It's In the Bag

Our Relief Society is working on a service project. They want us to make small afghans out of baby yarn to give to the little ones who are still-born at the hospital. First, let me say that I'm very busy! But quite a few years ago my sister-in-law had a little one that she lost at seven months. I'm pretty sure I told you at least part of that story once before. Her baby died the week before Taco was born. Anyway, because we had shared a small amount of her pain, I really wanted to help make one of these afghans.

I learned to crochet when I was about 10 years old. We did it for a primary project and I was pretty proud of my hard work. But when I showed my project to Grandma, she was not very happy. First she told me I was holding my crochet hook wrong and I would have to relearn how to hold it correctly. Then she told me every stitch I made was too tight!  And she was right. It was extremely difficult to get the hook back through for the second row of stitches.

I was devastated. I wanted to make her so happy! She loved crocheting and I swear she could do it in her sleep. I finally completed a project that was a pink baby cape. I know, it was very impractical, but what did I know, I was just a kid...

Grandma said all the right words, but I could tell that she was still disappointed in my apparent lack of skills. I tried a few other projects, a couple of baby afghans out of broomstick lace which is sort of crocheting, but not really. I made a full-sized afghan, but it was using another tool that looked like a couple of knitting needles. I also started another baby afghan just before Bossy was born...it's still half-done in a bag somewhere. Overall, I'd say I was pretty much a failure when it came to crocheting.

But I really wanted to support this service project. Two weeks before Grandma died last fall, Teach bought several skeins of baby yarn so that Grandma could make her some baby dresses. Sadly, the dresses were never made and the yarn is just sitting.on a shelf. So today during General Conference, I pulled one of them out, dug in my junk drawer until I found the right size crochet hook, and got started.

After I had done about three rows, the Drama Queen decided she wanted to help too. Unfortunately, she couldn't find another crochet hook that was the right size. Being the awesome mom that I am, I handed her my project and let her have at it. But first I had to teach her how to crochet. It's funny, but she held the hook the same way I did until Grandma made me change. Of course I pointed that out right away...no sense in having to break bad habits.

After the morning session was over, she handed the project back to me. She had done about three more rows, and you know what? Her stitches were tighter than mine! Finally, now that Grandma is no longer here to see them, I've figured out how to crochet. After I finish this afghan, maybe I'll even pull that old bag off the shelf and finish Bossy's afghan...it will be a little small...