Crafty

My little cast on. I can't get past this point.

I am craft challenged. I can do a few things here and there. Obviously, I can make bees out of toilet paper tubes. I don't have much in the way of an ability to think up things and put them into action. I am a complete Pinterest fail. I want to be crafty. I don't need to make more houses out of Popsicle sticks or puppets out of paper bags, but there are some things that I would really like to learn.

Sewing

My mom has sewed for nearly here entire life. Her mother sewed. Her mother's mother sewed and so on. My mom had 5 siblings and she is the best at sewing out of all of them. She has sewn many a Christening gown, wedding dress and Communion dress. She has made dolls, home decor, pillows, blankets, cloths, cloth diapers....pretty much anything. She sewed my wedding dress (which still still curses me for to this day). You would think I would have learned to sew when I was little. For some reason, it never happened. I am a major perfectionist. If I can't do something just right I tend to abandon it. Very immature. I tried to learn now and then, but I never wanted my mom to see that I sucked. My mom is the last person on the planet who would care if I sucked. She would never judge me, but I just didn't want to show my suckitude.

Knitting

I have a lot of friends who knit. I am jealous of their ability to whip up a sock, a hat or a sweater. I would absolutely love to be able to knit my own wool diaper covers. I've never taken lessons, mainly because I can't find any in-person lessons at a good price. I have watched some YouTube videos and did learn a simple cast on method, but I can't get past that point. So many videos are poor quality, or the instructor goes too fast or they don't have a good angle where you can actually see what's happening.

I do have a round loom and I made two hats that don't look entirely too stupid, but I can't do any of the fancy stuff that I see other people do with looms. plus, I want to learn how to knit with needles. Right now, my knitting needles have been primarily used as weapons (that'll teach my husband to eat one of my fair trade organic holier-than-thou chocolate bars again).

Crochet

Just like knitting, I have a lot of friends who can crochet. The same jealousy regarding the ability to whip up craftiness applies here. My belly dance instructor crochets and she has made some of the most amazing things to wear with her costumes or in class. I can make a chain, but I can't get past that point. If there is ever need for a 36 foot chain, I'm your gal.

Those are the three main things I would like to learn how to do this year. I just think it would be wonderful to be able to sew, knit or crochet your own garments and whatnot. It's a great way to be frugal. It's the end of September already, but I am going to kick myself in my own ass and make myself get the ball rolling. I am giving myself until the end of the year to learn how to do something - even if it's just to crochet a small dish sponge or knit a little flower or sew a napkin.

Another factor is belly dance. I take tribal belly dance classes. It's something I am very serious about and intend to pursue for the rest of my life. I'm just a baby student so I don't have any performances on the horizon, but those days will come and tribal belly dance costuming can be very ornate. Many dancers do a lot of crafting of their own costumes pieces, from hair accessories to shirts to bras. It can be way cheaper to make your own than to buy something ready made.

December 31, 2012 - I will have something to show you by then, no matter how small, unless that whole Mayan thing was true and the world is goen by then. I'm committed. I'll be watching You Tube videos, checking tutorials online and maybe I'll take a crochet class from my belly dance instructor. This mama is going to get crafty.