By Tawni Rogers
Trying to fit in a hobby for anyone can be kind of a challenge. I don't get to crochet for a living, although I would absolutely love to. Right now, my schedule is: I clock off from my job, get into my evening, have dinner, do my household chores, and then, for about one and a half to two hours, I sit down with my yarn and work on a project.
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Are You Counting Before Anyone Talks To Me
Now, having the right environment to work on your project is a big factor. My family knows that if they're around and they see me working on crochet in the living room somewhere, there's a high likelihood that I'm counting. They'll even go as far as asking me, "Are you counting?" before asking me a question.
If that's the kind of project I'm working on, things like making really intricate throw blankets or something that has to have a correct size, like a sweater or a cardigan, I have to count a lot. And I can't have TV or movies on that are going to distract me. Those are the kinds of projects where I put on my noise-canceling headphones and listen to ambient music or something else so I can focus on counting.
Other projects, like scarves or anything with a repeating pattern you can kind of get into the motion of, I can watch TV or movies with. That said, I'm pretty particular: I want something I don't have to pay close attention to. So most of the time I'm watching shows or movies that I've already seen a hundred times before, just to have some noise in the room with me. I can't watch anything intense, like a drama or a sad movie I've never seen, while I work because it's too much to focus on at the same time.
Why I Never Have Two Projects Going
I may be in the minority here, but I am not someone who has many projects going on at the same time. I work on one thing, and I will focus on it every evening until it's completely finished, and then I move on to the next.
I know this is kind of rare. A lot of crocheters probably have a lot of different projects going while they're waiting for inspiration or materials to come along to finish them. But I focus on one at a time so my brain doesn't get confused, so my yarn doesn't get messed up, and so I don't have my hooks lying all over the place.
And I just like that feeling of finishing something and then moving on to something else with a fresh start.
How Winter Turns Into 25 Hours A Week
I work on crochet really depend on the season. In summer or even spring, when we have longer days, I can be outside doing things like swimming in the pool or hiking. I don't get as much crochet done in the evenings. During those seasons, I probably work on my crochet for about an hour per night.
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Now, what I love is when winter comes along, and it gets dark really early. Although I don't love that part, it lets me crochet a lot more than I usually do. During the winter, I do crochet two or two and a half hours per evening after work. On weekends, especially, I can work three or four hours and get some projects going because it's cold outside and I want to be cozy with my blanket, sitting and watching a movie anyway.
I would say I focus on my crochet about 15 hours per week in the summer, and 20-25 hours per week in those winter months.
Dialing Down My Social Life Before A Market
If I'm preparing for something like a market or a big trade show where I'm actively making things to sell, my social life does have to dial down a little bit. I have to look at it as a kind of part-time job at that point and use my evening hours to create as much as I can so I can sell more at those markets. I limit my evening engagements with friends and family, so I have time to sit and create.
During normal times when I'm not selling things, I do still like to have at least an hour in the evening to sit and crochet. I'll try to get home at a certain time so that I still have that unwind time for myself, much like other people like to read or do other activities to unwind from their day.
Why Summer Is My Quiet Season For Crochet
Sometimes, if I'm in the busy season at work and my brain is just too tired during the day, then I won't sit down and do it. I do have to give myself that mental break if I feel I need it.
Other times, if I'm traveling extensively, I do like to crochet while I travel in the plane or the bus or whatever. But if I'm away from home for extended periods, I don't get to do my projects as much, and it tends to wind down a little.
The summertime is also hard for me, like I mentioned before. I like to be outside and be active and doing things with friends and family. So I do think the summer is much more quiet time for me and my projects.
What brings me back to that is just the season changing. I love it when winter rolls around, and I can get cozy, sit at home, and work on a project while I have some hot cocoa.
