After a day given over to errands, it felt good to be able to stay home, sit at the table that is my outdoor office, and (when I was not getting caught up on the household chores that had accumulated in my absence) work on my crochet.

One of the first things I did was try out the yarn winder (also known as a Nostepinne) that I bought at Hobby Lobby on my recent tour of Alabama:

Using these instructions, I attempted to use this new tool, and my first effort, to my mind, made the purchase entirely worth it:

While the skein amassed was not as elegant as I expect my future efforts will be, I was able to pull yarn from the center with ease and using my 5.0mm hook and this tutorial for the “Nana Square” from The Royal Sisters I made the spring green square seen here with the companion squares that followed:

I first came across this square several weeks ago and was immediately enchanted:

The first two rounds of this three-round motif (done in what is known in U.S. crochet parlance as a double crochet stitch) create an ever-so-slightly rounded square, then the third round (done in a single crochet stitch) considerably sharpens the corners, and results in an absolutely delightful motif:

I have no idea what I will make with these squares, but for now, I am content to simply make and enjoy them. I trust that when sufficient number have accumulated the final project will reveal itself.

While the day after emerging from the errand vortex did not result in substantial progress on any one project, I did make good bits of progress on a variety of projects, and I am glad that I finally got to try my hand at this motif that so captivated me when I first saw it.