I discovered the world of crafting when I was just nine years old. Nobody in my family knew how to knit and I longed for a pair of homemade knitted socks. I didn't know anyone who knitted, so I decided to teach myself. A lady who had stayed with us for a short period of time five years before, left 4 double point needles for making socks, some yarn and a couple of knitting magazines behind.
Without telling anyone, I began my quest in secret.
My first project was making a sock using four needles! That would be frustrating enough for an adult beginner let alone a child, but I had a dream and persevered. Months later, I had one awful looking knee sock that was quickly unraveled. I decided to try again and the second sock, not quite as long and of a different color was finished. It looked almost as bad as the first, so back to its original state it went! Almost a year later, a rather nice looking sock in yet another color was made, but by then I couldn't face making the matching sock. I don't know what happened to this one, but my mother saved it as a keepsake for a long time. I never made another sock by hand again, but I was hooked on knitting and soon was making mitts, scarves and even sweaters.
I remember making my mother a turquoise sweater with a white angora collar and she wore thata lot. It wasn't until I was married with children of my own that I realized she wore it to please me. Around the age of 12, I discovered sewing and my grandmother would let me use her old Singer treadle machine. I chuckle when I look back at pictures and see my sister, my mother and myself all with the same dress, in the same style and fabric. I made a lot of my clothes through school partly through necessity. My father was a coal miner with four children so there wasn't money to spare. As I got older I continued to hone my knitting and sewing skills and added other crafts such asleather craft, ceramics, soft toy making, crocheting, machine knitting, etc. When my children came along, I shared my love of crafting with them and they in turn have passed it along to their children.On a recent visit with one daughter, the grandchildren made lovely dolls of their own creation.
Crafting can add a whole new dimension to your life. It helps draw the family closer togetherand is a great way to bond with the kids. Don't worry about perfection, being togetherand sharing a common interest is what counts. If you're not a crafter, try it today.
Mary Hilchie is a lifelong crafter with four children and four grandchildren.Her web site can be viewed here...http://www.melodiesplus.com/
Source: www.articlesphere.com
