Hello Crafters!
I have enjoyed crocheting since I was a little 7-year-old learning at the knee of my paternal grandmother! She taught me the afghan stitch and my first project was a hideous pink scarf that I made for my Mom for Christmas. You know how the afghan stitch curls? Probably not a good choice for a scarf, but my Mom (picture me chuckling at this point) "loved" it.
Ideas for new crochet projects pop into my head all the time (thus the name "suddenwhimsies"). I wanted to share my first whimsy of the year - a little birdie hand-warmer! Soon after the new year started we were hit with about 8" of snow. I had seen an idea for hand-warmers in a Martha Stewart Christmas publication a few years ago and loved the concept. She used little squares of fleece and blanket stitched the edges. She used pie weights to fill her version but I can't find the darn things anywhere -- or at least in any of the places I usually shop. So I decided to use rice instead.
Anyway, here's the idea-- the kiddies play outside in the snow and when they eventually come in the house, they drop all their gear on the drying rack while I pop the birdies in the microwave for about 30 seconds. They hold their heat for about 10 minutes and warm up those freezing little fingers--just long enough to prepare a nice cup of hot chocolate!
I played with another version right after Christmas. This little guy was crocheted and felted before his tummy was filled with rice. Yes, one leg is bigger than the others! Just consider it part of the charm of prototypes! The teddy bear was a hit with my teenager while the four-year-old and ten-year-old favored the birdie.
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