Why have I resisted blogging for such a long time? Probably because I thought no-one but me would read it, and that's a sad and lonely thought! However, pushing these thoughts to the back of my mind, I decided that some crochet talk, memories and experiences might be of interest to others.
I learned to crochet when I was a wee lassie. Brought up in the Gorbals, Glasgow, girls sat in the playground and knitted or crocheted. We were probably 9 or 10 years old. No-one told us it was the season for balls, skipping ropes or knitting and crochet. It just happened ~ a bit like today's trends for electronic games, only a lot cheaper. My Mammy was horrified at my crochet as I remember, because I couldn't get the corners in the right place, or the stitches for that matter! The hook seemed to have a will of it's own and went right into a space or a stitch, uncontrolled by me. Nowadays it's called freeform or scumbling. In the 1950s, Mammy told me I'd made mistakes! Of course, she was a real crocheting person. Although she didn't read a pattern, she could produce almost anything if she had enough yarn.
Eventually I learned to control the hook, bought a book of crochet stitches, and tried to learn how to read a pattern. I was 19 years old when I crocheted my first hyperbolic ringlet and was so proud. Sadly, I had a wee son and boys didn't have those lovely ringlets on their hats!
So, what about my latest crochet projects? Lately, I've done a panel for the Skye Bridge Arts Project, a shawl, and some fingerless gloves. I usually have a couple of things on the go, and switch from one to the other. Do most folk do that? I'm more of a starter than a finisher right enough, but any finished articles are usually given away to friends, family, charity, babies or cats.
