A Little Bit of Envy
The last time Dennis and I were in Mankato, I had a coupon I wanted to use in JoAnn’s before the expiration date. My need was located in the sewing notions. I soon found what I needed and headed for the checkout isle. JoAnn’s is always short of checkers. The gal ahead of me had a full cart of various yarns of every shade imaginable. Yes . . . she had her coupons. I was a bit envious. I could see me in times past using coupons for yarn purchases. My hands literally itched to be able to while away night times crocheting while having one eye on the yarn and the other on what was on the television.
Seeing that gal and her treasures made me think of the kids’ grandmother, Esther Schafer. She could crochet in her sleep. The blessing was that the entire time of her later years and her love of yarn, she only had to go out her front door down the short sidewalk, hang a left, go about 15′ and enter the Hector Variety. I am sure that she was one of their most viable customers for yarn.
I am not calling it quits with my 24 crocheted blocks that I am determined to make into a “done” project. I know if 
I take it slow, I can get this done. In crocheting, holding the yarn in the left hand is much like the
bobbin of a sewing machine. That’s where the tension control is. The right hand is much like the needle of a sewing machine. I really hadn’t thought it through before mentally throwing in the towel when I first re-discovered these crocheted blocks. Well, who is to say that the needle might just need to be held in a different way to still make good contact with the tension hand. The photo on the left is the method I used to hold the hook for decades, that no longer feels good. The photo on the right allows me to hold the crochet hook to make good contact but does not put undo strain on my right wrist. It may not go as fast as in times past but it gives me a positive feeling that this long time craft of mine is not lost . . . for now. When I really looked at the photo I had taken on the right side of this post, I vaguely was reminded of Esther’s hands in the last years of her crocheting. Perhaps this is how she had conquered some less than good mobility in her hands. Hmm.
I won’t be buying out any bins of yarn in the future, but I may revisit my tote in the basement from time to time and maybe be able to crank out a potholder or two. I do not want to let go of what I enjoy doing. As I mentioned a time before, I have become more patient with myself and I give myself permission to take it slower with my projects. I find so much enjoyment and satisfaction in the outcome. Life is pretty darn sweet.