Year of Projects Post Info And
Day 7 of the challenge Post
Crafting Balance
Are you a knitter or a crocheter, or are you a bit of both? If you are monogamous in your yarn-based crafting, is it because you do not enjoy the other craft or have you simply never given yourself the push to learn it? Is it because the items that you best enjoy crafting are more suited to the needles or the hook? Do you plan on ever trying to take up and fully learn the other craft? If you are equally comfortable knitting as you are crocheting, how do you balance both crafts? Do you always have projects of each on the go, or do you go through periods of favouring one over the other? How did you come to learn and love your craft(s)?
KCBWDAY7(use this code in a google search to find all who participated in this day's blog challenge)
I am bi-linqual, I speak both knitting and crocheting. I learned both while very young. I learned to knit from my Mother, and to crochet from a friends Aunt. I made one item using each skill when I initially learned. For years didn't do either again. Then crocheting came back into my life...big time. Hubby was working full time and going to school, and while I was also working full time, I had ........time on my hands. Since I decided I should do something with those hands, I once again began crocheting and that's all I did for years. I became pretty skillful and confident with has, scarves, blankets, afghans and the like. I crocheted Christmas gifts, wedding gifts, baby shower gifts and more.
There was no balance. I was in fact, resentful of those who knitted. They seemed a bit upity I thought. Wasn't uncommon to hear someone say, "oh ..you don't knit, you
just crochet". Pattern books for knitting far and away out numbered pattern books for crocheting. There seemed to be a prevailing feeling that only Old ladies crocheted, and all they crocheted were doolies, doll clothes, and toilet paper roll covers.
That has all changed. It is no longer only old ladies who crochet, and those who crochet make wonderful wonderful items for themselves and their families, as well as for many charities. Then the fiber world offered such wonderful varieties of soft luscious fibers, that knitters and crocheters came out of the wood work. Both skills were being taught to men and women of all ages. It became "cool" to possess either skill. Battle lines between knitters and crocheters became a thing of the past.
When big fat knitting needles and fun novelty yarn came into vogue, I once again picked up knitting. I think some fibers lend themselves better to one skill then the other. Each has it's place. Knitting takes more time, generally speaking then crocheting, and uses less yarn. Crocheting seems to bother my arthritis a bit more then the knitting does, but I always have projects going representing both skills. I like to have a project that's a pick up and go item...often scarves, which can be either knitted or crocheted; along with a larger more complicated item that really can only successfully be worked on at home. Generally the big item at home is an afghan which is always a crocheted project; as I assemble afghans for charity (please see my blog,
Bridge and Beyond) , from donated knitted and crocheted squares from around the globe. Additionally, I might have a more complicated knitting pattern with something that involves counting stitches and rows constantly....I do better with that home, where I can knit without interruption.
Balance between the 2 crafts, isn't the problem I have. I find I need balance between the knitting and crocheting for charity vs making something for myself or family members. Somehow, I always push aside the item I purchased special yarn for myself in order to make something I deem more important for those without.
I've shown you many of the crocheted afghans I've put together from donated squares in the first challenge post about color,
HERE. The above picture is an afghan I made specifically from many different patterns for my great nephews arrival into this world. Just thought there should be a picture here for you all.
This concludes the blog week challenge......whew. Must give some thought whether to participate in this challenge again next year if it happens. Thus far, it's been lots of work with pretty limited participating; that's been disappointing. Wondering how the rest of you feel?
Day 1 Challenge Post 3KCBWDAY1
Day 2 Challenge Post 3KCBWDAY2
Day 3 Challenge Post (wild card) 3KCBWDAY3 3KCBWWC
Day 4 Challenge Post 3KCBWDAY4
Day 5 Challenge Post 3KCBWDAY5
Day 6 Challenge Post 3KCBWDAY6
YOP, literally no change. I've knitted and crocheted; but everything I've worked on was something not on my list. Between traveling, and blogger not working well (scheduled posts not posting as they should), playing catch up both here and in life...I've really nothing to report. However, if you click on Day 2 challenge you'll see one item I finished, likewise Day 5...those post show 2 of the items I've been working on.
When I was young I had a book that had been my Dad's favorite as a child, Robert Louis Stevenson's A Child's Garden of Verses. I loved the rhythm of that poetry; though many today feel poetry that rhythms isn't as "cool" or as "brainy" as say a Haiku....but I confess I still enjoy the rhythm of his poems. It was an old book, and I memorizes several of his poems. Then because I liked it, bought a newer book when my Darling Daughter was young. She too seemed to like the rhythm created when I read aloud to her over and over and over. She memorized some of those poems also.
