Friday, June 4

me and my sweet 'mr hook'...

quite simply put,
i crochet to save my sanity...
and as i had not crocheted in quite sometime
i feared my sanity was in peril.

my lack of crocheting ways
has come from
trying to finish Our #1's blanket,
every time i look at it,
i am overcome with an emotion that i have yet to get a grip on.
perhaps for some it is hard to understand,
indeed i myself,
am somewhat amazed by the intensity of the emotions that pour from my heart,
when i give myself time to think of her departure into the world,
and more so when i think she will soon be followed by Our #2...

but i miss my crocheting and
i am miss my sanity.
i need them both
for without them i am 'a drift'.


so i have told myself it is okay to start a new blanket
and return to Our #1's in a few weeks.
i am quite sure some of you have inhaled a deep breath
followed by a 'tut tutting',
knowing the knowledge that comes with putting a work in progress to one side.
and yes i know it is risky,
but it is a risk i must take,
for i need to spend quality time with Mr Hook...

since making my decision,
i am back on the path of crocheting goodness
and lordy does it feel so mighty fine...
me and my sweet Mr Hook
back together,
doing what we do best.
basic
simple
but
'oh so happy'
double crocheting.
back and forth
no need to think
no need to look
just me and him in perfect harmony,
sorting out the world
one stitch at a time,
thoughts are pondered
questions never quite answered
and
time spently wisely...


i am now at the point where i only have eyes for him,
Miss Ethel is out in the cold,
the Clan are making noises near dinner time,
i, with no intention of moving out of my chair.


used dog and pesky olive are left to their own amusement.
little olive now living with a chronic case of 'crochet addiction'
trying all sorts of pesky approaches,
so my 'ordinarily extraordinary' blanket may become hers
but i see her every time.




and why would i call my blanket
an 'ordinarily extraordinary' blanket?
i'm thinking you may be thinking...

well for me i am always quietly amazed.
when i sit back,
having repeated over and over
one simple stitch
in several different colored yarns
i see once again,
that an ordinary 'day to day' thing,
when made by hand
has the ability to become something quite extraordinary...


she is wishing you the peachiest of peachy times, this weekend ~ Tif

47 comments:

Mette said...

Lovely blanket. I'm inspired! A great idea for my woolie stash. Enjoy your weekend.

Esther Sunday said...

The blankey is just beautiful. The colors work beautifully together!! I understand about the sanity issue, after working all week if I don't get any crafting time during the weekend, my co-workers suffer, the next week, the poor wee dears.

Jana said...

omygoodness...i love your house. Clean lines, white and touch of color!
Jana

Tracy x said...

*love* that olive has tried the play dead and i may just get what i want card....
very bright hound :)
hope you are well
t x

Selfsewn said...

You are so not alone with the crochet addiction!
My crochet stash is permanently attached to my hip!
Have a fab hooky weekend!
Clare

Serenata said...

It is indeed looking extraordinary! Are you going to put doilies on as a finishing touch?

My Handmadehappiness said...

i do oh so love reading your posts you have such a way with words, i too gain sanity through crochet!! have a good weekend tiff :) x

Sharon Stanley said...

the simplicity is what makes it so lovely....hope you and mr hook get to spend some quality time together this weekend...i may pull out a hook myself and see if i can learn dc...so far...only sc...i forget the stitches over time and must learn again!

WinnibriggsHouse said...

Understand fully where you are coming from here. Emotion is a very tough wool to crochet! However now to the very mundane, I love to crochet and am doing some secret things for my daughters pressie in July, but...and here's the 64 million dollar question...how do you do blankets and not get sore fingers. I am only doing small things but have to stop 'cos my fingers are so sore!!

Rachaeldaisy said...

Sweet little Olive!! One of my mottos is "A stitch in time saves my mind". I'm sure we could twist that to "Time with Mr Hook stops me feeling crook" I'm glad you're having fun with Mr Hook just please just smile at Miss Ethel occasionally so she dosent feel neglected.

Katiebee said...

ah sweet little olive! they are my favorite pictures~

happy weekending~

elizabeth said...

I understand entirely your feeling about crocheting. After crazy day, sitting down with a cup of tea and some crocheting is down right therapeutic! I also love how a simple little stitch and some pretty yarns can come out so lovely. It doesn't hurt that crochet is fairly forgiving when I might need to rip a little out to fix an oop! I'm curious re your blanket - do you make the squares of color and then stitch them together or are you adidng new colors directly to finished squares and putting it all together as you go?

Marg said...

What a beautiful blanket. I am glad you and Mr Hook are back together. I find crocheting is very soothing.

Em said...

No tut-tutting here. Your heart must be in it and happy with it and fill it with good, loving thoughts.
Even now, though my oldest is only 6, I can feel the tearing of my heart as she separates and becomes her own, and I dread the day I know the date she will be gone.

Unknown said...

It's beautiful and inspiring! There's nothing quite like crochet. And today I am been very content with doing not much more then the same :)

Caterina Giglio said...

olive is just adorable!

Anonymous said...

Hi,I just found your blog and I LOVE this blanket your making!Its just beautiful!Is that some of Vanna's yarn?Also are you making one long strip crocheted together or connecting it square by square? You are such an inspiration .I have heard of you all over blogland until I finally checked you out myself.Totally not disapponted

Cassie said...

I LOVE your blanket. It is pure bliss to look at, and the colors are fabulous! Happy creating this weekend!

Jules said...

Sublimely, wonderfully ordinarily lovely!

Anonymous said...

the simple things in life are often the best. love the blanket in all it's amazingness. Have a great weekend.

sabrina said...

I love your blankets! The colors you use are so pretty. Also LOVE little Olive!! My fiancé and I want a dachshund just like her!
<3

dottie angel said...

oh thank you all so kindly, i am indeed positively beaming with pride from your kind words :)
i think what i shall do, i'm thinking it would be best, is finish up my blanket 'hoppity quick' and then tell you how i joined it all up and other nitty gritty things next week.
that way hopefully it will all become clear :)
have a peachy one my dearies
Tif x

Alex Falkiner said...

Really lovely post, and such a gorgeous blanket.

I think going with the flow is important when crafting...if you feel the need to move on, come back, start again...you have to go with it!

peachy times to you this weekend too x

mel @ loved handmade said...

It's a gorgeous blanket! You are so right about your very own handmade ordinary things becoming extraordinary..I've recently started on my own little nana rug & I LOVE it, it's so pretty I could almost wear it!

Michelle said...

Oh Tif I need to know the nitty gritty NOW!!!
How are you putting them together...
I have looked and looked and can't work it out...
Which is really surprising for me I know...
But I need to work things out...
Oh the suspense is killing me...
I do relate so much to crocheting and sanity...
I would be positively insane without it...

Jacquie said...

Love your blanket !! the colour blocks look stunning.
I am looking forward to finding out how it's done:0)
Jacquie x

Sherry said...

your blanket is going to be lovely indeed!

Dajda said...

Change crocheting to knitting and you're talking about me. :)

Rachel said...

I love the colors you chose for the blanket!

Natalie T. said...

Ooooh, some tail-wagging-happy-double crochet sounds very good indeed. Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos with us all.

sunny's smile said...

I love the double stitch and seldom stray from it myself! Lovely blog =)

Anonymous said...

I can see it is simple - as blankets go that is. BUT it is also very beautiful! I love the colours - I am curious to know how you are joining as you go; for I think that is what you are doing? (the only thing that looks trickyish!) So encouraging to know that something so achievable can be so worthwhile. Inspiring to those of us who think we couldn't do it!
.......I've just seen that you are planning to tell all!! thank you!

Unknown said...

just posted about your blog on mine, hope you like it ;)

RetroLeeTX said...

Love your post today! Just a few days ago, I talked about the same thing on my blog. Crocheting has saved my sanity in the past - and I love that I will always have that in my arsenal. My dear mother-in-law is going through a very tough time right now dealing with an incredibly ugly illness. She is the one who taught me my first chain stitch and gave me the first wooden carved crochet hooks that I use. I'm so grateful for that gift! And it was so small - such a small gesture - that has really meant a lot to me.

Bobo Bun said...

How comforting the hook is. Those colours just look absolutely right side by side. Will Olive get her blanket desire?

X

Gigi said...

Love the blankie! Something about blankets made of squares that are so homey & cosy looking.
Have a question -- did you crochet your squares together? If so, how did you avoid the ridgey thing one gets when crocheting squares together with single crochet? I do not like sewing pieces together and would love to find a way to use crochet instead!

Emil und die großen Schwestern said...

Lovely blanket, beautiful colors, fantastic work, inspiring blog! Éva

Unknown said...

love it!! you have mad crocheting skills. i am still fairly new to crocheting, so that would take me ages.

Vickie said...

Dear Tif,

You never seize to amaze me with your creative and magical crochet. It's your inspiration that keeps my hook permanently attached to my hand! As always, thanks again for the wonderful pictures of Little Olive. I have since gotten a new little one after losing our beloved dachsund a year ago. We found Miss Mina Barker (part chihuahua, part dachsund) at the humane society and now my hidden thoughts of kidnapping Little Olive are well behind me. Thanks for all!!!
Vickie in Seattle

Mira said...

I love your blog, it´s colors make me truly happy and your way to write is so poetical.

Would like to learn to crochet like that.

faeryfay said...

Oh la la! I love love love your clogs! :-0

ale said...

que belleza dottie!!!! and l enjoy a lot your blog and your words!!!!me encanta!!besos!!!

A Homeschool Story said...

Love the poetry, and the stitches just as much. Thank you for the reminder that it is OK to stop burning my fingers on my red-hot, over-burdened keyboard and get back to knitting...for my sanity.

I am so glad I found your poetic works!

Angela

Anonymous said...

Your home is SO beautiful.
The blanket is just lovely - great colors!

thea said...

hehehe, such a cute image series :)

thea.
xx

Farmgirl Paints said...

Pure poetry. I must have those shoes! Can you tell me where you got them? Pretty please:)

dottie angel said...

my clippity clogs are from the second hand aisles of Etsy :)
they are swedish bastad originals...
hope you find some!