Crochet, reborn

My GAHD it's been an age since I posted anything. I've been sooooooooooo busy with my Little Man that I'm pooped at the end of the day and haven't really been very creative of late. BUT. The great news is that my Art of Crochet, number 1  (and 6) arrived today! Words cannot express how happy I was to see it, I was starting to lose faith. Bear in mind I already had 2, 3, 4 and 5, but not 1. I'm a bit of a stickler for doing things properly so I've been waiting until now to start my throw. Hopefully this will ease me back into craftiness gently and rekindle my oomph, which is decidedly lacking right now.

I know that I probably know a lot of the stuff already, but one thing I have learned thus far is that American and British stitches are TOTALLY DIFFERENT! Well, maybe that's gross exaggeration on my part, but at least a few stitches are different. For example US slip stitch = UK single crochet, US single crochet = UK double crochet, US double crochet = UK treble crochet, US treble crochet = UK double treble crochet. WTF?? I mean, come on. I learned to crochet using The Happy Hooker and it doesn't mention that there is a difference between the two. WHY IS THERE A DIFFERENCE? Seriously? What's the point? I have to say though, US terminology makes more sense to me and seems to be more logically labelled.

So anyhoo, while patiently waiting for issue 1 to arrive , I started to make the rustic shopping bag. Would've been nice to know of the difference in stitch names. It'll teach me to think I know everything and not read the instructions! R.T.F.I.!! The bag's on a back burner now (and will not become a UFO) while I get up to speed with squares, although who knows when the next one will arrive?? Hachette aren't exactly as punctual with delivery as they are with taking payment.

Aside from that, my list of crafty to-do grows ever longer. I shall be glad when the kitchen is finished and I want to be in there behind my lovely new sewing machine again! It must think I don't like it :-(