I have found myself able to crochet more lately. It feels so good.
A little less than a year ago I had my second baby, and knew crochet was going to be put on hold a lot...like taking orders and things. I never realized how much I would have really put it on hold, and I didn't mean to. Sometimes I just wanted to crochet without having to do it to fill an order or a deadline, but when I would crochet things not on an order list I felt guilty for keeping clients waiting. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE doing client orders, but there were times it overwhelmed me. Two winters ago my order list was over 3 months out! I shouldn't complain about lots of business, but my hands can only work so fast :-)
I knew when Evie was born that I was going to need to take time off. I knew I wasn't going to be able to do orders for that winter AND take care of a two year old and new baby. So, a few months off, turned into a lot of months off, and before I knew it I had hardly taken any orders for a very long time.
One side of this is that I have been working on Rosie's Cozies, and I do crochet a lot for that project. I also had a lot of struggles with Belle in the past year with getting her to bed...and at one point I think Paul and I were walking zombies who spent most of our nights trying to get kids to bed. Needless to say, I wasn't able to get any crochet time in when I was working on getting kids to sleep.
Recently I have opened myself up to a few more orders. I was a bit scared to do this, as I was worried I wouldn't be able to keep up, but I have been able to slowly, but surely get back in the groove. I have done a much better job of taking orders when I am done with another order, so they come more one at a time than a list of 45 orders to be filled!
I forgot how therapeutic crocheting is for me. The creating, the movement of yarn, the brainstorming, the feeling of completion of a project I am proud of. I forgot how much more relaxed I feel at the end of the day when I end it with one hand on a hook and the other holding some yarn. Crochet is much more than a hobby for me, but something that really helps my brain settle down each day. It's funny how I spent most of my life not knowing how to crochet, but within the past 8 years it has really become a large part of my identity. I am proud to keep an old craft going...and helping make it "cool" again (even if my husband so lovingly calls me grandma when I'm working).
I know all of you crafters out there are nodding your head in agreement. It's amazing how a hook and some yarn are probably saving us all a lot of money on shrinks :-)
A little less than a year ago I had my second baby, and knew crochet was going to be put on hold a lot...like taking orders and things. I never realized how much I would have really put it on hold, and I didn't mean to. Sometimes I just wanted to crochet without having to do it to fill an order or a deadline, but when I would crochet things not on an order list I felt guilty for keeping clients waiting. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE doing client orders, but there were times it overwhelmed me. Two winters ago my order list was over 3 months out! I shouldn't complain about lots of business, but my hands can only work so fast :-)
I knew when Evie was born that I was going to need to take time off. I knew I wasn't going to be able to do orders for that winter AND take care of a two year old and new baby. So, a few months off, turned into a lot of months off, and before I knew it I had hardly taken any orders for a very long time.
One side of this is that I have been working on Rosie's Cozies, and I do crochet a lot for that project. I also had a lot of struggles with Belle in the past year with getting her to bed...and at one point I think Paul and I were walking zombies who spent most of our nights trying to get kids to bed. Needless to say, I wasn't able to get any crochet time in when I was working on getting kids to sleep.
Recently I have opened myself up to a few more orders. I was a bit scared to do this, as I was worried I wouldn't be able to keep up, but I have been able to slowly, but surely get back in the groove. I have done a much better job of taking orders when I am done with another order, so they come more one at a time than a list of 45 orders to be filled!
I forgot how therapeutic crocheting is for me. The creating, the movement of yarn, the brainstorming, the feeling of completion of a project I am proud of. I forgot how much more relaxed I feel at the end of the day when I end it with one hand on a hook and the other holding some yarn. Crochet is much more than a hobby for me, but something that really helps my brain settle down each day. It's funny how I spent most of my life not knowing how to crochet, but within the past 8 years it has really become a large part of my identity. I am proud to keep an old craft going...and helping make it "cool" again (even if my husband so lovingly calls me grandma when I'm working).
I know all of you crafters out there are nodding your head in agreement. It's amazing how a hook and some yarn are probably saving us all a lot of money on shrinks :-)
I felt that way when I would do stampin up or scrapbooking. It's such a good way to zone out and not think of anything else.
ReplyDeleteI could really use a hobby again. Sewing was too frustrating for me to ever relax!
I know exactly how you feel. I call it my therapy. It is like meditating to me. It relieves stress for me and gets my mind off of "stuff" for a period of time. I may not be the best crocheter but I try and I am pround of what I have made. Keep up the good work!~Hugs, Patti
ReplyDeleteI hear you 100%. I don't have kids but the last few years have found I've had to become my parents parent. My dad has dimentia and my mom suffers from effects of her stroke. That's when I got back into crochet and started blogging. Hence naming my blog Crochetapy. It truly is therapy. I also like to just make what I want and find it hard to make things people request.
ReplyDeleteKeep Calm and Crochet On