News: Things that I have learned about crochet

I learned to crochet over 30 years ago. My first afghan was a red and white ripple afghan with and F hook. It took me a year to make. Today, I could make that same afghan in 10 days with and H hook.

The first granny square that I was making, I was doing a hdc instead of a dc and I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. That was until I saw a coworker showing someone else how to crochet. I went back to my booklet and checked it out. Sure enough, I was doing it all wrong. We didn't have the internet then, we had to figure it out on our own.

  I have taught a lot of people to crochet over the years and also how to make and design something on their own. I have also showed them how to modify patterns. Sometimes, patterns are written wrong or hard to read and I figure them out for people.

  I used to crochet a lot for family. Now that my son and his cousins are all grown up, I crochet a lot for charities. I have made so many things over the years for the kids. Now, it is time that I make things  in the colors and styles that I want to make.

   I have found out if you don't like something, change the pattern or the color. If you don't like it, you will never finish it. Life is too short.

  Make a long chain when you are making something like an afghan. You can always undo the extra chain and it locks in. It is a lot easier than ripping it out until you get it right.

   Make a practice piece. So that you can get used to the pattern and try different color combinations.  If you don't like it, you can always place it under a lamp or a plant.  You can always finish the piece and work in all the ends. The cats and dogs at the shelter will love you for it. They don't care about the color or the mistakes. They just like something warm and cuddly to lay on.