Glenda I know what you mean, the first pair of socks I knit after mastering knitting with 4 needles I learned to turn a heel by standing behind my MIL looking over her shoulder. I think I finally found a book with basic left hand crochet instructions but today for us lefties there's Google :o). I just did simple granny squares until I got the tension right. I guess right handed instruction books held up to a mirror would work in a pinch. The squares in the afghan were made up as I went along, the center wheel I took from a pattern book but the rest I made up, you know crochet a round, pull it out try again LOL. Now I keep a book with a sample square, my instructions (well I understand them even if nobody else can) for all my my made up stuff just in case I want to do it again. Saves a lot of head scratching. The nice thing about crocheting with wool it works up fast. Then there's the sweater I was knitting with wool I bought on sale, my dear, sweet, gentle, well behaved Breeze's eyes used to glaze over when she spotted a ball of wool, you can see where this is going. I should have known better leaving knitting out in plain view of her ladyship. I came home one day to find my dear, sweet, gentle, well behaved kitty lying exhausted on the floor, my last ball of wool was completely unwound and tangled through two rooms of furniture, and I mean tangled, up, down, through everything. Her little eyes met mine, they seemed to say, I did good didn't I mom, I need a treat. I unravelled the sweater since I didn't have enough wool to finish it, crocheted a shawl instead, such is life. Annette

have the afghan pattern you sent, thank you but not what i am looking for. this was a traditional granny square, in one square, looked to be a varigated yarn but between every round, there was a white or off white row, not consistant with the granny pattern stitch, maybe a single crochet around and then the varigated started again. the white or off white row looked just about indented. hard to explain, i have looked thru my patterns and it is not hear, have internet searched also. thanks for any help.

This is what I am doing...on the 3rd row (IF I remember right!) turning is the problem. I don't understand how I did it already and NOW can't get it! GRRRRRR Part of the problem was DH came in from work and started yapping at me and I was trying to concentrate. I ripped it out so many times the yarn was starting to get all stretched out. I will try later, too much going on this morning. Thanks Minnie. Here is the "simple" dishcloth pattern: Starting chain: chain 36. Note: At the end of each row, you will chain 1, then turn the work around to start the next row. Row 1: Single crochet in the second chain from the hook, single crochet in each chain across. (35 single crochet) Row 2: Single crochet in each single crochet across. (35 single crochet) Rows 3 - 38: Repeat row 2. End off, leaving a length of about 6 inches to weave in. Weave in the ends, using a large-eye yarn needle.

I love the one you posted that was a ripple but not the 'ubiquitous ripple'. I also love the Aran one. I've received several afghans over the years and I've loved them all. The baby sized ones are in the linen closet for grandchildren-to-come. I keep one (totally doesn't go with anything in my house) in my bedroom closet for an extra blanket when I want one. DD keeps one in her room and another in the TV room. (and wants the one I keep in my room for herself) I cherish all of them because they were made with so much love. My cousin (now a father of 3) still has the one I made for him as a bar mitvah present. Having said all that, I'd go for an ivory or cream, since it would be easier for the couple to keep it somewhere visible, rather than tucking it away somewhere. They're lucky to have someone in their lives who'd put so much of herself into a gift for them. Story of one of the baby ones: my mother or aunt mentioned to an long-time friend of my grandmother's that I was expecting. My grandmother had been gone 20 years by then. The friend knitted and sent to me two lovely baby sweaters. I thanked her via letter, telling her how much it meant to me that a friend of my grandmother's would think of me at this time in my life. She wrote back and invited us to stay with her the next time we went to California, and we went and visited her. She passed about a year after the visit, when I was expecting my second. I sent a letter of sympathy to her sister (who'd I never met), telling her the story of the sweaters and how much it meant to me and that I'd saved them and would be using them for my on-the-way child. Her response was to send a baby afghan! I will treasure it and look forward to someday using it for their children. And it still makes me happy inside to think that my grandmother had had such special loving friends in her life.