Friday, July 23, 2010

Hello. My name is Cat and I am a crochet addict.

Yesterday morning I opted to crochet for an hour instead of showering, doing my hair and eating a healthy breakfast. I don't regret it. It felt good. Being creative first thing in the morning was a great way to start my day. It's just that... well, it makes me wonder a bit when I skip stuff like basic hygiene in favor of getting my fix.

I wasn't always fascinated with crocheting and knitting. You hear from a lot of people "I learned how to crochet/knit from my (insert family member) when I was a child and I've never stopped since" but that's not quite how it was with me.

I did learn the basics when I was a child from various family members and acquaintances. I think I may have made a pot holder or one of those long, skinny scarf/belt/snake things. It was fun enough, but I was an outgoing child and spent a lot of time running around the neighborhood like a wild child. I was rowdy and didn't tend to do well with anything that required sitting still for extended periods of time.

I kind of skipped over the whole "tween" time and went straight from child to teenager. I have to say, as teenagers go, I was pretty awesome. My mother always knew where I was. I wasn't boy crazy. I didn't drink or smoke or do drugs. I genuinely enjoyed spending time with my family and I was open and honest with my parents (at least, about the stuff that really mattered). Time passed and I mellowed out to become a slightly calmer young adult. I got a job, bought my first car and spent more time just talking with friends. I had finally learned how to sit still for 10 minutes together. Once I conquered that hurdle, it all came together.

As much as I enjoyed just talking with people, I needed something to do with my hands. I found a few of my old crochet books and tried again. It was perfect! Exactly what I needed! A compact, portable project that yielded quick results! All I needed was a ball of yarn and a hook!
Yeah, right. That's just how it starts.

You start looking at patterns and decide you have to make that gorgeous sweater with the lace detailing. Think of all the compliments you'll get! You go out and buy all the materials, find the perfect yarn, get the recommended hook size and start working. You're totally pumped about how everything is going perfectly... until about four rows in. You realize this is waaaaay over your head and you're nowhere near experienced enough for this project. You decide to set it aside for another time and try something a little less challenging, starting the whole process over again. Eventually you will complete a project, using the yarn that you're always buying and never using, but there is very little stopping the world from being taken over by semi-unraveled skeins of yarn and halfway done projects.

This morning, I actually took care of business (and myself). I woke up early enough to shower and fully get ready for the day and still have almost an hour to watch an episode of Bones and get my crochet fix. Take it one day at a time. That's what I have to do. Be sensible about my own limits and prioritize.

Yeah. That's it. Easy.

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