I am taking my last required English class this quarter; EWRT 02, Critical Reading, Writing and Thinking. On the very first day of class, we reviewed the syllabus and then were told to write a 3-4 page handwritten (double-spaced at least) essay about a hobby, a job, or a parent that we had to turn in before leaving that night. WHAT?! Day one!?
Anyway, this is what I turned in.
The Seasons of Yarn Crafts
As a little girl, I would often observe my mother while she was watching television. She couldn't simply watch the television. She always had some project or another in her lap; crochet, knitting, mending, or beading a wedding gown. She is an amazing seamstress.
Somewhere between age eight or ten she taught me how to crochet. I made potholders for my grandmothers, scarves and blankets for my dolls, and once even a hat for the cat - though the cat didn't seem to truly appreciate my time and effort.
As puberty hit and my rebellious side came to fruition, the craft got lost in the ether. I didn't want a hobby that an 'old lady' would enjoy! Crochet is for moms and grandmas.
My life took a few interesting twists and turns, but of course those are all stories for a different day. At age 35 I decided I wanted to make all of my Christmas gifts. As the second eldest of ten children, there are a lot of gifts to make! However, I had no particular skill to apply to making a gift, let alone twenty of them!
Then I remembered those few years as a child when I was crocheting. As it was 20+ years later I certainly remembered nothing, but unlike when I was eight, we now have a wealth of knowledge at our fingertips via the internet! "I'm sure youtube can teach me," I thought.
A few videos later and my trip to the craft store had not been in vain. I texted pictures to my mother who proclaimed, "you are a natural!"
Four months later, at Christmas, I proudly presented my siblings, siblings-in-law, parents, nieces, and nephews with their homemade gifts. Their 'oohs' and 'aahs' at my handiwork contributed significantly to my satisfaction at a job well done.
That was just over three years ago, and I have branched out from crochet to include knitting and tatting as well. Without the teenage hormones and angst telling me I have taken up 'old lady' hobbies, I actually have flourished and created my own patterns as well as completed countless blankets, pillows, sweaters, doilies, hats, scarves, and... well, you get the idea.
Nowadays, when sitting in front of the television I always have some project or another in my lap. My husband often asks, "Are you crocheting or watching TV?"
"Why not both!" is my favorite retort. I then resume my work with a smile on my face and am proud that I have become just like my mother.
I took some creative license about how old I was when I learned or what I made back then. I don't actually remember, but I thought it would be nicer for the story to throw something specific in there.
