Technology

The explosion of technology, computerized communication, has reached me, but alas, does not seem to have reached the crochet community which is a definite deficit. Pam from the NIC of CGOA is working to change that by suggesting a crochet chapter blog. Unfortunately I missed the Feb. meeting where she suggested it, but someone brought up using a WIKI instead. Either would be great, and would be a step towards joining the tech society to promote crochet.

One example of using tech crochet is what happened when I subscribed to Google Reader. I told the Reader to search for the word CROCHET -- I was blown away at the results -- tons and tons of blogs, published articles, website, news items appeared. I chose several to subscribe to so I receive news from these whenever I pull up my Google Reader. It is a gold mind find. There was a crocheted, life-size gas station, complete with the pumps. In another article, the government is after someone who is crocheting covers for trees, light posts, stop signs, posts, etc. They want him/her to stop decorating their town with crochet. Imagine having the law after you for crocheting! Fun.It's titled Anonymous Crocheter hits Parkersburg. Really great stuff. Someone is promoting crocheted Dahlias. They are about 5 feet talk, basically round but resembling a candy corn shaped human being. He's wants all crocheters to join in and populate the world with these Dahlias. There is a crocheted car - yes I said CAR on the Web. I think the CAR should visit the gas station don't you? Somewhere there is a giant water tower covered with a giant crocheted cover on it. Crochet is comforting - I guess even for a lonely water tower! Maybe we could put together a crocheted town - the gas station, near the water tower and the car parked at the gas station!!! My imagine is getting the best of me. There is an article about Crocheting Combined with Dance, reported in The Weekly Volcano out of Tacoma.The Crochet World has Exploded. In order to promote it we need to know about it - and hi tech is the way to go.

I have a WIKI created for a group of 7 of us who went Mallinckrodt in Wilmette together, way back when. Using the WIKI is so easy This WIKI is not open to the public, but by invitation only. It's just for us girls to share memories, fun, photos and keep updated on each other's lifestyles. I may open it up to the public eventually because I am looking for the rest of us in our group, and perhaps they might find us on the web, but right now it is a nice little cliche or soon will be- I just started the WIKI and am still designing it, so I haven't invited the rest of the group yet. It is called SEVEN S'ters.

There is even a sorta contest for the ten best Crochet Sites, and the ten most subscribed to sites. NIC could be one of those. To learn more about using the worldwideweb read a book called BLOGS, WIKIS, PODCASTS by Will Richardson. OHHH speaking of podcasts, there are some of those on the net, too. I haven't found a lot of them, but boy oh boy what a great way to showcase crochet. We could video one of the NIC meetings or teaching part and make a podcasts out of it. Podcasts are mostly just audio, but I like the VIDEO ones better. I'm doing my part to promote crochet on the net. It's the way to go. Crochet is alive and well.

Crochet Connection

Crocheting connects me with others, with myself and with God. Crochet connects me with others because sharing my passion with others is a must. I want to see the crochet of others; I teach crochet to others; I show my crochet creations with others; I meet with others just to talk crochet. Mostly, I delight in seeing the delight of my friends when I give them a crocheted-just-for-them gift.

Crochet connects me with myself because I am a deeply creative person with a colorful, delightful, intriguing, curious, humorous imagination. Crochet expresses the wonderful positive traits within my heart, and leaves less room for the negative ones. Crochet challenges me, gives me emotional outlets, quiets me in a storm, comforts me in both good and bad times, absorbs my mind, and its rhythmic movement soothes my soul. Crochet presents opportunities to learn new, to create those new neuron pathways in my aging brain, to think in new ways.

Crochet connects me with God because of an analogy that popped into my mind long ago. When I crochet I have complete (well almost) complete control over my creation. I can do with the yarn/wire/thread whatever pleases me. Sometimes it turns out well, and sometimes it doesn't. I learned in first grade that I am created in the image and likeness of God. Well--that's more than a whole mouthful, and more than a lifetime of thinking in that one statement. Obviously, at least to me, God is a Creator, and I am a creator. I know, I know, the analogy limps a bit here and there, especially with the concept of power! But I have complete power over the yarn. The big difference, of course, is that if I don't like the last row or two, I can FROG it - but I can't FROG the last day or two, or year or two, of God's creation-my life. But I can learn from my mistakes in a couple of ways - the first is not to make the same mistake - but the second way is a bit more like life - I can keep the mistake and turn it into a new and, hopefully, better creation. Recently I was crocheting a bathtub, and when I started I had one method in mind, but then as I went on I wasn't pleased with the result but I had already put in a lot of time figuring out how to crochet a bathtub and then doing it, so I didn't want to FROG my work. I thought, and I thought, and then I "thunk" some more and came up with a way to complete the bathtub without undoing my previous "mistakes" aka work. The end result is a far better bathtub! Do you think maybe that is what we can do with out life, too? Use what we have, be it what we intended to have but what was thwarted by the uncontrollable part of life, and turn it into an even more brillant creation? maybe that's what God had in mind when she gave us (even tho limited) freedom to choose, to make decisions for ourselves?

I AM CONNECTED.

CROCHET CONNECTION

Crocheting Connects Me. Like each chain, each yarn over, each pull thru connects the last with the present, and prepares for the future. Each moment connects, depends upon the one before, and prepares the way for the next one. Growing, growing into a beautiful piece of timeless work, to endure beyond the moment, beyond the creator.

Crocheting has enriched my life a thousand fold. Crocheting has connected me with a world full of creative people, a room or two or three full of bright colorful yarn, several sacks of hooks, gadgets galore, bags beyond belief (the non-human kind), shelves and shelves of pattern books, myself, and you.