Crush on Crochet

For some time I have been trying my hand at crochet, however I couldn't get in to it, my technique was terrible and I never felt inspired to make anything that didn't look like it had been vomited up by the 70's.


But in January this year that started to change for me, I became involved with a project with my WI and the Cambridge botanical gardens which is led by the fantastic NotSoGranny. The project really drew me in, the making of fantastic lichen from the Tundra and also amazing plants from arid houses (I cant give too much away here as the project isn't unveiled until October but trust me it will definitely be worth a visit).

With the Cambridge botanical garden project I have met some amazing people, who also happen to be very talented crocheters, and this is where my crush on crochet was sparked. For the first time I have found projects that I actually want to make (surprisingly I have a long list), but first on the list is the Galactica scarf (I really like this space inspired project). However I need to finish the blanket for my new niece who will be born very soon (yes this is the first time I have chosen crochet over knitting - this even shocked me - this crush is getting serious).

Now comes to the real shock for me and turned my head a little more to crochet is a magazine that doesn't feature a granny square project every month, and actually has patterns and garments that you could wear and that is the really well designed. Inside Crochet is definitely a magazine I can make things from. I have trawled through the other crochet magazines and nothing else delivers what this does, it feels modern and fresh, and has a really nice fashion angle to it (magazines are important to me and help my crafty creativity). 

So I would like to say a big thank you to NotSoGranny who has showed me that crochet is in the 21st century and has given me a crush on a craft that I never thought that I would grow to love.

Motivation

After going to see my lovely allotment on Sunday I have been thinking a lot about motivation.

I have been avoiding going to my allotment since Christmas, last year after three rounds of planting seedlings which all got eaten by slugs and pigeons (every creatures need a meal but give me a break) I felt completely disheartened and avoided going to do any work for fear I would walk away from it forever. I sat at home making plans to go and when it came to it I remained on the sofa, with plenty of excuses of why I couldn't go (ruining the soil structure featured heavily in my list). However on Sunday I finally went - the excuses had run dry and I knew I had to go (Mr CG would of dragged me there kicking and screaming I think), after the huffing and puffing and dragging my feet all the way there, I was surprised of how happy I became when I saw my little plot. I couldn't get stuck in quick enough (weeding, ripping up areas for planting and my favorite part planning what to plant in each bed for the coming year), and by the end of my visit I had a plan and all of a sudden my passion and motivation back, which I couldn't of been happier about as I am always such a positive person that I questioned who was I becoming, and why I was behaving in such a manner.

Where had my motivation gone and how did it come back so quickly? I was thinking about this on my way home and for days afterwards. I partly feel that if I am away from something and cant see the space I am working with (in gardening, craft and work) I lose focus and quickly my creativity process vanishes and without that I never have motivation to finish projects or I quickly hide from them. Also I identified another issue that if things don't go according to plan (such as naughty greedy pigeons ruining them) I can get very frustrated and this in the past has affected my motivation. This if nothing else has enabled me to identify some issues that block my motivation and focus, but in the coming year I am going to deal even in the most difficult situations. So to start with I need to finish my projects that are all half finished and have a fantastic allotment year (if anybody has any suggestions for interesting vegetables please do shout).

Ta Dah....The dress is complete!

Well after several weeks of my fabulous dressmaking class I have completed the masterpiece. I was hoping to be posting a lovely picture of me in Paris in the dress (but the awful snow on the continent has stopped me from going - sob sob sob). So you have one of me looking slightly grump and sleepy.

The dress I chose was the Miz Mozelle dress pattern, and I made it up with some lovely navy jersey from my favourite dressmaking shop 'Sew Over It'. I trimmed the dress with red bias and topped it off with a lovely button.

The dress taught me lots of skills, especially adding in sleeves and a collar (I have to say sleeves are a complete nightmare so I will be making lots more garments to practice this technique). The pattern itself was at points a little lacking on information and without my fabulous dressmaking teacher I may have given up very early on. I am glad I persisted and came out with a fantastic dress.

Right I now need some new shoes to go with it.........