Is Creating a Journey or a Destination?

There are two kinds of crafters. Those who create to give satisfaction and joy to themselves and (hopefully) the recipients, and those who create because they can, and it's nice to have something to do.

Which crafter are you?

When I began crocheting, I did it because it amazed me that I could create something worthwhile. This is a fulfilling feeling at the end of a project. I saw value in my finished project. I crocheted for years, eventually moving to cross stitch in the '80s. Still, that craft didn't resonate with me after investing in all the supplies it took to cross stitch (I financially dive into new hobbies thoroughly, so I've given it every chance). :-) The completed cross stitch projects were pretty and impressive, but I seldom could use my finished project except to hang it on the wall or perhaps see it on a pillow. It just wasn't useful enough.

For me, knitting and crocheting are fulfilling on many levels. You have the quest to find a pattern for a project you desire to make. This can take anywhere from an hour to several days or even weeks. Once you have the pattern, you must find the appropriate yarn in the suitable fiber. It can't be too thick or too thin since you must work within the gauge.

The project becomes even more exciting if your chosen yarn has a back story. I knit mittens from a skein I purchased when we went to New York City to see the Statue of Liberty. I'll never forget the trek to the shop where the yarn came from and the adventure of riding the subway and walking blocks in anticipation of finding the shop.

I don't collect yarns as others do. I'm much too practical for that. I usually need to have a project in mind before making a purchase. If I don't have a project in mind and stumble upon a unique shop unexpectedly, I will usually only purchase two skeins of a colorway because I know that I can at least make a scarf out of that much!

A yarn with a back story makes giving or even keeping that finished project a little more precious. As you see your dear friend or loved one open the gift you've made for them, you love telling them more about it. "When I saw the yarn for this, I KNEW you loved these colors, and I just HAD to make you a ___________ with it!" or "I found the pattern for this in a pamphlet that was in great-grandma's knitting supplies. I updated it a bit by using this lovely, hand-dyed alpaca I got when we were in Maine. Remember the shops we accidentally found by the shore?"

It can be very fulfilling to hold a finished project. Having a back story with your yarn or simply reflecting that it took the hands of another maker to spin or hand dye that yarn can fully complete that project and make some projects stand out more than others. This is the part I love about creating.