Hello!
As I've been convalescing I've not been able to blog or do anything else much - well, apart from learn to CROCHET!!!!
Thanks to Kittyboo over at the lovely Little Slice of Life blog for the inspiration and the 'Learn Crochet' booklet! I think I prefer the action of crochet to knitting, my hands hurt less. It might be because it's all new though. We'll see. I'm crocheting a scarf at the moment and I'm loving it. I'm not sure the edges are as they should be but it's an experimental 'learning' scarf so that doesn't matter too much!
I'm so excited about the fact that you can have a twig with a hook on it, tie a slip knot on to it and then through a series of wrapping yarn round the twig and pulling it through the slip knot you can make really useful stuff! It's amazing! I'm going to whittle me some crochet hooks!!
I've also been really enjoying reading lots of blogs. Today I read a post by Rhonda Jean over at the Down to Earth blog. I'd commented on her blog a little while ago about how my generation was brought up to see housework and child rearing as a lower class of work, almost demeaning. I was taught through the media and society that being successful in business was far more important than child rearing. I now crave the skills that were never nurtured in me. Homemaking skills. Basic, day to day running of a home and the simplicity and beauty in it.
It might sound silly to most of you, but to me housework is a chore and it takes a lot for me to 'get round' to doing it. Everything, anything, else is way more important and certainly more interesting.
However, I know deep down that the well-being of the people in my home is partially eased by being in a space that's been lovingly made warm, safe, clean and welcoming.
I've been working hard for years now to improve how I feel about homemaking and I really think I'm getting somewhere. I know what's right, it's just tough to change the decades of brain washing! All of the women and men on the Creative Living forum are an inspiration as are the blogs I visit. Thank you!
hen
xxx
Yay! A crochet convert! I'm so pleased you're enjoying it - your scarf looks lovely - I really like the subtle colour variation you've got from holding the two yarns together - beautiful! You've only just started and already you're 'designing'- v.impressive! :)
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about homemaking - it can be hard to shake off years of programming to see it as demeaning but it's so important - to me a happy home results in happy people and that can only be good for society! I get a lot of pleasure from 'homemaking' - seeing my daughter blossom, cooking wholesome healthy food from scratch, preserving like a woman possessed and, of course, crocheting. I don't know if you've read it, but Jane Brocket's book, The Gentle Art of Domesticity, is a wonderful celebration of homemaking and the 'gentle arts' - I recommend it - it's one of those books that leaves you with a warm fuzzy feeling and a very strong desire to go and bake cakes!
Anyhooo, hope you're doing well and are on the mend.
xxx
Glad that convalescing has progressed sufficiently for you to not only learn a new skill (you amaze me!) but to blog again, that's really good. You make some very important points today. I gave up a career and 're-appraised' just in time to give my kids a bit of old fashioned care and homely living before they flee the nest for good. My mum hated housework every second she did it whereas one of my grannies passed on some crucial skills which I value - especially "Always, always have more than one can opener". Oh dear...
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about homemaking. I loved that post by Rhonda yesterday, it really struck a chord with me. I'm my own worst enemy. I love the house to be clean and tidy, but like you I really detest doing the chores, epecially the bathroom, I'm always making excuses about why I couldn't clean that, or fit that in. Trouble is I'm only fooling myself. I'm really going to try hard this year to get into a cleaning and chores routine, I know deep down it will make life much easier, and when I've done that, I may have to contact you for some crochet lessons. :o) xxxx
ReplyDelete:o) thanks wimmin!
ReplyDeleteI'll keep an eye out for that book Rebecca.
lizzie, oddly... I have three can openers... well, you never know!
Pixie, mine is washing up! I'll scrub the house top to toe, but I'll clean around washing up! hmmmm... crochet lessons from me... now that is funny!!!
:o)
The last time I tried crochet, I ended up with a severe headache. However :) you have inspired me to try again - I borrowed a book from the library today :) Wish me luck!
ReplyDeletexxMara