Crochet Queen: Royal Ramblings

Last weekend I was wearing a crocheted shawl which according to my Ravelry Project Page, I finished making in 2000. It's called the Short Shawled Vest and was designed by Kate Coburn.

Besides crochet, my other form of relaxation is observing and enjoying nature. For weeks now, I have been enjoying the continual show of color brought forth in my perennial garden. Each week, another variety starts to bloom, bringing surprise and joy. Also this year, a mother robin has again chosen to make a nest in the same pine tree as two years ago.

Winter was a time of relaxation for me; and I got to enjoy my favorite therapeutic activity: crochet. I walked on the beach, then crocheted; I took a nap, then crocheted; I walked to dinner, then crocheted; I swam in the pool then crocheted. Needless to say, my winter lifestyle allowed me to get a lot of crocheted projects started and/or finished.

Pondering all I've done since January 2018, got me to thinking about WIPS (Works in Progress). Crocheters, in general, seem to fall into several categories:
1) Those who start and finish projects, one at a time
2) Those who start several projects in a short period of time, but finish them all
3) Those who love to start projects, but don't love to finish them Whether their procrastination is due to a glitch in the pattern they are following; a misunderstanding of the directions; or just plain lack of interest, their many half-finished projects get balled up and thrown into a bag. Eventually, they wind up in the black hold of Yarndom!

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Ms. Allison was the Junior Kindergarten teacher for both of my grandchildren. They've each graduated now, but she invites me back each year as the presenter for the Letter Y!  This wonderful and sweet teacher hails from Scotland; and she has an appreciation for the heritage of crafts and really enjoys Yarn Bombing! Lucky for me, the children progress to their studies of the alphabet and reach Letter Y in March just in time for National Crochet Month sponsored by the Crochet Guild of America.

Call me a perfectionist; but I have been concentrating on making my crochet the best it can be since around 1990. I always loved crochet, but before the Crochet Gof America was organized, I dabbled in many other needlework techniques. Crochet called to me and I always came back to it. Then along came Crochet Loom Blooms!

from CBS New, April 6, 2018:
Syrian Women Remember 'past before the past' with Art... on display at Moncton Library.

Srwah-al-hamoud shares that "The first time I felt happiness in a long time was when my crocheted multi-colored flowers and pineapples were unveiled at the Moncton Public Library. She called it the 'past before the past' when she used to crochet for fun and relaxation, when crocheting wasn't her way of keeping bad memories of war and loss at bay.'"

Art Therapist, Dominik Robichaud, conceived the idea of the exhibit and says, "I hope art can help women heal from the war they've left behind."

Follow this link to learn more about these strong women's stories.
Photos courtesy Hadeel Ibrahim, CBC.CA