Crocheting

I used to be an avid crocheter many years ago. Learned how to crochet when I was 15 years old, with my Mom and her friend Shirley. There was a once-a-week, over four weeks, I think it was, evening how-to-crochet class at my High School. After the first class, I was so frustrated, as I couldn't get the knack of it. When I got home, I got out my Singer Sewing Book, and found the section on how to crochet. Read through and self-taught myself. When I got to the next class, I had a 24" x 24" granny square ... on the way to making my first granny-square afghan -- all one big granny square. Except at that class, the teacher was annoyed and told me I was doing it all wrong. Apparently, I wasn't holding the crochet hook the way she'd like me to hold it, nor was I holding the wool that way she'd like me to hold it. And I remember my Mom quietly interrupting her barrage and saying, 'but she's doing it and it's working. Leave her alone.' God, I love my Mom. The teacher didn't at that moment, but then she never bothered me again! After the four weeks, Mom and Shirley asked me how I was doing my crocheting, but they just never learned how that teacher was teaching us! Hah! I taught them both my way. This is the only piece of crocheting I have left from all those days ago ... well, I might have another afghan I did downstairs from wool my Grandmother Weslak gave me, cause she was so proud I could crochet. That afghan was a bunch of granny squares hooked together--black centres, peach surround, finished off with white; all joined with black. But this piece in this photo is a Christmas poinsetta one I did, and it only comes out every year at Christmas!