My Crochet Journey Episode 1

Have you ever wondered how I started my crochet journey? Maybe you have read some of my story before, or chatted with me on fb about it.

I'm sure there are many of you who are new to following me and might be interested to know how it all began. Because the story is too long for just one post, I will divide it into a few separate stories over the next weeks.

Because I don't have any photo's on this computer from way back then, I will just throw in some of my favorite designs :) Just click on the photos to see them in Ravelry. No..... that is not me in the photo lol.

When I was around 12 years old I think, my grandma tried to teach me to knit. She was loosing her eye sight quickly by that point. It didn't take much longer until she couldn't see at all anymore, she must have been in her mid to late 50's then. I wish I had known at the time what an amazing person she was and had taken the time to learn even though it was hard for me. Grandma knit us socks, slippers, mittens etc. I still have an afghan she made, and will cherish it forever. She knit until she had her stroke at age 93 (?), and passed away 1 week later. Being blind didn't slow her down very much, she did everything she had always done. Except drive of course. She was an amazing person. Opinionated, strong willed, maybe a bit stubborn.....hmmmmm sounds familiar LOL But also loving and taught me so much.

Oh! Just remembered something! When I was too young to drive and grandma's sight was fading already, I remember sitting in the truck while she drove to the field with food for grandpa and my dad. I had to tell her when to turn the corner because she couldn't tell distances that well. Didn't take long for me to be tall enough to learn to drive at the age 9 or 10. The first vehicle I learned to drive was grandpa's yellow Ford pickup truck with 3 on the tree! Yes - learned to drive standard before learning to drive an automatic vehicle. (grew up on a farm)

I like to think I got my crafting but from grandma :) My mom and aunts also knit, but I don't remember that as much as grandma knitting whenever she sat down.

It took YEARS for me to know that I could be creative. When I was 23 years old I went to Bible school for a few years. Had a friend there who crocheted and introduced me to the craft. She taught me the single crochet, I bought maroon, pink & white yarn and crocheted a huge blanket all in single crochet. Yes.... at some point I did like the color pink. lol I still have that blanket in a tote in storage.

I didn't crochet again for probably 15 years after that first blanket. For many years I painted, mostly folkart and cute snowman Christmas ornaments. Did a few landscape paintings, but didn't enjoy them. Really loved to paint snowmen. I have kept a snowman wreath that I made, will have to take a photo when I get home and post it on FB.

About 20 years ago or so I noticed that if I did anything physical my hands would shake for an hour or so later. After about a year, hubby convinced me to see the doctor who sent me to a specialist. Apparently I have a benign tremor. The specialist told us then that there is nothing that can be done. The shaking will get more pronounced each year as I get older, and it has. I don't notice it for the most part, but my head shakes now as well. If you are old like me you might remember the actress Katherine Hepburn? I have the same condition that she had. Once the shaking gets to the point that I can't do anything there is a drug I could take but it won't stop the shaking, just help control it a bit.

Eventually I had to stop painting, it was too hard to paint small intricate designs. At the time it felt like I had lost a part of me. I had no idea what to do with my "spare" time, or with this need to create.

God knew that I needed some creative outlet and led me to a conversation with someone at the local post office and the rest is history.

Vol. 2 coming soon!

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