I wonder if you are holding the yarn and the hook correctly. Beginners seem to resist holding them correctly, but as you get used to doing so, you will find that it makes a huge difference in your speed and stitch evenness.

Also, you might make a point at first of using larger yarns and hooks. Stick with worsted weight or fatter until you pick up your speed.

How many hours it would take depends on the size of the hook and yarn and the finished size of the blanket. Did it take you 9 months to finish the blanket? (smile)

Sheilajoyce thought possibly you aren't holding the hook and yarn in the most efficient way. Is there a chance you know someone who crochets or have a yarn shop nearby to check you out?

When I learned to knit I felt like the worlds slowest knitter. i took a break for a few months and came back to it. It is AMAZING how much faster I am now, I have no idea why. Maybe I was stressing it to much.

I learned to crochet at a local yarn shop, I took classes, beginner and a more advanced one. I have been working on this blanket for 8-10 hours a week for 3 months now. I feel like I am holding the yarn and hook right since I learned from some very experienced people. Maybe I am just underestimating how quickly I am working? Thanks for your tips. More are welcome. I am trying not to get discouraged, I am just getting bored with this project, but I need to finish it because the baby is due in Sept! I am just going to keep on trucking. I am also very distracted lately because we just got a new puppy, he is a 13 week old boxer. We got him at 10 weeks. He needs lots of attention and he likes to steal my skein!

Since you MUST finish the blanket, do so. Then I would suggest that you try a couple of MUCH smaller projects. You will feel a greater sense of satisfaction when you have completed several projects. We don't want you to get bored or discouraged and give it up. And the way to get faster is to just keep doing it. And just because someone tells you you will be faster if you hold the hook a certain way, doesn't mean that that is the way you must hold the hook. Your hands will eventually tell you what is right for you.

Thank you Donna, those are encouraging words! I will finish, and I will post a picture to show it off! And you are right, I was doing hats when I first started, and they are much faster and give more immediate gratification!

haha!! I'm still enjoying knitting scarves for our DD!! Talk about immediate gratification! And with all the wonderful yarns out now, each one is truly a unique experience!
Okay...except for the triangular shawl I asked about in a recent post...THAT may discourage me. However, on 15mm needles and trellis yarn,how long could it take?! ;-D

I agree...complete the baby blanket, take a pic of it, and relax into more...um...quicker projects for Christmas! Enjoy!

Try to see if you can shorten or cut out any of the motions you are making to make a stitch. I used to, when I would finish a stitch, pull the yarn a little to the right to get my tension on my stiches, then start my next step. What I figured out to do, after making about 50 or so blankets for charity, is when I finish a stich, stick the needle in and start the next stitch and let this make the tension in my stitches. So, I cut out a step, but the result looks the same. For me, it made me much faster.
Also, because there are so many individual stiches in making each shell, they do take longer. Some patterns, like doing a blanket in V stiches, or double crochets seem to work up lots faster, in my experience, anyway. Some of what you think is being slower is maybe because it is shell stitch, imo.
I hope this helps you, anyway, good luck. I do think shells are one of the prettiest stitches there are.