I have discovered that I am not quite as useless at crafts as have always proclaimed. In fact, over the last few months 
Check it out - I finally finished that cross stitch I started months ago.. It's not that great really, but if I hang it high enough on Luke's wall and if you don't examine it too closely, its not half bad for a first attempt! Now I can finally get to starting the girls ballerina one that I was starting to get a little worried about them outgrowing before I ever got around to it!!
A couple of weeks before mum left, she sat down with me and taught me how to crochet. I had picked up a beginners kit from spotlight, knowing that this is something mum enjoys and asked her to show me how to do it. I don't knit or sew, so when I found that I could actually produce a scarf with my own two hands, it was almost embarrassing how amazed I was at myself. I, yes ME, had made an item of clothing that was perfectly wearable. I was delighted!! Here is Kate in the first scarf I made (she is holding the lalaloopsy doll she earnt for stopping thumb sucking).
Two more scarves quickly followed. This wasn't so bad. But I was also aware that this was the most basic of stitches and was the most basic level of crochet, and I didn't hold a lot of faith in myself that I could produce anything else. With a bit of encouragement and some help from my friend Debbie, and some more tips on how to give it a bit of shape from Marty's nana, I had a go at making a simple dolls dress. I am pretty pleased with it actually. Check it out on Jaimee's lalaloopsy doll! The straps are a bit shoddy, but still, practice will make perfect and It's still a step up from a scarf.
Seriously addictive this crochet business. I don't know why people bother to learn knitting and crochet, I certainly don't have time for both skills that are fairly similar in what can be produced. If you know me well, you know that when I take on a project, I THROW myself at it. I don't stop until that project is completed, or if it is taking too long - I tend to just give up halfway through (6 months to do that cross stitch - its quite amazing I finished it!!). I think that's what I am liking about crochet - it's quickly finished. Of course, in my "throw-myself-at-it" kind of way, I did crochet pretty much for 8 hours straight on Saturday...through Luke's nap, through a birthday party for my nephew, through the rugby...until finally I had to stop because my wrist and arm gave out on me. They are not used to this kind of needlework at all. My arm ached all night and I ended up wearing a wrist support all Sunday. Didn't stop me from finishing my project though. Check it out...my pride and joy...(drumroll please)...a BEANIE. Thanks to google, trial and error and some basic instructions from crochet buddies that I had chatted to - I managed to produce this entirely by myself. No pattern to follow either. Did I mention I am pretty proud of myself? The flower was a bit of a last minute inspiration that I managed to figure out with some YouTube instructionals. This one is my fourth attempt and is a cross between what I was meant to do and what I made up after a few frustrated attempts. (Don't look closely, I need a lot of improvement yet) Jaimee just loves it and wore it (with her scarf!) happily to school today. I couldn't resist coming into class with her and mentioning her hat to the teacher. I was bursting to share all my hard work with someone, anyone, who might appreciate it (Marty gave me a "well done dear" - typical bloke)! Kindly, her teacher was a lot more gratifying - hehehe!
So that's me, apparently kind of crafty after all. I guess now I have finished those projects up, I should think about the neglected gardens.
On second thoughts....Luke doesn't have a scarf yet, and it's not time to plant just yet.....
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