by Bonnie Irene

After such a hot summer, it was a wonderful feeling the other day to wake up just a little bit cooler than normal. That’s right: autumn was coming. Even though it’s still sunny out, there’s that telltale hint of a chill in the air, and as a crocheter, I had that annual conversation with myself about making a new sweater or scarf or hat. You know what I’m talking about: the impending chill of autumn, followed by the inevitable cold of winter – it makes us want to make warm things. This is, doubtless, a combination of wanting to feel productive while being cooped up indoors, and wanting to cuddle up with something warm. It’s instinct, really. Looking back over the crocheted things I’ve made, I notice that most are made from fall to early spring, in “crochet season.”

I remember when I was a little girl, my mother was prescribed a long period of bed rest. Because of this, she suddenly had a lot of free time. Now, if you knew my mom you’d know that she hates to be unproductive, so pretty soon the yarn came out. The result of this was a long, thick afghan, which is neatly folded in my mother’s linen closet. I remember spending hours watching the progress of royal blue and white shell stitches, thick and beautiful under my little fingers. I remember being so amazed that something as pretty and as useful as the blanket that was forming as I watched could be made with just some yarn and a small aluminum hook flashing through the loops of blue and white. When it was finally finished – to my young mind, it had seemed to take forever – I curled up under it, and I was instantly so warm! It seemed like it was better than an ordinary blanket, because I had watched it come into being.

It was about that time that I asked my mom for crocheting lessons. I was so determined to learn how to do what she did. I practiced frequently, making chain stitch bracelets (which showed up on every friend and family member’s wrist as fast as I could stitch them). I can still remember how the silky goldenrod yarn I used for them felt between my fingers as I carefully made each stitch. After the initial enthusiasm, I got bored with it (being a little too young to do much of any one thing for very long), and set it aside.

As I grew older I started up again, learning a few more stitches as I made different things, inventing whatever I needed to get the result I was looking for. I mastered some basics, and after more practice I found myself making some things that I thought might actually be nice. It just felt like the right time. So, after some encouragement from my sister, I started on my own blog where I can share and record my efforts. I feel like I must have inherited my mother’s need to be productive, because all the extra crocheting to keep me busy is definitely something I’m enjoying. Now is the time for crocheting, and I look forward to a nice productive “crochet season” this year.

About the Author

Bonnie Irene is a college student stretching her finances through crafting. She likes to crochet, bake, draw, sew, sculpt and weave as well as other things: check out her projects at her blog and shop for her handmade wooden buttons in her Etsy Shop.

Article © Bonnie Irene. All rights reserved.