Monday, August 08, 2011

Another Thing I Love About Crochet: It is Relaxing

If I had a nickel for every time someone said to me, "I just don't have the patience to crochet," I would, hmm, let's see now..., well, I would have a pretty big sack full of nickles.
These folks usually follow that statement up with something like, "I just can't sit still long enough to  crochet." And my answer to that is that I can only sit still if I have some crochet work in my hands. I feel all fiddly if I sit down to watch a movie or something and I don't have a crochet project to work on; I just don't know what to do with my hands.
Yes, it can be frustrating and difficult to sit still and crochet when you are just learning. Everything that is worth learning takes some time and effort. But if you keep at it (and it usually doesn't take very long) there will come a glorious moment when you will "get it," and the stitches start to flow easily. You won't  have to concentrate on every single movement, your hands relax, and crochet becomes the joy, the relaxing activity that has saved my sanity on more than one occasion.
When my children were small, I looked forward to the moments I could slip away to my favorite chair and add a few stitches to what ever project I had going; often it was the only time I had for myself during the day. The repetitive motion of crocheting the familiar stitches seemed to sooth my nerves, and the stress of the day would melt away.
When my mother was sick, I sat by her bed and crocheted. I would have lost my mind if I didn't have something to work on during that stressful time. I made easy projects; baby blankets and afghans with easy stitch patterns that I didn't have to think about. I could stop in the middle of a row or even in the middle of a stitch, get up and tend to Mama, and then pick my work back up. Sometimes she would look over at me, and seeing what I was doing, she would begin to make the motions of crocheting, too (of course, she had no hook or thread in her hands.) A nurse came in one afternoon, and seeing Mama's hands moving asked   if she was okay; she thought she was agitated about something. "She is just crocheting," I told her, holding up my own hook and yarn. The nurse laughed, and said, "Make something pretty for me, Mrs. Loftis!"
But it seems to me that when my hands are busy my mind can be still, or at least drift a little. When I crochet, I feel peaceful and calm. It is the most relaxing thing I know of, and that is one of the reasons I love crochet.

10 comments:

Unknown said...

A great post - something I definitely can relate to. The repetition of crochet has saved my sanity way more than once :)

Gramma Rita said...

I know exactly what you mean. I have to have some crochet work in my hands while watching TV. It seems I cannot just sit there and watch TV. I don't know what to do with myself if I don't have some crochet in my hands. :) I never was good at sitting still, but when I am crocheting I can actually stay put for a while. :D

byhooks4u said...

I think one of my first post was 10 reasons why I crochet..and relaxes me was like #3 or so..It is soothing and I so look foward to sitting in my own corner of the world and working with my thread. Have a great week. Hopw you had a good visit with the family this last weekend

Charlotte said...

I have to have something to do with my hands while watching TV also or I fall asleep! I just don't understand how some people have no interest whatsoever in any type of craft.

Jeanne Feijó Machado said...

Tudo o que escreveste é o que eu sinto com o crochê, uma motivação mágica de viver e criar peças. Adorei. Bjs.
Jeanne

Mindy said...

Oh so very true.

Richard Rose said...

I can relate to that. I too find it difficult to just sit and watch TV. Sometimes crochet even relaxes me to sleep, which is OK so long as I don't lose my hook.

crochethuahua said...

Nice story. Thanks for sharing it.

Anonymous said...

This is a wonderful post for me to share with some friends who are wanting me to teach them crochet. Some of them claim not to have the patience or time, but for me it's such a relaxing activity, and when I'm watching tv, I crochet or I get bored.

Ani said...

Thanks for this lovely post. I'm a beginner, learning but loving it :)