Crochet and Health

Today’s blog is the first I’m writing as a part of the Ultimate Blog Challenge. Each day’s blog posting will cover a different topic, from crochet to daily events to health. A very good friend’s participation in this challenge has inspired me to link my blog to this challenge and post every day.

I decided I would talk today about one of my favorite activities –– crocheting. While I enjoy working from home, writing and setting my own working schedule, I still need to relax. When finances are tight, I become noticeably more tense and this expresses itself in neck, back and head pain, so I am making a conscious effort to crochet even a few rows on a project before I shut the lights out and go to bed.

That’s what crochet is for me –– a creative outlet that allows me to relax, both mentally and physically. We’ve all heard the advice from doctors and talk show pundits: learn to relax more and get at least eight hours of sleep a night. Sometimes, this is easier said than done, especially when money is slow to come in, but the bills are demanding to be paid, if not yesterday, then NOW!

I have two projects going right now. I’m making a “School Colors” afghan for my older son, who’s in the U.S. Army. Simple, but it’s a color block afghan and I have to change colors every few rows. I just started making fingerless gloves for another friend in another state — I like this project because it grows quickly.

I’m going to make a surprise for the friend that inspired me to participate in the Ultimate Blog Challenge. She has been so supportive, even while she and her husband were going through a rough time for most of last year.

Once I’ve finished my friends’ items, I’m going to start a summer sweater for myself. This will be the most difficult item I’ve ever attempted to make, so I’ve been repeatedly studying the instructions. I don’t know if this project will actually allow me to relax, but the finished product is beautiful. I just hope it’ll be cool enough to wear in the southwestern part of the U.S.! If not, I’ll wear it in the fall and spring months.

I’ve been crocheting for five years now. I had started as a teen, then put this craft aside for more years than I care to think about. Now that my sons are grown, I’m ready for some “me” creative time. It’s fun to relax on the couch, crocheting as my two cats  greedily follow the yarn’s movements. I get a good giggle out of that, but I do have to be careful to make sure their sharp claws don’t grab the yarn and snag it.

After I finish working this evening, I’ll be relaxing in a quiet house, making the first of a pair of warm fingerless gloves, thinking of my friends and the year stretching out in front of me.