Learning to crochet

For years I have tried, and failed, to learn to crochet. After all, I have been knitting for ever, so how hard can it be? My lovely Mother-in-Law, whose hook flies as she turns out square after square, bravely took on the challenge of teaching me. It was fine when she was there, and a hopeless tangle of knots when she wasn't. I tried to learn from the internet, but got lost in a maze of double crochets and turning chains, not helped by the different English and American terms. Finally I bought a couple of "teach yourself crochet" magazines. I bought the first two in the series, which were reduced and came with hook, yarn and clear pictures. I have resisted the rest of the series! Slowly, stitch by stitch, mistake by mistake, I am making progress.

Now I have embarked on my first project. My stash of yarn is slowly growing and my craft supplies are taking over the corner of our living room. This offends DH's ordered soul, although he has been very patient. To put him out of his misery I am attempting to make a project bag designed by Lucy from Attic 24. For my birthday DH foolishly let me loose in our local craft shop. Lucy's bag is stripy, but I am trying to reduce my stash rather than add to it, so I bought some variegated yarn. I needed new yarn because mine was all DK weight, whereas this bag needed something with more muscle.

It is Sirdar "Click" chunky yarn. The bag is worked in treble crochet if you are British, or double crochet if you are American. It is a simple pattern, even for a complete novice like me. At first it was very frustrating as I felt I was doing each stitch three times, but now I feel it might actually be finished one day.

It will not be perfect; my "rounds" are anything but circular! However, one day I may be able to see the corner of my living room again.