Crochet

As a knitter, I have acquired a small collection of crochet hooks.  Not that I actually crocheted with them.  But they're indispensable for certain cast-ons and fixing ladders and the like.  I always admired other people's crochet (all that deliriously cute amigurumi!) but felt that I had so much to learn in knitting (this is still true).

One day when I was recovering from the flu, I had little energy for anything too physically taxing.   My body ached but my mind was tired of TV, books and my current knitting projects (rare but has been known to happen) so I finally sat down and attempted to decode the intricacies of the one needle loop-de-loop.

Susan Bates Pamphlet circa 1970 - still relevant today

After a few yarn messes and a couple of choice curse words, I think I got the hang of it.

My practice swatches.

And thus I decided to embark on my first crochet project: a bookmark

Pattern: Fan Bookmark by Crochetroo

Yarn: Royale Classic Crochet Thread

Crochet hook: 2.0 mm

 After I puzzled out the crochet lingo and realized that I was actually supposed to crochet inside the ring and not in a specific loop of the initial chain,  I was amazed to see something take shape.  A little row of delicate Queen Anne's lace blossoms stacked up on one another.

 bonus points if you recognize the text

Was it hard?  Yes, it was hard for this crochet neophyte and by the end of the project, my fingers and wrists ached from the unfamiliar motions.  But it was satisfying to have a finished product and to know that I had learned something new.

This got me thinking: there's always a small part of me that balks at the unknown and unfamiliar, no matter how exciting or potentially rewarding it may seem.  What if I appear foolish, what if I get totally lost, what if I just plain suck.  But when I push those doubts aside and manage to get the hell out of my own way, it's always a valuable experience, no matter the outcome.  I've been thinking a lot about this fear of newness - learning how to crochet is just a small example.