that you have a loop. Use your hook to pull the loop through a stitch then pull the tails through this loop. Pull on the tails to tighten them.

Take the strands that will lay over the mouth for the mustache and separate them into two even sections. To make the mustache permanent, grab a couple strands from the beard and bring them into the mustache. Take a new strand of yarn to tie a knot around the mustache sections. Hide the tails in the beard hair. Once all of the strands have been attached, take your scissors to cut and shape the bottom of the beard so the strands lay evenly.

If the weight of the hair drags the mustache down from resting on the upper lip, you can add  a long strand of yarn into the ear loops to be able to tie around the back of the head for some extra tension.

Bluey Season 3 Episode 9: Curry Quest - Chilli teaches Bluey how to crochet
When I watched this with my family, my kids shouted, "Bluey is crocheting like you Momma!" I felt so much joy seeing that and at the end of the episode, after Bandit's long work trip, Bluey is proudly wearing her complete scarf.

I immediately logged it away for a future project for myself. I looked around for the right yarn colors and Bernat Blanket had the closest match I could find. Now I've made the scarf and whipped up a very simple pattern for it. When it came to the stitchwork, I had to think like Chilli Heeler and what would be the easiest to teach my crocheting newbie. Single crochet had to be the way to go and using chunkier, easier-to-see yarn. FYI, I've got more Bluey-inspired projects in the queue and I'm excited for them.

For $2.50 pdf version: BLUE DOG SCARF pattern - it comes with video tutorial links
Or, if you don't want to make one for yourself, I've got you covered: BLUE DOG SCARF

General Conference weekend has been the perfect time to finish my commission for a retro 70'sbutterfly shawl. Because of the customer's choice, I used Chenille yarn so it'd be really soft! I'm so grateful for commissions because of the new skills and techniques I'm taught. I used sewing thread to connect the circles to each other and then the velvet yarn to reinforce those connections. This pattern used 880 yards of yarn and a giant 15.75mm P/Q crochet hook. 
Pattern: Vintage Girl 007​