Making Time to Crochet

It's hard to always make time to crochet. I work full-time and care for a disabled husband. For a while there, I was almost obsessive about my craft time. For nearly 2 years I was crocheting every spare minute -- turning out hats (which were donated to cancer patients), gifts, items of clothing for myself, even purses!

But as always happens, I've hit a slump. I'm working on a gift, so I can't just ease up and let the inspiration return. In fact, after I finish this gift, I must start another right away for the upcoming birth of my first grandchild. How do I keep going? As much as I hate to admit it, I just have to force myself to set aside the hours and plug away.

But I have to admit, this slump may not be long lived. I absolutely love the way The Calico Crocodile shawl is shaping up. It's just beautiful as you can see.

Here is a close-up of the actual stitch pattern. It looks hard, and takes some getting used to, but the end result is always stunning.

I just started the third skein and will use that one completely -- I think the shawl will be the right size at that point. Then, as a final touch, the pattern calls for fringe and I intend to try to match the fringe to the stripes.

I think my sister will just love this shawl!