Crocheting Stole My Heart

 

The smell of the sea, the sounds of the waves crashing on the shore, and children playing in the distance, that is where my crochet journey started; on a beautiful, sunny day in Oceanside, CA at 814 The Strand

 

Looking back at that moment today makes me laugh considering how far along my crochet skills have come. The issue back then was that my sister is left-handed and I am right-handed and boy does that make a difference when learning how to crochet. To this day, I feel like I am a right-hander crocheting in a left-handed fashion, if that makes sense.

 

As she repeatedly showed me how to start a slip knot, I started to get frustrated, thinking How am I ever going to learn how to crochet? Each time she showed me how to rest the yarn on my index and middle fingers and correctly cross the yarn over so that when I grabbed it with my hook and pulled it through, it would create a slip knot. But for the LIFE of me I could NOT understand this BASIC concept! After numerous excruciating attempts, all of them being failures, I finally got it down. I successfully made a slip knot - the foundation of crocheting, the knot that holds the entire project together.

Then it was on to making the chain and counting...

To this day, keeping count is the most difficult aspect of crocheting. Pay attention. Count. Don't get distracted. Count. Count. Oh shit, my counts off! I can be completely focused on what I am making and I finish the next row and somehow my count got off. I don't know how many times I have asked myself, "How did that happen?" All crocheters have told everyone in their household to not interrupt them when they are counting but no matter how many times you tell someone that or you try to answer their question in between numbers, they never seem to remember this request. One, just a second, two, three, four, you left, seven, it in your, 13, 14, Jeep, 21, I can't, 30, help you, 37, right now, oh hell I might as well start this row over again. I swear 10 percent of my time spent on a project is undoing a section because my count got off due to my husband's inability to remember not to interrupt me while I'm counting! Okay, maybe I am over-exaggerating that percentage, it honestly seems like it should be higher but who knows. And counting louder as he's talking doesn't seem to come across as an obvious reminder.

 

That day, which seems like it was yesterday, was well over ten years ago. It's funny how moments like this happen, not knowing that something great was going to come from it. Not only did I spend that day with my sister, but I also started a hobby that I have grown and have become proficient in over the years. If I could go back in time and tell my younger self all of the amazing projects I would crochet in the future, I would have to tell my older self to shut up out of disbelief. After my sister taught me how to make a slip knot and start a foundation chain, I have self-taught myself the rest. Lots of looking at patterns, rewatching YouTube videos, some cussing, and a lot of frustration has gotten me to the point where I am able to read patterns and create some of my own patterns. I have made beautiful gifts for my family and friends and have just started to venture into the Etsy world with my projects.

 

Some advice I'd give to people just starting off with their crochet journey is know that it doesn't happen over night. It takes time and some people take longer than others learning how to crochet. Be patient with yourself. Persistence and practice are the keys to success. One bad project does not mean that months or years from now you won't create an amazing piece of art with your hands, yarn, and a hook.

Happy crocheting my friends!