Right now, I’m in what I think of as the doldrums of my crochet book–the exciting beginning stages are over–I’ve done the creative work of coming up with the designs and choosing the yarns, sketching, swatching. And while I do enjoy doing the stitching (a lot, actually) the sheer volume I have to do in the small amount of time detracts a little from the excitement of the creative process.

So, my brain starts to wander. I think of all sorts of other things I’d like to be doing creatively. I bought a small needlepoint kit the other day, but I won’t let myself start it. I stare longingly at my spinning wheel, I do knit a couple of rows a night on a sweater for Selma, but it doesn’t count because it’s a Tomten Jacket, and while it’s relaxing and fun, I wouldn’t call it creatively stimulating; it is pretty much mindless garter stitch. So last night I found inspiration in an unlikely place: crochet.

I needed to take a break from teddy bears to do a swatch for a non-bear related project. I had been thinking about it a long time while waiting for yarn and I knew the technique I wanted to try but I hadn’t played with it yet. It’s mosaic crochet–there are a few books about the technique, and I have a small leaflet with some afghan patterns. Essentially, you’re creating geometric two-color patterns, but using chains and spiked stitches only one color is worked per row, so it makes a nice supple fabric. For charts I turned to Barbara Walker’s Mosaic Knitting book. It was the perfect remedy to the crochet doldrums,  I got my brain working again deciphering a new technique and I feel better about leaping back into the book projects–like the amigurumi baseball bat and ball I plan to finish tonight.

A little Inspiration