May 28, 2014

Crazy About Crafts

I know I’m not alone here. Multitudes of people, women in particular, are mad about making things out of fabric, paper, wool and so on. I was keen on craft in my teens and early twenties, but as I became busier I lost touch with all the creative activities I’d enjoyed. Eventually, my only creative outlet was writing.

I’d been thinking for some time that I needed a hobby, something that would be therapeutic and take me away from the laptop computer - which sometimes almost needs to be surgically removed – but I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I don’t know why I waiting so long, I should have just dived back in, because now that I’ve rediscovered craft I’m well and truly hooked, and happier for it.

Craft time is me time. It’s therapy. It stills my mind and satisfies my hands. I’m sure that many of you know exactly what I mean. I enjoy the time spent immersed in a project, and the satisfaction I get from crafting can’t be measured. The doing is as much fun as the having done.  But it’s more than enjoying the process, with craft I know that the finished product will have a purpose, sometimes a decorative purpose, but more often, functional. I think that’s what compels so many of us to plunge into new projects, spreading fabrics, felt and craft accessories all over the dining table.

Here are some mismatched floral table napkins I’ve just made. They’re simply a square of fabric with a coordinating edging, it’s true, but I’ve enjoyed making them so much. A large part of the fun is in selecting the fabrics, all of which I adore and many of which have been sitting in my fabric box for years, longer than I care to think about, but I saved them because I loved them and now they have a new lease of life.





I’m keeping all my floral fabric scraps because plan to do some crazy patchwork where irregular shaped pieces of fabric are sewn together to create a thing of beauty. Quilting is another craft I want to try. I can’t believe I’ve never done any quilting.

While searching through my old fabrics I came across this piece of embroidery that I must have started more than 20 years ago. I think it was going to be a cottage garden scene. I’m going to resurrect this project and I know I’ll have fun choosing the embroidery silks for the flowers. I can’t wait, but I have so many other projects under way and need to clear some space and time before I start on this one.




There are countless crafts to choose from – cross-stitch, appliqué, paper quilling, découpage, scrapbooking, basket-weaving, lace-making, tatting, to name a few. I’d love to hear your thoughts on why you craft and which is your favourite craft, if you can choose a favourite, or do you love them all?

16 comments:

  1. Claire

    Those napkins are lovely as is the embroidery i used to knit crotchet and do embroidery many years ago as well but with working and grandkids I never find the time these days and also the massive TBR pile I have takes me time time that I love to find to read :) I have a couple of girlfriends who do a lot of craft and I love seeing the things thaey make good on you enjoy

    Have Fun
    Helen

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  2. Thanks, Helen!

    There aren't enough hours for everything we want to do, are there? My TBR has become neglected since I started crafting again.

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  3. I love to knit socks, Claire. I find the repetitiveness of it gives my brain a rest after a day at the computer and I get an immediate sense of achievement working on projects that don't take long to complete. I have started a quilt, also, and it's bugging me again so I know I need to give that project some attention, too. And years ago I used to cross stitch as well. I have an unfinished project of a Tuscan castle to complete, another thing that calls to me every time I come across it while looking for other things in our Black Hole of Calcutta of a closet!

    I totally identify with your satisfaction in crafting, though, and wish you many happy hours. Life's all about balance and we have to carve out time to do the things that feed our creativity.

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    1. You're so right, Yvonne, about giving our brains a rest and about carving out time.

      Love the sound of your socks. I enjoy knitting and crochet but forgot to mention them in my post!

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  4. I have UFOs by the dozens, knitting and embroidery. But I can't stop buying more projects. In fact today I bought some beautiful purple brushed alpaca wool to knit a shawl. I have lots of audio books to listen to when I knit or embroider, and many of them are romances. I buy from Audible and borrow from the library.

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    1. What a good idea, Elaine! Crafting and reading combined. I must try that.

      The purple brushed alpaca wool sounds beautiful. I saw a shawl pattern that I really liked and I'm tempted to buy some wool for it.

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  5. Claire, I've always wanted to try quilting too. My hand-eye coordination isn't great so I've never excelled at knitting, etc, though I do stumble along through some knitting occasionally. I did enjoy scrapbooking, but with all the online stuff, it's not such a big deal anymore.

    Now I want to try Elaine's process of knitting while listening to audio books. That's genius!

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    1. It really is genius. Productive and relaxing at the same time.

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  6. Those napkins are lovely, Claire.

    It's funny, I was so crafty as a kid. I used to make these little Xmas decorations and sell them to our local craft shop. I also used to knit and crochet. One of my daughter's favourite things it this misshapen crocheted blanket I did when I was about twelve.

    I don't do any of that now. I must get a craft project going again!!

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  7. Your crafts look like a lot of fun, Claire. The napkins are really sweet. :-) I've never been particularly crafty (though I've always wanted to be) and you make me want to pull out my old latch hook rug that I've yet to finish. There's something so satisfying about looking at something one has made, don't you think?

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    1. Definitely something satisfying about it, Michelle, even if you could have bought the article for less than it cost to make. Can't wait to see a picture of your finished rug. :)

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  8. Those crafts look like fun. I'm a stitcher - primarily cross-stitch but I also knit too. I do find that the one thing I constantly hear when people see my cross-stitch is that they don't understand how I find it calming/relaxing and also that they wouldn't have the patience to do it themselves.

    A lot of crafters do find me an oddity though, because I don't usually have the normal UFOs (UnFinished Objects). I prefer to stick to one project at a time, although I have one hold while I complete a special self-designed project of my own for a friend.

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    1. I'm sure your self-designed project will be very special, Lyn, and your friend will love it so much more because you've made it yourself.

      It does take patience to do a complex project, but what those people don't understand is that we don't care how long it takes because the making is more important than the finished product, isn't it?

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  9. Great projects, Claire! It's satisfying to produce something you can use, isn't it! Your garden cross stitch would be lovely, I think - those ivy leaves look great.

    I'm a bit of a dabbler so I've had a go at a few crafty things but haven't done anything for ages! Reading this tempts me to pick something up. Perhaps that scarf I'm about halfway through knitting! And I love Elaine's idea of listening to an audio book while doing it!

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    1. Finish the scarf, Sharon!

      I think dabbling is the way to go at first, until a craft grabs you and won't let go.

      Another vote for Elaine as a genius. :)

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