3 Crocheters + 19 Years = 1 Afghan

3 Crocheters + 19 Years = One Afghan

Many, many years ago (1984), after I was accepted at Mount Holyoke College, my mother decided she would make me an afghan. We found this very interesting pattern (it wasn't all granny squares, though there were some of those -- it had other shapes and stuff, too) and she got the yarn. She started on it, fully expecting that it would adorn my dorm room bed no later than second semester my fresh(wo)man year.

Life happens, you know, and for some reason the afghan got laid aside, then the pattern got lost, and the whole thing fell into the abyss that was my mother's yarn stash (ask my father -- he'll tell you all about it -- the abyss, that is).

Fast forward 19 years (yup, 19 years -- how long has your oldest WIP been marinating?), and I'm shopping Mom's stash for anything to keep my hands busy over Christmas (that reminds me -- when we get all the stuff out, I need to take a picture of the stocking I knit M that year). In a trash bag in the corner are a whole bunch of granny squares and a whole lot of yarn. Hmmmm -- looks familiar. "Mom, do you still have the pattern?" No, pattern's long gone (wonder if I could find it on Rav), but any crocheter can make granny squares, right? So, my fancy interesting afghan, 19 years later, became a plain granny square afghan in colors that aren't my favorite (see #38). I taught M how to make granny squares, and over a holiday trip to Michigan to visit friends (whose dog thought the yarn made a great chew toy), we finished the squares. (We also taught said friend's oldest son how to crochet -- picture it, four adults, all of whom have been crocheting since childhood, totally baffled at how to teach this kid to crochet. Why? He's left-handed, and in crocheting, that really matters.)

So we have this afghan, which lives on the futon in the guest/weaving/yarn room. And I forget from day to day that it exists. But there it is -- one project which took 19+ years and three crocheters to see completion.

Got a better long-in-the-making project story?

3 Crocheters + 19 Years = One Afghan

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The afghan looks great - finally!!
Coffeepondpat