We started out the lesson by learning how to cast on and make a single chain. The yarn we were using wasn't ideal, but it was good for practising. After a couple of attempts and a bit of swearing, I had gotten my chain done. Hooray! Then my mom dropped a bombshell. Now I had to learn how to single crochet! "What do you mean", I thought, "this chain wasn't it? I hadn't even started?" Impatience started to set in, but my determination won out. I would learn.
Mom showed me how and then how to turn my work and make a row. Then she handed the reigns to me. I struggled at first. It didn't help that my nails were way too long and didn't give me the tension that I needed. But I persevered and managed a crude couple of rows. I was then sent on my way home to practice.
And practice I did. I had two little balls of yarn and I crocheted until they were both gone. Then I would take them all out and start again.
After I was feeling comfortable with the single crochet, I decided it was time I try to make something. I had a ball of yarn from my wreath project and figured I may as well use it for this. I settled on a simple dish rag. Something that I can use and that won't make me tear out my hair in frustration. I started off and worked away. It was at this point that I realized why it is important to keep track of your rows. I really had no idea how many I had done, and after all the issues I had trying to figure out how to count stitches, rows weren't any easier for me.
I looked at it and decided I had done enough...maybe. I finished off the row and checked out what I had done. For a first attempt I thought it wasn't too shabby. Sure it wasn't exactly square and the rows were a bit wonky from different tensions, but I think I had the basic principles down. Plus now I was able to look at it as a whole. Learning a stitch is fine, but why the stitch is the way it is, and why it goes where it goes is way more important to me. I need to wrap my head around it and look at the big picture, it is how I learn. I had figured it out now and it made sense!
It was time for something else. I decided this time on a pot holder. Now I know it is basically a dishrag with a loop, but I wanted something that I could perfect my skills on and this was it. I started out strong and kept my tension this time. I also started counting rows! I couldn't keep it all in my head as I was watching Top Gear (or my British granny time as I like to call it) while I was crocheting, so I ended up with the piece of paper and pen method. Hey, it worked!
I came away with a perfect square! Woot! I am so proud of it! Now all I need is a yarn needle so I can get rid of those icky tails.
All in all I am pretty happy with my progress. I sat back and thought about it and realized that up until a couple of years ago, if I hadn't gotten it right away I would have given up. I wouldn't have bothered with all the practicing. Things usually come pretty easy to me, and in the past if they didn't I wouldn't even bother with them. Why waste my time? I didn't get crochet right away, but I am glad I have persevered. I am enjoying it immensely and I can't wait to move on. I feel that I have grown as a person in my patience and determination to see things through. I like that!
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