Why I love crochet

So, I was hooking away at this rainbow square below in a spare five minutes today (it's for a group blanket, themed for Sochi - hence the subtle protest of rainbow colours),

when DH said, 'You really like your crochet don't you?!'

Which has got me thinking. Why do I like crochet so much? What is it about it?





I think the reasons are several:

- It scratches the creative itch. I'm not an artist (although I do also love crafting with the kids, now that they're mostly past that age where you have to sit on your hands to stop yourself from grabbing the paintbrush or colouring pens out of their chubby little hands because they're just not doing it right) but I think there's something primal and basic about creating. I have a theory: I am suspicious of people who say they don't like music, or stories, or art full stop because these things are universal across all cultures. The variety of all of them is huge, so I find it hard to understand why you wouldn't be able to find some type of art/book/music that does resonate with you. 
So I think creating is in that genre - perhaps not quite so universal, but in the zone. But why crochet rather than some other artistic expression? Well that leads onto the next few reasons...

- You can work something up really quickly. I made a hat in just over an hour the other day let's ignore the fact that I've since frogged it as it was too big

which was immensely satisfying. Blanket squares are just perfect for my short attention span - I can knock one of those out in less than an hour. Brilliant.





- I'm not bad at this crochet lark. I'll never be Attic24, or Little Tin Bird, or the Royal Sisters, but I can usually follow a pattern and make some pretty good-looking stuff.

Not your taste? To be honest, it's not my usual kind of thing either - but I'm really pleased with how it turned out. It was a birthday present for my mum, so probably utterly misjudged as she's a leopard print, sequins and diamonds sort of person, but she also has everything she ever wants, so I went for the personal touch. Which leads on to...





- I suppose it's the egotist in me, but I love seeing one of my squares in the WoollyHugs galleries and going, 'I made that!!'. This year I've made infinity scarves like this

for friends, and some rose brooches. I hope they like them - one didn't even realise that I'd made it rather than bought it - and it seems so much more personal and intimate. Which is not to say that I'll be foisting my handmade creations on everyone for evermore, but it's nice to have that option.






- It's fun challenging myself with new patterns and new ideas. A Valentine's Day yarnbomb you say? On it. 

SUCH FUN!!







Those are the main reasons anyway. Oh, and the fact that it's tactile that yarn stuff, and playing with colour combinations is quite fun. 

And.... here be dragons!