Craft musings...

I often wonder to myself, why do I do this?  When I'm in the middle of a particularly irritating, difficult, or monotonous project, I ask, "Why do I put myself through this misery?  I say that it's because I enjoy it, but I'm certainly not enjoying it now!"  I've also heard people talk about being a "process" crafter or a "product" crafter.  If one is a process crafter, they are doing it because they simply enjoy making things.  If one is a product crafter, they enjoy the finished product, but may not be wild about seaming knitted pieces together or sewing borders on to a quilt.  I haven't decided which of those I am, because I really geek out sometimes about certain parts of the process, but I like admiring the finished product as well.  Although, many times, it takes me so long to finish a project that by the time it is a finished product I've moved on to the next project in my head.  I do have a couple of ideas about why I craft, however.

I'm a huge fan of multitasking.  I crosstitched and embroidered a lot when I was younger while I was watching TV, or doing other things that didn't require the use of my hands.  Lately, I've been knitting like a crazy person.  I find that the more I do it, the more I want to.  It's a vicious cycle, but I'm not complaining!  I love to watch movies, but often feel like if I sit down and spend two hours watching a movie without doing anything else, even if I like the movie, I've wasted time.  I solve this problem by knitting while watching movies.  My favorite kind of evening is one spent at home watching a movie with my knitting, and maybe my husband.  :)

It's harder to quilt while doing other things, for me.  I'm relatively new to quilting in particular, and sewing on a machine in general, so I have to really pay attention to what is going on.  Especially when sewing clothes.  I recently had a run in with a pair of flannel pajama pants that I'd rather not speak about.  I think the reason that I sew is because I enjoy creating one of a kind quilts.  I can make the same pattern 50 times and have it look different every time.  I haven't sewn too much in the way of clothes, but I do have a little bit of an arrogant side when it comes to sewing.  Not too many people my age sew, at least that I know, so if I wear an article of clothing that I've made, and someone says, "Oh wow, your dress is really cute!"  I generally reply with, "Thanks, I made it!"  I should probably work on toning down my pride when I say that, because the stuff I make really isn't all that exciting, but I have a problem.

I also craft because I love the look on a person's face when I give them something that they know no one else will have.  I give most of the things that I make away, mostly because I'm still working through a huge list of things that people have requested I make them ever since they found out I knit and sew.  My family and my husband's family are both full of unique people, so they really appreciate receiving something that will make then stand out.  That's what they tell me, anyway.

Lastly, I craft because it keeps me fairly sane.  I find it very relaxing to spend a day sewing or knitting.  Most times.  I have also found that if I'm in a particularly trying situation, if I pull out my knitting it causes a calm to wash over me, to be totally cliche.  It makes me concentrate on something else rather than whatever annoying thing is happening at the time.

I want to know why you, our readers, craft.  Or, conversely, if you don't craft, I want to know why you don't.  Do you wish you could, and want someone to teach you?  Do you think crafting is totally a waste of time, money, and energy?  Or do you, like me, get a warm fuzzy from giving someone a unique, homemade gift?  Let us know by clicking the comments button at the bottom of this post, we would love to hear from you!