Motivational Monday, 21 November

I gave myself a challenge...

Nothing too hard but then again, nothing too easy either...

To build on something I already had a working knowledge of...

To learn a new technique and build on my foundation...

And the end result was pretty pleasing to all involved.

The "mental" aspect of the weekly compass deals with doing something to improve your mind.  It doesn't matter what it is - working puzzle games, reading for pleasure or expanding your knowledge on any given subject.  If it makes you work that muscle between your ears, it counts.

Earlier this month I challenged myself to work better granny squares and to learn how to read a simple granny square pattern.  I managed to improve my tension when it comes to crochet and decode a little more of the foreign language known as 'crochet patterns'.  This week, I took that knowledge a step further - I worked a complete pattern in crochet from start to finish.  Yes, it was dealing with granny squares but those squares had to be joined together via a single crochet stitch edging around each square and then single crochet stitch seaming - and they had to be done in a specific order or else the item would not produce the intended result.

Sure, seaming took me most of Sunday but you know what - I am so proud of these silly little slippers.  I took a technique that I had no "formal" knowledge of sans sitting at my mother's feet during Peanut's graduation week and mirroring her work to make a square and then mass producing simple squares for that entire week to work out the kinks while she was there to guide me and put me back on track.  No pattern.  No written instruction.  No technical jargon.  Just a girl, her mama and some hooks and yarn... the old fashioned way of learning a craft.  I took that foundation and built on it - learning what "sc1" means and "ch4".  I learned how to do the seaming just as the directions stated.  Are these slippers perfect - shoot no.  Am I proud - you better believe it.

When the weekly compass asks for something "mental" to work on - it doesn't judge you on what you write down so be honest and set realistic goals.  What may look like a baby step to some, could a milestone for someone else.  I think I'll enter this in this month's Celebrate Color contest.  I don't think it will win but I am so tickled, I can't help myself.