Guest Author - Linda Spangenburg

Here are some thrifty crochet thoughts and gardening ideas for us to consider while planning the spring plantings. Ok, I know crochet and gardening do not normally go together but you may think differently after reading this. Yes we should be thinking and planning our crochet projects all year long. In the summer it is sometimes a bit hot to work on afghans and blankets but these ideas are just perfect for our summer crochet projects.

I know you must be wondering what crochet and gardening have to do with each other. Spring is the time we start plowing the garden, choosing our seeds and having visions of a bountiful harvest. These have nothing to do with your crocheting or so you think.

While your mind may be on spring, the smell of freshly turned soil and the feel of the sun on your back, don’t forget about Christmas. “Christmas!!” You say, “We just warmed up and you want me to think of Christmas” Yes, now is the time to prepare more than just the garden. While you are gardening and enjoying the outdoors, plan ahead for your Christmas gifts at the same time. Lets face it, this is a tight economy and we need to cut corners and work that budget.

Think of Christmas and the bitter cold days of Dec. and what a joy it would be to have some homemade jam for those warm golden biscuits just taken out of the oven. Or how about some crisp crunchy pickles for the afternoon meal? Again you ask, “What does this have to do with crochet?”

Okay you say that is fine for Christmas gifts but what does that have to do with crochet? This is where the crochet comes in, it is all in the presentation. Jars of fruit, jam and pickles can be dressed up very nicely with crocheted doilies in the baskets and crocheted tops for the jars. These are very nice gifts but if you want to make them exceptional than let us dress them up and package them beautifully.

To buy a set could set you back a bit and especially if you have 4 or 6 jars of food you want to give and say 6 or 8 family and friends. But since you crochet it is just a matter of finding the patterns, pulling out the hooks and thread and working on them a little at a time and by Christmas you are all ready to present your beautiful, thoughtful gifts. The jars could be for any fruit, vegetable, pickles, and jams, cake in a jar or soup in a jar. These recipes are free online.

If you can’t find the patterns for jar tops than look at some doily patterns. These crochet doily patterns are great for this project. Of course you wouldn’t want to make it as big as a table doily. But some of the centers of these doilies are beautiful and will make ideal covers for the jar lids.

Measure the width of the jar (say 4 inches) than you would want your crocheted cover to be about 7 or 8 inches wide. You will need the extra for gathering around the lid and a bit of a lacy edge hanging.

You can use an elastic band to hold it in place and than tie a ribbon around this with a little bow. Put a nice label on the jar and you will have some very attractive gifts at a very minimum cost. Find some nice crochet doily patterns you like, adjust the size and use them for your jar lids. You can line your baskets with a doily on top of colored tissue paper, place the jars with your beautifully handmade covers in the basket and you have your Christmas shopping all done.