E is for Exploration

I will never grow old of the *face* people make when I say I have been crocheting for 30 years. You see - I'm only 35. I learned very young and have used crocheting as a sounding board to many of my other craft/arts/hobbies. Perhaps crochet can be considered my "gateway drug" to other areas like knitting, tatting, spinning, embroidery, bobbin lace, etc.... It is insane to think of what my life would be like if I did not partake in arts and crafts.

Of course, the only thing more predictable than "the face" is the question of 'don't you get tired of crocheting?'

one of my newest adventures: crochet jewelry

I can answer that with a resounding no - which is the entire topic of this blog post: exploration.

There is something about any hobby - for me it is crochet, where the hobby seems boundless in what it offers me. And if you just stop at what you learn, and you never explore, you will miss out on some of the most exciting aspects of whatever hobby you enjoy.

Think of it - that first person to discover something new. The excitement of exploring your hobby and unlocking something new to you, or even more exciting - new to the world.

I am sure that long ago our ancestors would have got tired of crochet if all we had was the chain stitch. Heck, it'd get pretty darn boring if all we were able to do is pick up a piece of yarn and crochet a scarf, even if there was a fancy stitch combo associated to it.

The truth about crochet is that it is a diverse and deep hobby. Once a person picks up regular ole crochet, then comes exploration into the world of tunisian crochet, entralac, interlocking, graphing, and a host of other types of crochet. Then, when a person thinks they have just seen the end of what they could do with crochet, they begin to explore what can be done with plarn, wire, mesh, rope, and other materials.

And even then, if you think you could get bored, then add in sequence, beads, handles, rings, and fabric.

Oh - I'm sure I haven't even scratched the surface of what you can do with crochet.

And then, like many - crochet is a gateway to other fiber arts. Perhaps you want to make a purse - well, you must learn to sew in order to make the lining and if you make a lining, well surely you could make a skirt! Oh look - you have crocheted a pair of socks but find them to be a little bulky - wonder if you could knit some socks? Well, socks are kinda hard to knit so perhaps we should start out small and work our way up to socks...

As different as crochet is from the other fiber arts, through exploration you will find out just how intertwined the fiber arts are. How, through exploration, you will never lose excitement (oh, another E word!) for your hobby.

I have enjoyed (oh, another E word) crochet for three decades and I do not see an end to the joy the hobby brings me. There is some small hope inside of me that perhaps I could get lucky enough and my hobby turn into something I can make a living at - but I know that even if it doesn't, I'm ok with that. No matter what status crochet has in my life, the truth is that it will be part of me. And I will continue to explore my way through all aspects of crochet, learning the in's and out's of various techniques and even using crochet as that sounding board to something else.

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If you enjoy the ABC messages, head on over to An Accidental Knitter's blog for a list of others who are participating. (link to come soon)