The Case for Stitchcraft

Hello, my name is Meimei, and I'm addicted to crochet.

I didn't really mean to get hooked (pun intended), but I do admit that I was so mesmerized by my crochet projects back in fifth grade that I would often get yelled at for practicing my popcorn stitch when I was supposed to be reciting my conjugated verbs. At least it was easier to learn than knitting, I thought.

Then, three years ago, egged on by a friend who suddenly wanted to learn knitting only because she noticed that Debra Messing and a bunch of fashion models started taking it up as the hobby, I bought my first skein of 4-ply worsted weight acrylic yarn, with the intention of learning how to knit. I did learn how to knit, eventually... but even that fell by the wayside when all my attentions were consumed by learning how to make a scarf using a size J crochet hook.

You could say that I treat crochet as a metaphysical practice of sorts, a commentary on my life: I do have a tendency to treat life as a series of recurring patterns held together by common threads, with certain opportunities to go back and do it all over again if I ever make a mistake along the way. You could also say that I do crochet as a means of meditation, especially since I tend to start my “projects” whenever I find myself at a crossroads in my life.

But mostly I do crochet as stress relief.

So far I've done countless numbers of hats and scarves, which I've been making as gifts for family and friends. Right now, however, I've decided to do something different by making... well, it started out as an afghan pattern, but because of the size (I scaled it down) and the color (hello, variegated rainbow yarn!) I might end up making the world's funkiest table runner. Either way, the stitch pattern couldn't be easier or prettier.

Which reminds me: One of these days I'll start my own knitting/crochet club, which I'll probably expand into a knitting cafe for yarn addicts like me. A girl can dream, you know.