Thursday 30 July 2015

A Crafter's Natural Habitat

Do you ever lose track of time when you are crafting?
It is so easy to do.

Sometimes I am crocheting with friends when suddenly we are surprised, "Is that the time already?" It is reminiscent of a Monty Python sketch, "That wasn't five minutes just now!"  except it feels like five minutes when it has actually been three hours!

At other times, I will have a number of things on the go at once; for example, getting on with some sewing while I am waiting for crochet to dry on the blocking board and bibs and bobs of housework in between. When I get tired from sewing (usually mending), I might take a mid-project break on the couch with a cuppa, little snooze and then pick up the crochet laying nearby. Meanwhile, I still haven't put the sewing machine away or the project which is still there because I was too tired at the time to pack up and genuinely intended to return to finish it but forgot when I woke up!

Often I will lose myself in my activities and suddenly realise it is time to leave for an appointment etc. The only answer is to drop everything immediately and get out the door!

As I rush out the room grabbing a hijacked denim jacket,  I look behind me to see a path of destruction and the trail of crochet mess!

There's the ironing board left out with the iron still plugged in (but not switched on!). The blocking board is leaning against an empty clothes airer; the couch is in the middle of the room; the computer is still on; my goodness! The kitchen table has got scattered projects and yarn and a needle which must go back into the pin cushion before I really walk out …wherever the pincushion is … (deep breath) …ah, on my desk!

Now you get the idea of what I leave behind when I dash out the door!

Sorry, no photos, I was in too much of a hurry!

17 comments:

  1. I was always try to get the last minute-worth of time still crocheting (or knitting)!

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    1. Too right! Glad I am not the only yarncrafting desperado out there! :-)

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  2. I find I'm trying to fit knitting in to the "in-between" times of my life - the waiting times. Soccer practice, swimming lessons, waiting for the oven timer. I can't get lost in the time, the time dictates when I start and stop. One day I will have time to get lost in a good book or a complicated stitch pattern. For now, I knit on the clock!

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    1. Indeed! It is amazing how much one can achieve in these little snippets of time here and there. That's why it's good to keep a project at hand. I do hope your schedule can relax enough so you can 'get in the zone' occasionally, but better to fit in a little bit of knitting (or whatever lifts your spirits) every day than not at all.
      Speaking of spirits, how have you been going? How are your energy levels? It is such a busy stage of life when you are working full time and juggling the needs of a young family. It is good to read that you are enjoying the heat of summer with your children. Cheers! :-)

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  3. yes, when I look back on the day and realize I have spent sometimes 8 hours knitting I can't believe that much time has passed. I would love to see a picture of your swath of destruction when you leave the house in a hurry - it sounds glorious.

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    1. I would have liked a picture too. I thought of that when I was looking back on my way out the door. At the time I thought it was quite a picture but my phone camera is not that great and I had no time to fetch the 'big camera'. Instead, I dictated some words into my phone so I could come back and blog about it later thus today's post. I'm glad you like it.
      How lovely to have 8 hours to spend crafting but how do you avoid soreness? I don't think I could do it but must admit, have never tried. You never know ... just give me the chance ... ;-)

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  4. some days I find lots of time others not so much. I find time gets away with me when I am on the computer.

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    1. Yes, it's funny how that happens, Gill. The best phrase I have ever heard (or did I read it) - on the internet of course - is this: computers are a 'time suck'.
      It's true! They suck the time out of unsuspecting victims, promising a 5 minute task and delivering 50 minutes of frustration or malfunction. That is why I steer very clear of Pinterest most of the time unless someone has posted something in particular that I need to find. That's the worst so far and I haven't dared subscribe to Instagram!
      Like Sarah's knitting (in the comments above), I need to do my computing 'by the clock' too.
      What are the worst computing 'time sucks' for you, Gill?

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  5. A fantastic word picture, no photos needed!! It sounds a bit like our house, although there is usually a scrabble about 5 o'clock to get it a bit tidy before Hubby comes home!!

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    1. Thanks, Sharon. That is a lovely compliment. It means a lot to me because I make a lot of effort to describe things as well and as accurately as possible while trying to keep the flow, 'paint the word pictures' and make it entertaining and easy to read.

      Sometimes the words just come to me and other times I struggle. Blogging has helped me to keep the words flowing. I'm not always successful, looking back at some earlier posts, so I appreciate your patience and willingness to come back and read more. :-)

      It is a comfort to know that it's not 'just my house'! Any house with an active family is bound to suffer chaos and clutter from time to time. It is moments like these that make me realise how much I love my crochet and craft time. What would your hubby do if he saw a mess like mine? (By the way, my couch usually lives near the edge of the room, not smack in the middle like this particular day!) I am picturing a panicked scramble to clear the decks as your hubby approaches the front door!

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  6. A fantastic word picture, no photos needed!! It sounds a bit like our house, although there is usually a scrabble about 5 o'clock to get it a bit tidy before Hubby comes home!!

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  7. Hi Jodie, I enjoyed reading your post, it made me smile. ;)

    Currently I got my oldest daughter Jessie and her friend staying here with us and both are crocheters / knitters. This means 3 crafting females in the house. The living room looks like a wool and vintage shop right now. Last night we had a kind of granny square workshop, I showed the girls how to do it, step by step. It was fun! They were thrilled with their newly learned skills.

    I have many WIPs on the go, as you know. Now I got another (will use my granny squares for making a blanket).

    I take my crochet with me whenever I go out. Yesterday I had a hospital appointment and spent well over an hour waiting, so I made good progress on my festival shawl. I also crocheted on the bus journeys. I made many of my rusticlacesquares on the bus!!!

    So you are not the only one with a 'crafty' house!!!

    And getting into the zone whilst doing something is a great way of mindfulness and relaxation.
    Enjoy it!!!

    Ingrid xx
    Myfunkycrochet.blogspot.be

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    1. Yay! I'm glad this post is bringing smiles! YOU are making ME laugh now at your description of your home resembling a "wool & vintage" shop. I can just picture it with the three of you. It's so much fun to crochet with friends and family and extra special when our children take an interest so we can pass the skills down the generations.

      Three women with hooks and pointy sticks in one house - sounds ominous! ;-)
      I look forward to seeing your completed blanket. Imagine how many happy memories will be revived every time you use it.

      My goodness! One hour is a long time to wait (but sadly, not unheard of here either). I hope it was a routine visit and not too difficult. Long appointments can be very tiring. You have me concerned for your health now as I did not know that you also have hospital appointments in your life. Wishing you all the best of health.

      You are so positive about it and I am glad you found some fun while you were there. One thing waiting rooms are good for is getting through lots of crochet and knitting without the distractions of home so that is worth celebrating. I'm looking forward to checking in on your blog to see your progress this weekend.

      We share similar ideas and attitudes. I'm sure we will find many things in common with each other. I imagine we would have a lot of fun if we could get together for a crochet along in person.

      Take care. Healing hugs xxx

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    2. Thank you Jodie, form your kind words! You really are a lovely friend! :)
      I went to see the orthopaedist for a consultation. End of April we had been to a birthday party and I had been dancing a bit too vigorously. Well, as the pain in my right knee had not got any better after two months, I finally went to see the doctor. Then I had to go for a MRI scan about a month later which found out that I had torn my meniscus. Silly me!!!
      So now I am scheduled to have a keyhole surgery operation before the end of this month. Hopefully after that I will be better again. I still try to walk at least an hour every day, because I want to do things.
      Hugs back!
      Ingrid xx

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    3. It must have been some party! :-)
      You are the third person this week that I have heard of having a torn miniscus! I hadn't even heard of that a month ago. Ouchies! While it is good to keep moving as much as you can, be careful not to add further injury by doing too much (like a friendof mine) - another excuse to grab the hooks and needles ;-) Wishing you successul surgery and swift recovery.
      More hugs!

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  8. I know what you mean... I am rather bad with time when I am working on a pattern I really love!

    Take care
    Anne
    Crochet Between Worlds

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    1. If necessary we can set ourselves an alarm but I am not sure that I would be able to drag myself away so easily! When we lose track of time, it is a sign that we are totally 'in the moment' or 'in the zone' or achieving 'flow' (how many more buzzwords are there for that total focus and enjoyment that crochet brings? hehehe) How lucky we are to have found our crafts and experienced that total immersion!
      How do you cope when 'time is up'?

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