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Friday, August 31, 2007

Inspiration for learning to Crochet
Today I made a new friend. And it lokks like the begining of a nice friendship. In the manner of getting to know each other she asked me a few questions. One of the questions really going down the memory lane. She asked me :

What was your inspiration for learning to crochet?
I had not thought about this for such a long time . But it's always there dep down in my heart. I still remember that wonderful lady who indulged a little girl. So this is what I told my friend.
Thats a long story. Are you in amood for a story ?? :smt017 Anyways , since this is a 'getting to know you ' thing , I'll say get yourself a nice warm drink and be prepared to be bored/ amused!!!
I once ( when I was 8 yrs old) found some crocheted roses and tiny motifs outside somebody's window sill when I was playing with my friends in the neighbourhood. I fell in love with those. I asked the lady staying there whether those were hers and she said yes , she had lost them. I told her how I loved it and she said she'd have loved to teach me but she was leaving for good in the next three days.
But the sweet lady asked me to come over each day and learn a little from her. I learnt the chain, sl st and dc. My first project was a scruchy. And then she gave me her hook and ball of thread before she left . I was so sad but she told me if I tried hard enough I would learn it on my own and do great. She said she knew I'd crochet beautifully one day.
And that's where I started. I had some of her motifs, and roses. I used to look at them for hours trying to figure out a way to make them. Until finally I could make similar ones. For years I didn't know what the stitches were called.
I had an amazing crochet vocabulary. A sl st was join st, sc was a step up stitch, a dc was a crochet stitch , tr was a long crochet stitch, dtr was even longer crochet stitch , and if I had to yo more than 3, like 5 times it was crochet stitch 5 times long [smilie=to funny.gif] !!!
Nobody, I knew crocheted, there were no books and yarns and hooks out here ( it's still difficult to find supplies here) . So my learning process was slow but I could not let down the nice lady who taught me the basic of crochet so I was very persistent . Finally , I found a Chinese doily book with charts and then actually learn't a lot from that one book.
I came across internet much much later. About 5-6 years back.That is when I learn't the actual names of stitches. And I learn't so much more . It has been a great resource for me and there is so much inspiration all around. But I'll still say the ultimate inspiration was those Roses and motifs I had seen for the first time. They were so beautiful and impressive enough to get an 8 year old hooked for life!
I never met the lady agin but I hope someday I do. I want to thank her for the greatest gift I've ever got! She brough Crochet into my life and changed me forever .

3 comments:

Mimi said...

Oh, that is a sweet story, Yasmin :)
Maybe you'll be able to pass on the love of crochet to another girl too ;)

Yasmin said...

Yes Mimi, that's what I hope to do . But little girls out here are not interested or have the patience to learn. lol!

A Playful Yarn Again said...

What a wonderful story Yasmin. It put a big smile on my face!! Especially the step up stitch..lol