Somehow September always seems to run me around in circles. It seems to be a month that leaves me a little anxious, almost feeling like I am hyperventilating.
It maybe all the family birthdays; my husband, his brother, his sister, my dad, my sister…all within a week, and then the anniversaries; my parents, my in-laws, my aunts, and then my sister is planning her wedding for September of 2015. None of that even includes holidays for long time friends…only family.
Maybe it is the change of season. Being in Northern California I am very happy that this last week has a feeling of fall; it helped to increase the containment of a large wildfire in my community (at least it was not a threat to my home, but I had many friends evacuated for several days, some for nearly two weeks), and seeing some rain makes us all hopeful that our drought may ease. However fall also brings the harvest of our small farm. I am not even sure how many pounds of pears I gave away this year, probably close to 50, I know that I used the dehydrator and dried nearly 140 pears, which my family has nearly consumed all of. I harvest many seedless grapes, and actually made raisins this year…about 10 pounds after they were dried. I still have to make some jelly from the seeded grapes, but that is in the next couple of weeks. 
It could also be the births and deaths, and tragedies in my local community, I know they are there all the time, but for some reason they seem amplified in September. None of them affected me closely, but it affected people in my life. Or it could me the annual remembrance of “where were you when” , those moments that make you realize that a year has already passed and you are not sure where it went.
So my days were spent settling into the routine of the school year for the kids, accomplishing the things needed for the household, and then not to be over looked….CROCHET! I have spent each and every day with my fingers dancing over stitches and my mind flying over new and possible combinations and ways to use a technique. I plan on getting some of them written down and posted soon, but in all my time writing has taken a sideline. Since October is almost here, I can already feel a change, a calming. This should allow me to regroup and share more of the thoughts that I find in my world of hooking, here is to hoping that October brings cool weather, rain, and calmer seas.
Tag Archives: fall
My Hooks of Fall
The calendar and the weather finally are coming into sync; it is fall. The leaves are changing color, the evenings have a chill, the final harvest is being collected, and the kids do not need to be told to wear shoes. Some find this to be “crochet weather”, but to me it is quite the opposite. I have a harder time picking up my hooks and getting my craft completed.
Maybe it is because my fingers don’t want to move, but I think it is more likely that I look around and realize the year is almost over, and I did not get accomplished everything I was hoping to over the warm months of summer. Once again I took that time for granted. I did not get that patio put in that I have had planned for a couple of years now, I haven’t gotten all the closets cleaned out, I haven’t even gotten the boxes of holiday decorations from last year put away yet (but, at least I am ahead of the season this year for having them out!). So instead of playing with yarn, I finish painting windows, I pick walnuts, grapes, and apples, I make jams and jelly, I am finding recipes for squash, I am lighting fires, and pulling out the jackets.
My mind races with ideas of what to create with my hooks, but my hands are busy elsewhere. These last 8 weeks of the year tend to just go by in a blink, and there is so much to pack into them. Not just because of the gift giving and holiday meals, but because for me this is my time of reflection. Where have I been this year and where do I want to go in the next. I do have some crazy ideas (I will keep you posted), and hopefully I don’t take the warm months ahead for granted and I put my ideas into motion.
Thoughts on Some Fall Designs
Hard to believe that Autumn weather is almost here, but luckily Crochet World Magazine’s October 2013 issue is out, and it has some fun ideas that help with this seasonal change.
I have two designs featured in this issue so I might be a little biased.
Photo courtesy of Annie’s
The Birds of a Feather Table Runner reminds me of the country farm; okay, so I am still on a country farm, but my rooster is noisier than the ones on the runner. I enjoyed doing this filet work; to me it has a little old world charm but an updated feel with the harvest colored thread. I can honestly say that this design makes me think of fall, probably because the thought of the “farm” brings about memories of bringing in the crops, and a rooster definitely makes me think of farm.
Photo courtesy of Annie’s
The Tactical Squares Afghan is one I really think my son will enjoy. Usually you see a lot of open work designs, and it makes it difficult to find something that can have a masculine feel, but I think this one can accomplish that. Masculine to me has a more full texture then lacy work feel, it could be cables or such, something with a raised stitch to it, it is also simple and bold. My son always gets a little jealous, since it is so much easier for me to work something up for his sister, something lacy, a little skirt, and he feels a little left out. I think that this afghan though might make up for it a bit.
So there are some of my thoughts of how a couple of more of my designs made their way from my mind to my fingers.