On the Road Again

I am preparing to leave town for work. My job requires me to be on the road for about three weeks here and there this fall. While traveling I enjoy staying occupied with a craft project to keep me calm. My job is high energy when traveling, and when I am not "on", I like to "turn off" by crocheting in my hotel room. I look forward to spending my evenings with good friends I've met on the road in the past, and spending my late nights crocheting, and watching cable- a luxury I do not allow myself at home.

I have been searching for three things: patience, energy, and time. These things do not come easy for me. I crochet because it centers my mind. Crafting helps me "build mastery"; an activity that builds confidence. It is extremely gratifying to start with a ball of sheep's wool and spin it into my own yarn in the thickness of my choice. Then, I can crochet a bit of wearable art with it. From start to finish, it was created with my own two hands. I relish the moment where I can put on a piece of finished work. Today was a challenge in terms of finding patience. I had time, and a bit of energy, but patience was lacking. On days like this I can not be home. I have to pack a bag of yarn and coffee shop hop until I feel satisfied.

My recent work combines my own handspun yarn, and store-bought yarn. I enjoy dropping in a stripe of my handspun yarn into a scarf or cowl, or embellishing an entirely handspun piece with some luxury store-bought yarn. I am drawn to magenta, turquoise, olive green, gray, and robins egg blue. I need to get out of this box, and work in a honey hue or red. 

The handspun stripe in the cowl pictured left is made from Merino wool, angelina fiber, bamboo, and Tussah silk.

Each piece I make is embellished with a little silver oval tag. I hand stamp each oval with AOB for Arsenal of Buttons. The "O" in AOB is a little bird stamp. I am excited about the new tags; they are a nice finishing touch and makes each piece feel complete.

My goal for this fall is to have a nice inventory by late November so I can be ready for the holidays and fill up my Etsy.com store. It will feel wonderful to have a full shop again. But for now, I will stay busy crocheting, and take advantage of the evenings on the road. One more week until I leave- wish me luck!