Crocheting: Belly-Covering Scarf

I mentioned earlier this week that I had enough yarn left over from my baby hat and booties to make myself a belly-covering scarf. I finished my scarf yesterday! What's a belly-covering scarf, you ask? I am 7 1/2 months pregnant and my winter jacket no longer zips up. The one button that I can manage to snap closed pops open at my slightest move. So my poor pregnant belly is left exposed to the chill on the days that actually feel like winter. Here in Virginia, we've had some really strange weather. It feels like late fall rather than winter more days than not. There were some days I was working on my scarf when I was wondering if I was actually going to need it. The temperatures have been fluctuating so much from one day to the next. One day is freezing and the next it's 50-60 degrees and the kids are running around outside with no coats!? At this point I don't see any reason to buy myself a new fitting coat. I only have 10 more weeks left in my pregnancy and I'm hoping by next winter my coat will fit again. And living simple means making do with what you have. My solution then is crocheting myself up a belly-covering scarf!

It's a simple double crochet stitch scarf. It's wider at the ends (to cover my belly) then I narrowed it a bit towards the middle of the scarf so there wouldn't be as much "bulk" around my neck, which I don't like.

The sweetest part about this project was that I had to make my own crochet hook too! Oh yeah. You heard me right--I MADE my own crochet hook. I got the directions for it from the MaryJane's Sewing Room book. My thick yarn required a size L hook-which I didn't have and if I can make something as opposed to buying it, I'll do it. I used, per MaryJane's suggestion, an old broken chair back rail. With 5 kids in the house you bet we had an old broken chair in the basement in which to get this from. And being an artist I had an old exact-o knife I was able to use to widdle the rail into the shape I needed. My grandfather used to work with wood as a hobby. One time in high school I had to work with wood for a project and I then first discovered I really enjoyed wood crafting too. It brought back the memories of both. There's a sense of accomplishment I find working with a natural material--forming it, working with it, sanding it and making it smooth. Then I got a whole new sense of accomplishment crocheting with a hook that I made. Of course, my husband looked at me like I was crazy, my kids a little too, but I enjoyed myself-- Mama went homestead style!

I added a little scarf bling (a Miraculous Medal). My own little personal touch! It hits right at my belly level for some Blessed Mother protection for my little one.

P.S. I added another merit badge to my collection. I earned my Stitching & Crafting Beginner Crocheting Badge.

Requirements:

• If you don't know how to crochet, learn. MaryJane has excellent instructions in her "Stitching Room" book.
• If you are just learning how to crochet, pick a simple project like a rag rug or dishcloth. Finish your crochet project. There is a three-hour minimum time investment required.
• Teach someone else how to crochet a simple project.