So this past winter I picked up the book Kids Crochet by Kelli Ronci. For a while now I've been jealous of various people in my life who are avid knitters. And not just ordinary knitters-- You should see what Mandy made me for Christmas! Its ridiculous! and deserves its own post, which it shall have. So you'll have to wait for photos. Though you can see more of her ridiculousness at her blog, This is Knit. I mean, a tweed 1930's coat?! Argyle this and that?! Are you kidding me? No, she's not kidding. Anyhow, these people happily tote their amazing knitting projects here and there, and I'm left feeling lame that knitting and I never clicked. Though all of these people have tried. They really have. But then I discovered that book. (I'm pretty sure I have Lena Corwin to thank for that. Her drawings are so lovely...I'm drawn to everything she does. ) I don't know why, but crocheting feels so different to me. More manageable somehow. Nice and relaxing. In a flurry of productivity, I even made a few crocheted Christmas presents. It was very exciting. But, here's the confession: I never actually learned to follow a pattern. Um. For some reason that's been really daunting to me. I'm so happy to learn new stitches and kind of figure out how to cobble things together and make stuff up as I go. But start-to-finish directions, uh no thanks! not for me apparently.
But then I decided to make a little baby bonnet/hat. And the whole cobbling-things-together method was suddenly frustrating and just not cutting it. So at the library I picked up this kind of-- well, I'm sorry to say it-- dreadful looking, little book at the library. ( Is it just me, or is crocheting just catching up to the hipness that is knitting at the moment? Not to be a huge snob, but who is designing these books?! Color blind people, who for some reason want crocheted mouse pads and shrugs circa 1987. Anyways.) However gross the various projects looked, the directions were really great, and that's what counts anyway. And it had the baby cap pattern I've been looking for!
I decided I was going to follow the pattern exactly. I understand this might seem like a no-brainer for most people, but its new territory for me. I measured the gage. I bought a new hook so I had just the right size. I counted stitches. I learned a new stitch... And it seems to actually be working!
At some point this:
Will turn into this:
I just know I can do it.