myreviews-happiness: Guest Blog post: Where the Gulf Meets the Atlantic and a Free Crochet Scrubby Pattern

Where the Gulf Meets the Atlantic and a Free Crochet Scrubby Pattern

Key West, Florida is a tropical island that is teaming with activity. People flock to this island from all around the world to soak up the sun, enjoy tropical breezes, watch the sail boats and get that beautiful tan!

But that’s not all Key West offers by a long shot. The Key West Lighthouse offers beautiful 360-degree views of the island from the top, if you dare climb the 88 iron steps to reach the top! Believe me, it’s well worth it!

If you get a chance to tour the Hemingway Home and Museum is just as interesting and taking the guided tour, you’ll learn a lot more about Hemingway, the man! If you’re allergic or have a cat phobia though, this may not be a tour you want to take. There are lots of cats that live and thrive on the property, all with six toes each per paw – for a total of 24 toes. Wow. Of course, they were bred this way to better capture the mice.

With plenty of historical homes, you could explore Key West for a week and still not see everything. But the one thing you must do when you’re on the island is to stop for a photo shoot of the Southernmost Point in the USA. Okay, so it’s not the “actual” southernmost point, but that belongs to the military and its behind closed gates. Be sure to get there early so the line is shorter for other tourists who want to have their picture taken too!

If you’re looking for places to eat, there are many to choose from and while we ate at Two Friends, The Boat House Bar & Grill, and Caroline’s on Key West, we also enjoyed a meal of hogfish over on Stock Island called Hog Fish Bar & Grill. If you’ve never heard of hog fish, let me just say; it’s delicious! From island favorites to whatever you enjoy most, it’s all available on the islands.

You’ll discover all too quickly though, that chickens run wild all over the island. They are everywhere and even have run of the restaurants. So don’t be surprised if you’re eating, and a chicken walks by your table, clucking away! It’s part of the charm on this quaint island.

I would be remiss if I didn’t point out the many bars throughout the island too. Adult beverages are plentiful and it’s so easy to grab a cool drink while walking around to help cool off. From popular island favorites to ones, I’ve never heard of before – many are delicious and easily found.

While camping on the island it was only fitting to design a coconut scrubby. After all, it shouts island tropics where palm trees sway creating beautiful silhouettes as the sun sinks on the horizon.

Island Coconut Scrubby

Designed by: Cylinda Mathews

Materials:

• Sm amt Red Heart 4-ply med weight Scrubby yarn (almond)

• Crochet hook size I/9 (5.50 mm)

Finishing Materials:

• Tapestry needle (for ends)

Finished Size: 5 ¼” L x 4” W

Gauge: Not important to overall size

Skill Level: Easy

Special Stitches:

Double Crochet Decrease/Dc dec: (yo, insert hook in next st, pull up a lp, yo, draw through 2 lps on hook) twice, yo, draw through last 3 lps on hook to complete the st.

Scrubby:

Row 1) Ch 4; (5 dc) in 4^th ch from hook (first 3 chs skipped count as first dc): 6 dc.

Row 2) Ch 3 (counts as first dc), turn work; dc in first st, dc in next 4 dc, (2 dc) in last dc: 8 dc.

Row 3) Ch 3, turn work; (2 dc) in first st, dc in next 6 dc, (3 dc) in last dc: 12 dc.

Row 4) Ch 3, turn work; dc in first st, dc in next 10 dc, (2 dc) in last dc: 14 dc.

Row 5) Ch 3, turn work; dc in next 13 dc: 14 dc.

Row 6) Ch 2, turn work; dc in next st (counts as a beg dec over 2 sts), dc in next 10 dc, dc dec over last 2 sts see special sts: 12 dc.

Row 7) Ch 2, turn work; dc dec over next 2 sts (counts as a beg dec over 3 sts), dc in next 6 dc, dc dec over last 3 dc: 8 dc.

Row 8) Ch 2, turn work; dc dec over next 2 sts (counts as a beg dec over 3 sts), dc in next 2 dc, dc dec over last 3 dc: 4 dc. Fasten off; secure ends.