Creating opportunity...

I am so sick and tired of hearing about the bad economy. Wanna know why? Here's a list:

1) For many people it's sucked for a long time. (Ask the folks who lost their jobs to the outsourcing trend that started almost 20 years ago)

2) The only reason it's getting tons of air time now is because rich people and the upper middle class are finally be effected. As a former social worker I can tell you I was dealing with the fall out of the "balloon" economy ten years ago. It's no surprise to me.

3) It's giving corporations the excuse to lay off more workers (which is a dumb move because it diminishes the amount of revenue circulating in the domestic/international market).

4) It's also become the most common thing you hear people repeat in conversations. OH GIVE ME A BREAK. Didn't anyone learn about gravity (in regards to the stock market) what goes up must come down (at some point)...COME ON!

So, let's get this out of the way: How can Crocheters help the economy and make the world a better place.

1) Buy from local businesses as much as possible, for hooks, yarns etc. If you can't find them in person, look on line. You money gets five times the mileage when you spend it locally than when you spend it out of the local economy!

2) Offer to teach classes to folks on how to make their own cool crochet gifts and fashions. When pennies are tight handwork always goes up in favor. Kids love making phone covers, and game system cozies, they can make hair scrunches and book marks for friends! Young mother's love to learn to make for baby..etc etc etc...

3) Find local designers and buy their patterns. Especially the indie designers. That gives the little guy more cash.

There is no such thing as too big to fail. Having all the money in the big boys hands is a dangerous economic prospect. In fact it has very much led to economic feudalism. No one is too big to fail, everyone is expendable, anyone telling you different is trying to sell you something.

I firmly believe the more we can support the medium to micro businesses the more we shall empower and enable sustainable communities....and CROCHET can play a huge part in that! How?

The microcosm always influences the macrocosm. Ask any scientist.

Join me, let's save the world today with crochet...Raise your hooks!

25 Reasons I love Crochet...

1) I can make anything I can imagine with a simple instrument (hook) and something that can wind around it (fiber, wire, plastic, roving, feathers, yarn, string, twine, fabric).



2) I love the reactions I get from others when I wear my hats, scarves, sweaters.



3) I love the reactions I get when I gift my loved ones with my "latest" and "greatest" creations.



4) In less than 10 minutes I can mystify a child by making a wiggly worm or a hair scrunchy.



5) I love how my husband watching me as I take yarn and hook, and whispers "It's like magic when you do that..."



6) I love how it eases my stress levels and gives me yoga like levels of relaxation.



7) I love that when I was a struggling single mother of two small babies, I could afford some thread and a steel hook and make their Christmas happen. (I couldn't afford ornaments for the tree).



8) I love that now I can afford exotic fibers and get to use my glass hook with my camel/silk yarn...and it feels orgasmic as the hook slides through the soft, delicate fibers.



9) I love that I am never bored.



10) I love that I can whip up an instant gift when I have a birthday/wedding/anniversary/baby gift I've forgotten to buy.



11) I love that young children ask me to teach them how to crochet...



12) I love that I can make socks that look like socks, feel like socks and act like socks.



13) I love that crochet has helped me meet some of the most generous, creative, talented, and loving people.



14) I love that I am doing something that women have done in my family for more than four generations.



15) I love that I taught my daughter and she loves crochet as much as I do.



16) I love that my daughter and I had the common ground of crochet to get through the worst of the early teen snarky stage without killing each other.



17) I love that each time I pick up a hook, I feel like I'm sitting with the woman who first put one in my hands. My great grandmother.



18) I love that I don't have to use a pattern to have something turn out fabulous.



19) I love that I can use a pattern if I'm feeling lazy.



20) I love that with over 32 years of crocheting experience that I can still learn something new.



21) I love crochet because it taught me patience, perspective, and helped me find my artform.



22) I love crochet because it allows me that "me" time, I wouldn't normally take in my daily life.



23) I love that I can make son laugh by making him puppets.



24) I love the feel of a hook in my hands.



25) I love knowing that I am doing something she did, even though I never got to meet her, her work inspired me to be every bit as good as she was...




Who is she? My grandmother, Grace Rogers, she died in 1956 when my mother was 8 years old. People say I look like her, sound like her and act like her, she was only 36 when she died. When times were hard crochet helped feed my uncles, aunt and mom. I have some of her things, they have always inspired me. She is one of my favorite reasons that I love crochet, because through the hook I have a connection to the woman I supposedly resemble in many ways, but never got to meet.

Lookie, Lookie I got hookie :)

So....Today I open my mail and lo and behold what do I find?

A hook with a handle shaped like brass knuckles....hmmmmmmmmmmm....You think someone's sending me a message? Am I a brawler? Who sent the hook?


Who else but CLF Hook Meister Jimbo!http://www.jimbosfrontporch.blogspot.com
He won the 2009 Crochet Award for Best Handcrafted Hooks
(for sale or by auction)
and this little beauty is now our
OFFICAL HOOK MASCOT!


IT's sooooo awesome and it works too ;) So, this will travel with me...and after events you'll have to start looking for who got to hold our Brawling Hook...
Or who has been dubbed "Knight Errant of the Wholly Hooker"...

And I ask you..."You wanna piece of me? Huh? Do ya?"

This was the best April's Fools Day I've ever had!