Erica's Stitches

Since I've started to learn to crochet, I've started seeing it everywhere I look. Crocheted edgings on blouses, crochet books on the "new books" shelf at the library, posts on other blogs and at the antique store. At the antique store I was drawn to a pile of doilies that I usually would not have paid attention to.  This one caught my eye.  At first it was the delicate outer "leaves" with the picots. It reminds me of paper snowflakes.  I don't usually associate crochet with such airy designs. That contrasted strangely with the chunky rectangles in the middle.  It was only $1 so I had to bring it home with me.  What a bargain!  I don't know if I'll every be able to crochet anything like this. When I got it home I realized that if you don't look at the rectangles but in the negative space between them there is a star.  Ingenious!  That's one of the most clever design elements that I've seen in a long time.

 I've been slowly plugging away at the scarf I started last November.  It's complete except for an edging. My plan was to knit an edging but the thought of picking up all those stitches along the edge was frightening.  I also don't think I have the correct needles. Then I saw a scarf with a crocheted edge and I had a solution.  Except, I never learned to crochet.  How hard can it be?  I've seen a video of the worlds fastest crocheter.  Couldn't be easier. Actually, it is difficult.  You have to hold the yarn, the needle, your work, keep the tension correct and pull the yarn through without catching.  That's at least 5 things.  At first I could only master on or two at a time.  I was able to get help from a friend with lots of hints that aren't written down anywhere.  Now I'm up to only worrying about tension and catching the yarn.  I can even do several inches at a time without a glitch.  Slowly, I'm ma...