A Happy Hooker.

Right now it seems the cool thing to do is knit. I'm not cool. I don't knit. I crochet.

I learned to crochet for real when I was 22 (meaning not just a really long chain that could be used for ...???). My friend Leah taught me how to do granny squares while we were traveling across the United States in the summer of 97. I finished my first blanket on that trip and I think I may have made one more for my parents the following winter. I haven't really done many other projects since then.

This past January I wanted to lose some weight. I decided I would take up crocheting again and use it as a tool of distraction. I searched the Internet trying to find a free pattern that I liked and could figure out on my own. I found a blog called Attic 24 and I was hooked. Lucy is a lady over in the UK who really likes to crochet. A lot. She doesn't call it crocheting, she calls it hooking. She makes everything with vibrant colors and it looks so cheerful. I also like to read her blog because of her writing. When I read it I feel like I am sitting down to a nice cup of tea and cucumber sandwiches. I should also mention that in my mind Lucy and I are both wearing really pretty dresses with empire waists, wearing bonnets and talking about Elizabeth Bennett.

So I took up crocheting hooking. It worked for the month of January. I lost 6 pounds and spent almost every night on the couch with my yarn (instead of chocolate) watching must see tv with my husband. It was really nice because I would actually stay awake and be able to have a conversation with him instead of falling asleep in the middle of a story. I worked on my afghan for about a month and a half and then lost interest. Not to mention fell off the dieting band waggon.

When we were heading to Washington I wanted to bring a project with me. Every year we go, I always end up at Craft Warehouse and spend a ton of money on new projects that end up in my "unfinished" bin. I decided I wanted to save the money this year. I planned on shipping all my supplies up to my in-laws house before we left but never got around to it. Instead I stuck all my yarn and my afghan in a space bag and sealed it up. It took up about half the space in my suitcase, but I didn't care. I was so happy to have it with me. It was nice to be able to relax and be a hooker with no worries.

We have been home for almost 2 weeks and I have continued to work on my creation. I love it. It is so soft and warm. I wish I would have chosen more colors and made it more vibrant like Lucy's, but I'll know better next time. I am almost done and can't wait to finish it so I can start on my next afghan. Who knows, maybe I'll even start dieting again.