Crochet beginnings

When I was in the fifth grade,I took a mini course called "how to crochet". There were a hnadful of fellow classmates and the project was a toilet tissue cover that was supposed to look like a poodle. At the completion of the course, my poodle won first prize, and to this day I am convinced that I won not necessarily because of my stitching technique (which incidentally was very good), nor the fascinating choices in color (the dogs body was bright red and his paws and hair were aqua blue)but because my poodle's hair stuck straight up, whereas my classmates all brushed their pup's hair down. In any event my love affair with crochet began at the tender age of 11. Through the years, I made various afghans and small projects, I also had learned to sew at about the same age as crochet since my grandmother was an accomplish seamstress and would have me sit with her after school each day and follow along as she made alterations on my grandfather's suit jackets,or her own dresses or made clothing for me. I was married and began having children young, and by the age of 22 I had graduated and was working as an R.N. I made many outfits for my children but got stuck and frustrated when trying to read and follow pattern directions for a sweater set for my younger son. I recall having to call my aunt Kathy (the only person I knew that also knew how to crochet) and ask her what "yo" meant...(it means "yarn over").After that incident,I borrowed books from the library and taught myself how to read crochet instructions. I took on increasingly challenging tasks, made an entire layette and wardrobe set for my youngest child, and in 2001, decided to start my own business after doing so informally at craft shows since 1994. "Marie's Sewcrochetions" was born as a natural combination of my loves for sewing and crocheting.