I tried to knit....

1 year ago at a baby shower, my Aunt had made many knitted gifts for a new cousin on the way. My sister-in-law and I both thought out loud that we would love to know how to do that! So I got a book and knitting needles. But I could not figure out how to knit. I watched many many many YouTube videos, but still I could not knit. I returned the book, and bought a book about crochet instead.

I found crocheting to be much easier. I taught myself during a garage sale with some helpful guidance from my sister. Unfortunately for me, I spent 3 months unable to get the right gauge because I was crocheting in the front loops only. This tiny little bootie is the first thing I made that actually looked like what I set out to make!

Needless to say, this bootie did not fit any babies. I tried a few other patterns, but could not get the gauge right and have since given up on making booties.

Luckily enough, by the time my newest nephew was born, I had learned to make a hat in the proper size.

But don't let these pictures fool you into thinking I made these with no trouble at all! The cocoon actually started out as a hat that went wrong! After 7 rows or so I realized that the hat was getting big enough to fit me! Instead of pulling it out and starting over, I made a split second decision to keep going and make it into a cocoon. This was also my first time changing colors through a pattern. Once finished, I had learned my lesson, and was able to make the matching hat in under an hour. I made a few basic circles and sewed them on to look like buttons.

A week after this little bundle was born we walked in an American Heart Association Heart Walk in memory of my Dad. My Dad died about a year and a half ago from a massive heart attack. Hobbies and crafts help me focus my mind, and crocheting has been very helpful for me since I have begun. The day before the walk, I decided I wanted a red hat to wear. I bought some yarn and followed this pattern. I made the beret in 6 or 7 hours and refused to go to bed until I was finished.

And that's the story of how I tried to knit, but ended up teaching myself to crochet.