In which I start a new crochet project!

   A facebook friend, that I've known since my teenage years, has asked me to make him an afghan. All he asked for is purple and 6 feet long. I can do that. He also asked that it not be "girlie", or his granddaughters would steal it from him. He sent me some money for the yarn, and I've gotten started! I am using my favorite pattern, I just thought about it and I've been crocheting this particular pattern for about 20 years!
   I had originally planned to use one of the yarns that come in one pound balls, but then I remembered that the last afghan I made in that yarn, just a few months ago, went square when I washed it. Julie loved it anyway, but I was unhappy about it. Knowing it might not be long enough with its original stitch count, I added thirty more stitches to the starting chain. Or so I thought. On the last row of single crochet for the first section, I counted stitches as I crocheted along. Turned out I had miscounted a bit. Instead of the planned 181 stitches, I had about 172. But I think it's plenty long enough. I haven't measured it yet, but it's more than 6 feet in Hubs' opinion.
   One reason I favor this pattern is that there are only four rows of any one stitch. It starts with four rows of single crochet, then four rows of V stitch. Four more rows of single, then a funky row of loops. The next row connects all the loops, and then four more rows of single crochet. It's done side to side, so you start with the length and work until it's wide enough. Usually seven panels of the V stitch.
    So this pattern isn't boring! I did an afghan almost 25 years ago, before I knew better, that was straight double crochet. Endless, mindless, boring double crochet. By the time I was halfway through that one, I was suicidal. I learned from that experience to find patterns that mix stitches up and don't get boring!
   I've been knitting so much lately that I've been feeling guilty for neglecting my hooks. But they were still there for me, and rattled pleasantly in their plastic containers as I searched for the right hook.
    I find myself questioning Gordie's sanity for asking me for an afghan. He lives in Texas. They have endured more than 70 days of triple digit temperatures since May! Maybe he has his a.c. set too cold, I don't know. But he's given me the opportunity to crochet again, and for that I thank him!