Fancies: Curious George Goes to Crochet Club

Today marks a milestone in my crafting life.

I learned how to crochet.

Actually, my sister Heidi taught me the basic stitches a couple of weeks ago, but today we went to her crochet group and I learned an actual pattern!! I have been wanting to learn for some time now, and yet I was a bit nervous that it would be too difficult and eventually lead to my demise in all things creative. I love to knit, so using one little hook-ey thing to make loop-de-doops was (I admit) a challenge for my fingers and brain. But at last, fingers and brain met, had coffee, talked about it, got refills, chatted some more, and teamed up. I now am the proud owner of a crochet hook, some beautiful heather gray yarn, and an actual pattern.

A Hand Working in Unison with the Brain

The pattern, at first glance, was…daunting. It is actually quite a simple pattern, I’m told, but all those abbreviations, special characters and lingo made me feel rather stupid. What in the world is an “FP” thingy? or “ch”? or “ch 6″??? Nothing like a crocheting or knitting pattern to make you feel like there is an awesome insider clique and you have not been invited. Grade school all over again!! Thankfully, Maria (a friend of Heidi’s and a master crocheter) was on hand to sop up my tears, calm my nervous twitching, and decipher the jibberty-jabber for me. With her help, I am on my way! Granted, I am about half way through the second row, and 5 of the baubles that were supposed to be on row one have mysteriously disappeared…I will let you all know how that goes. I rarely ever leave a pattern or a recipe as it is, so I suppose it is only in keeping with my *ahem*  style. I might end up with a strange, conical, weirdly twisted afghan. Only time will tell.

Baby James Has An Opinion

“You’re crazy, Auntie Erica. You can just rip the stitches out, you know.”

“Yes, yes, Little James. Or I can persevere and learn from my mistakes by having to look at a hideous pile of heathery gray yarn every day. It is important to have object lessons around. You will learn these things as you begin to have more motor control, I think.”

That little guy, so full of opinions already!

I have high hopes for crocheting projects. I mean, it is sooo much easier to make pretty patterns by crocheting than it is by knitting. I will, of course, never abandon my knitting needles. There is no match for the drape, the softness, the classy look of a knitted garment, blanket, scarf. Plus, crocheting does a poor job of imitating a cable knit. Nothing, my friends, nothing can take the place of some nice cable work. But with a crochet hook, and some inside knowledge on crochet patterns, I could be whipping out hats, lace, stuffed toys, cardigans, ornaments, AFGHANS, BABY BLANKETS…..!!!! The possibilities rise before me with such promise! Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, though, George. There will be time enough for all that. In the meantime, and in closing, this is a blankie I made recently for Baby James, the one with all the opinions. It is a very simple pattern, and I love how it drapes, how snuggly it is…not to mention the perfect shade of soft green!! Chances are, if I know you and you are having a baby, you might be seeing one of these sometime soon….

NOTE: I apologize about the whole weird image thing that is happening (at least in my browser). How does one get the pictures to look normal and not all squidgy?? Help!

OTHER NOTE: Never mind. I think I had the images too large for the whole…deali-o. Carry on. As you were!