My Crochet Life

At first glance, I guess I don't seem like a crocheting kind of person because when I tell people that I do, I usually get a look that says "Really? You?" or people usually ask if I can do a granny square yet. They are usually surprised when I pull out my phone and show them photos of completed projects that include lacy shawls, stuffed animals, and even a sweater for my husband. Last year I even made up my own version of the Katniss Everdeen body wrap/cowl thing she wears in Catching Fire:

So, yes, I'd say I'm pretty advanced. Now, don't get me wrong, I've seen some really advanced stuff out there that I could only dream of making. But I'm pretty darn proud of my accomplishments, considering that I basically taught myself. Okay, yes, I had some help. I learned my first chain with my favorite aunt when I was a little kid, probably around 7 years old. I didn't pick it up much after that, and I didn't really start to take it seriously until after high school. My younger sister, who had taken home-ec class, taught me the single and double crochet stitches. I started making simple scarves with cheap yarn and found that the repetitive nature of the craft really helped my anxiety issues and gave me a satisfying sense of accomplishment. I joined the U.S. Army when I was 20 and began smoking more than I liked. When I got stationed in Germany, I decided to quit and found that crochet really helped to ease my cravings/anxiety. Since then, crochet has been a very therapeutic activity for me and I find that it helps me keep my thoughts in line. In the past few years I have been taking crochet a little more seriously. I started reading crochet magazines and wanting to make some of those things. I really hate pattern reading but I can follow charts like nobody's business! However, I don't like following patterns. I don't have the patience for it and I hate having to reference patterns every few minutes. So I generally make up my own stuff. It took me a while to learn how to shape a piece and how garments typically come together, and now I basically make up my own stuff. I love lacy, open patterns, and for the most part I learn stitches I like and implement them in items that I come up with. My favorite things have been mason jar cozies, lacy scarves/wraps, and of course, stuff for my kid:

I started a Facebook page last year, just to post stuff I made to friends, and found that a lot of people wanted me to make things for them. I'm still in nursing school, so my time is extremely limited, but I enjoy the challenges that come from these requests. I get sent pictures of things and "Can you make this?" And usually I can. More recently, I've decided to take a step forward and see if I can't make a little profit. I've started the process of opening an Etsy store and am retailing a few items. I've started with just one type of item, neck wear that includes wraps, scarves, and shawls. I'm excited to see how it will go, and maybe next year, when I'm a full-time, licensed professional nurse, I'll have some time to expand this idea. In the meantime, I'll be writing about my projects, inspirations, experiments, and all that. I hope to keep your interest and continue to share my love of crochet with you! Thanks for stopping by! Follow me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cantstophooking