Busy hands

One of the most important people in my life once told me to keep my hands busy. I was dealing with some things and struggling with life in general, and everything just felt out of place and unsettled. He told me to keep my hands busy because busy hands are happy hands. It sounds so corny, but, for me at least, it's so very true.

I grew up in a far-away place with lots of mountains, and went to a tiny elementary school. Part of our old-school curriculum was needle work and crafts. By the time I was twelve years old I had learned to crochet (flat things, patterns), knit (socks, mittens, hats), stitch (cross-stitching and a slew of other stitches I'd be hard-pressed to remember now), sew (simple bags and simple clothing by hand and sewing machine), and make those knotted bracelets that never seem to go out of style with tweens. Add to this a mother who, before having children, was a needle work and crafts teacher herself.

I always loved making things with my hands and even as an adult I've crocheted blankets and knitted scarves, and done some sewing. However, it seems that I forget that I know how to do these things! I haven't crocheted anything in a year, and if it wasn't for my visit to a friend, who was doing some crocheting, I would have never thought of starting a project myself.

So off I went to buy some yarn and a crochet hook (all my knitting needles and crochet hooks seem to run away when I don't use them for months at a time...), and here is the fruit of my labor:

The pattern is completely accidental, as the yarn was multicolored. I used 100% cotton yarn.

Rag #2 and the giant roll of yarn.