Gotta Get A Billie Box!

I bet you haven’t heard of a Billie Box. I got to see one in person last week. It’s awesome! You gotta get yourself one – or more of them. The one above has a single ‘port’ or grommet which controls the ball or skein really well if you are sure you aren’t going to change them.

This is the two port version. It has the grommet on one side and this slot on the other side. This is the version I’ve actually handled. The ports are well reinforced and nicely finished so there’ll be no snagging of yarn or crumpling of ports. Sorry the photo doesn’t do it justice.

One of the benefits of the Billie Box compared to similar products on the market (see the most popular one Snapware here) is very simply the shape. Storing round things is much more difficult than storing square or rectangular things. If you’re not sure about that, try it! I wish all my Tupperware and Rubbermaid containers were square!

In the interest of full disclosure, I met Billie for the first time at the November meeting of the St. Louis Crochet Club. Her products and site are new to me, but it looks like she’ll be adding crochet patterns and recipes. And, if you are a cat fancier, you’ll enjoy pix of her ‘babies’.

These boxes would make especially nice gifts – for yourself. So, put your list to Santa on the refrigerator door and put this at the top of it. The products are well made, very useful, and well priced. You won’t be sorry if you receive, oh, say, 3 or 4 of them, will you? And, don’t forget to list Billie’s website next to the name of the product on your list so Santa will be sure to know where to shop!

This Free Shock Wave Crochet Lap Blanket Pattern from Mary Maxim looks like one of those wonderfully satisfying projects that gives big cozy payoff without fiddly detail. Mary Maxim lists it as a free download, designed as a crochet afghan/lap blanket, with a finished size of 45 x 50 inches.

What immediately stands out is the yarn choice. The pattern is made with Bernat Blanket Extra Thick, using 5 skeins, and calls for a U.S. U/50 (25 mm) crochet hook. That is gloriously chunky territory, which usually means fast progress and lots of squishy texture. If you are in the mood for a project that feels substantial in your hands and grows quickly row by row, this one definitely has that appeal.

Mary Maxim describes the blanket as having a beautifully textured, plush, soft finish and suggests it as a project for home décor or gifting. Based on the materials and oversized hook alone, that sounds about right. This feels like the sort of blanket you make for curling up on the couch, draping over a chair, or giving as a practical handmade gift that will actually get used instead of folded away “for best.”

The pattern is marked Easy, and the listed stitch requirements are straightforward: chain, repeat, double crochet, single crochet, and slip stitch. That makes it sound approachable for confident beginners and very appealing for anyone who wants a relaxing crochet project without too much counting drama.

I also think the lap blanket size is a smart one. Not every crochet blanket needs to become a giant commitment that takes over the lounge room and your will to live. A 45 x 50 inch blanket is a useful, manageable size for gifting, for wheelchairs or reading nooks, or just for keeping on hand for chilly evenings. That practicality gives this pattern extra appeal. The usability point is my own take based on the finished dimensions Mary Maxim provides.

At the moment, the pattern page shows no reviews, so there is not much customer feedback to go on yet. Still, if you enjoy easy crochet blanket patterns, super chunky crochet throws, or quick lap blanket projects, this one looks like a solid freebie to save.

My overall take? This looks like a fast, cozy, beginner-friendly crochet blanket pattern with plenty of texture and instant-gratification energy. Very much the sort of project you start because it looks easy, then keep going because the yarn feels ridiculously soft.

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