Remembering Why I Crochet

Life can be very stressful sometimes. During the past several months I have had a lot of change and turmoil in mine. It's that ebb and flow, an ocean of passing days. Sometimes everything seems to be going your way. You're wading through happiness as it swirls and foams around you. Other times -- like what I'm experiencing right now -- things don't fit together as easily and you're stepping lightly across sharp stones, looking for the shiny bits.

As a result of the changes I'm going through, for the past few months I haven't had much time for my design business. All of my ideas have been simmering away on the back burner. My stress would lead me to neglect my crochet, which would stress me out, which would lead me to neglect my crochet... you can see where this is going. Things like keeping the clothes and dishes clean and staying awake until bedtime have become victories of sorts.

A little over a week ago I finally had a breakthrough. I looked at my forlorn project, the design I'd most recently started, and I knew I needed to spend some time with it. I ended up finishing it a few days later. The quiet, calming process of crocheting coupled with that familiar exhilaration of completing a design really lifted my spirits. Instead of making my life more hectic, making time for my crochet had the opposite effect. I felt more ready to complete other tasks and more prepared to take on each day. My new pattern is now out being tested and I couldn't be happier about it. It's a great shiny moment to hold onto in a turbulent time.

Why do I crochet? It's not just my business or even my hobby. It's my way of staying connected -- to myself, to the shiny bits, and to a community of fiber friends. Readers, I hope you're making time for crochet. Let's all take a moment to remember why we love it so very much.