Interesting fact...

I have never made an afghan with less than 3 colors. I don't know entirely why. Maybe it seems too simple or plain for my taste? I don't know.

I started teaching one of my friends that is also stationed here in Italy how to crochet. She's a little forgetful, though...I show her, she works on it, she puts it down, goes to pick it up the next day...and has forgotten how it goes! LOL I think she's getting better at it, though. She wanted to learn a round ripple right off, so that was what I was trying to teach her on. She instead used online tutorials to teach herself the basic single crochet and has been going from there. I'm sure she'll be busting out that round ripple in no time!

Another spouse that is over here also showed an interest in learning to knit and crochet. We're starting with crochet. She said she was a quick study, and I believed her, but wow! She shocked me with just how fast she picked it up! The first day I went over there, I taught her the single crochet (having learned from the first instance, lol)...I went back the following day, and she had made a scarf! So I showed her how to do the fringe...then I taught her double crochet. Went back the next day, and not only had she completed the granny square I showed her how to do, but she had begun an afghan (sans squares, though)...and not only had she started an afghan, but it was an afghan of her own design!!! So we were watching the show Charmed while working on all things yarn-y (I was knitting a scarf), when I had this sudden urge to start an afghan! It's been quite some time since I've done an afghan (it's pretty much been hats and swap-themed things the last....well, since October...), and I just had the urge to start one! (Honestly...who starts an afghan when warmer weather is coming?! I must be nuts!) I didn't have any worsted weight with me (except for the scarf I was knitting), so she let me dip into the small beginnings of a stash that she's got...which isn't much...which is why I am only making it 2 colors...which brings me back to where I started this post. I've never before made an afghan with less than 3 colors! LOL So this is clearly a first for me. However, I was able to do the whole beginning of the round ripple from pure memory! I guess I made more than I realized! Enough times to have it embedded into my brain, evidently! So now I have a beautiful, albeit "plain," afghan in the works!

My Hermione hat is not going according to plan at all. :( I'm actually sorely disappointed. It's not anything to do with the pattern, it's all to do with the fact that after finally figuring out my gauge (which turned out to be size 2 needles, by the way), and finished the ribbing, and finally got started on the pattern part...I took a look at how much yarn I had left...and I don't think it's going to be enough to finish the whole hat. I am seriously bummed about that. I was so excited to have found the perfect pattern for my yarn from Edinburgh, and I may not have enough. A clear sign that I should have bought more while I was still there. ;) LOL We'll see what happens, though. I'm still not decided on whether or not I want to continue and see if I can make it or if I run out. If I were to do all that work and run out just before it could be finished, I think I would quite literally cry...but, as I said, we shall see...