Posted by camille – June 24, 2008 12:08 PM

Guest Blogger: Nan Harless, Crafts Editor, DIY Network.com

I have been a crocheting fool for the past week or so! I don't know what got me started, but suddenly I just wanted to crochet instead of knit for a while, so I grabbed a hook and some cotton yarn and went to town. I'm putting together a gift basket for a friend whose birthday is next month, so I'm making her a set of assorted natural-fiber face cloths and a cotton-and-linen bath mitt. (Wish I could link to the patterns I'm using, but unfortunately they're copyrighted, so I can't do it. Just a hint, though: if you Google "sedge stitch washcloth," I bet you'll find one of them. Don't let on I told you.)

In checking out DIY's crochet projects, I found one that I thought was really neat: a crocheted seagrass hat.

I love hats, but here in the South, even the most lightweight one can be way too hot in the summer. This one, however, looks like it would keep your head cool as a cucumber. I think I'll make one, turn it upside down and let it serve as the gift basket; then my friend can take all the swag out of it (I'm also including some handmade jasmine soap I found at a crafts show) and wear it when she goes out in the sun. And of course I'll have to make one for myself — the most fun part of crocheting or knitting stuff is wearing it yourself and basking in other people's reactions!

For more crochet patterns and instructions, check out this article from Uncommon Threads.