A dream and a hook

I have always been a crafty person. Since I became a mom those things faded away. It wasn't until I wound up taking almost a year off work that I found something in me I never knew existed. A certain talent that would end up making me very happy.

My sister had started crocheting blankets. She was damn good at it. She made everyone in the family a blanket. I asked her how she learned how to do it and she said "I learned from you tube".  Sitting at home with my children for the better part of the year I started thinking... I think I can teach myself to crochet too. I was battling depression and desperate for something to occupy my thoughts. I started watching a video. I bought my materials and I thought, you bet, I am ready. I made the most horrendous disaster of a hat there could be. I can now laugh at the atrocity is was and is, however at the time I was mighty pissed off. We now joke if you starched it, one could probably use it as a fruit bowl.

I watched the video and tried again. It worked. I made half a hat and I decided right away that I wanted to go bigger. I looked at a pattern for a My Little Pony hat. I thought.... if someone else can do this, I sure as hell can too. I bought the pattern for $5.99 and my journey started. 

In the courses I was taking for depression they talked about positive thinking, it was what we were going over for the week. I thought alot about it as I started this hat. It was not an easy feat. I went from a beginner pattern to something quite out of my league instantly. But this is who I am. Go big or go home right. I tackled that hat with everything I had in myself. It was difficult and there were many times I wanted to give up and say f this, I am done. But I thought back to my classes and positive talked my ass through that hat. I finished that hat and I have to say it felt like a damn trophy instead of a hat. I felt on top of the world, I did it!! I finished that hat and it looked damn good. I couldnt have been more proud of myself. Here is the first picture of the first hat I completed.

Once I started people started wanting me to make them for their kids. I had just started but I felt on top of the world like I could do anything. I took on the challenge. If someone asked for a hat, I figured out a way to do it. I only ever bought one pattern, this My Little Pony hat pattern. I used the base hat pattern for every hat I made, but 98% the other appliques I freehanded myself. This in itself I was proud of. If I didn't know a stitch I watched it on youtube. I became quite the little hat maker. It was alot of fun and the people were very happy with the hats I would make for them. My first "order" was for an Elsa hat. I will have to say this was the most difficult hat I made. In the end I made 3 of them and decided to never make it again. It is that much of a pain and unfortunately the most popular hat. 

She gave me this picture of what she wanted it to look like. 

I have to be honest, I tried and tried to get the hair to look the way it was in the picture she sent me. I couldn't do it. So I took ,my own approach. I started to make the hat my way. I improvised to that she would be happy with mine even thought it didn't look like the picture. This below is what I made for her. 

I went on to make many hats for many people. I spent a 3 months making hats. By the time I decided I was done, I was happy. I did it! I mastered this. People paid money to have me make them hats. It was very rewarding. It helped me in a time that I needed a distraction from my own thoughts and in turn it helped my confidence as well. It was a true story of if you put your mind to something you can do it. I mean, I went from making that fruit bowl to people paying for my hats. These below are a few of my favorites. 

I havent touched my crochet since. My depression is gone and I do not need the distraction. By the time I decided I was done crocheting I was a little tired of it. It was fun making them for awhile but each hat took about 6-7 hours to complete. I am a complete perfectionist so if one didnt look quite right I would pick it apart and do things over.

Would I start it up again? Possibly, but not in the same way as before. 

I would do it not for money but for myself. 

Have you completed something you never thought you could do?

Have you seen my previous post? Click here

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner