A Stitch in Time is Just Plain Fun

My mind usually goes blank the moment I get to this point. I'll have plenty of things to say, but faced with this empty white box, it suddenly all sounds so inadequate or too personal or just plain silly. Ah, well. Onward nevertheless.

I have taken up crochet again. I first learned a basic chain stitch when I was 14 or 15, and I never forgot that. During my teen years, I learned a couple more stitches and made a large number of curly bookmarks; but it wasn't until I was dying of boredom during my first months of my first pregnancy (when I couldn't work because I was so sick all the time) that I took it up in earnest. My first Christmas present to my new in-laws was a lacy floral afghan worked in squares that were attached together, neither warm nor practical -- merely decorative. Since then, I've played around with patterns and even completed several baby blankets and hats, but blankets and afghans are boring, and one can only have so many crocheted hats in one's closet that one doesn't wear. What I want is to create wearable, fashionable clothing articles like blouses, skirts, and jackets.

While "crochet" and "clothing" in the same sentence probably resurrect a horrible 70s flashback for most people, there have been great strides in yarn and pattern development since then. Even I am very picky about what crocheted items look good enough to wear (as opposed to much lighter and less bulky knit items), but I have now collected a good number of patterns I'm determined to try out. This one, for instance, and this one. For some reason, crocheted skirts have always fascinated me. I am also going to try making a skirt with Irish crochet motifs, as well.

But, just like exercising, where you can't just start running miles and miles before building up some endurance, I had to go back and remind myself of the basics. This weekend, I put together these two items from scrap yarn:

This one is actually a square used for a scarf pattern. Both sides of the square are the same, but you have to attach the second color (bright pink, in this case) and work through the same pattern, attaching the separate squares at the edges. I like to work out a pattern with scrap yarn, first, and I only had worsted-weight yarn in these colors instead of sock yarn in something more subtle. I ended up with a square that I can use as a trivet for hot pots because it's so huge, but now I know how to work the pattern.

This one is a square for an afghan. You crochet the flower first and then attach the second color yarn at the back of the flower and work the square. I was working from a symbolic pattern rather than a written pattern, and I eventually figured it out, but I later realized that I had crocheted the square with the wrong side showing. Now I know better. I was thinking that if the flowers were a rainbow of colors on that light gray background, it would make a pretty afghan (if, again, fairly non-functional except for decoration).

Why crochet at this time? I'd like to answer that question by asking you this: what does a girl do who has a desperate desire to create something pretty but little money to do it with? Crochet is great for that, if you have yarn already, which I did, just. A hook, some yarn, and you can create a fabric out of thin air. When you start buying specialty yarns and making lovely things is when it gets expensive. My friend, Lynn, spins a lot of her yarns, with which she knits and weaves fantastic things. She taught me to spin, too, but I haven't done that in donkey's years. It's a very satisfying process, however, and knowing you're creating something with yarn you spun yourself makes you feel pretty good -- like you're keeping a dying art alive and making useful things. Very pioneer. Very resourceful.