04 | May | 2017 | Ice Maiden Diaries

Quite simply, crochet feeds the human need for balance in our lives. Making something with our hands reflects something basic about ourselves. We want to work hard without losing touch with our creative selves; we want to earn money without losing our souls; and we want to be part of a larger picture of human progression while still maintaining our individuality.” – Vickie Howell

I hate the word crochet or is it just the mental picture of what the word represents.
People assume that crochet is for old people, sitting in a rocking chair wasting their time making Christmas jumpers, the same is said for knitters.
I find that to be rather sad and very untrue.
Ok I’m as small/short as a granny and I’m getting on a bit, safely sat in the 30’s 😩 but I’m far from claiming my pension.
I try to pick up my hook at least everyday if not I don’t like to leave it for more than two.
Sadly lately I haven’t been able to and I find that very hard.
Crochet to me is therapeutic, it calms my soul and gives me a purpose. It also helps my hands from seizing up.
It let’s my imagination run ride, it lets me create an individual piece of art, that will warp someone in love and warmth. To me that pretty special.
Crochet challenges me daily and keeps my brain in some kind of functioning order, which right now I need.
Most importantly though, it let’s me give a little something extra special to my family and friends.
Every stitch, every loop, every knot has been hooked with love especially for the person I am making it for.
To see their eyes alight when they pull open the wrapping and lift the lid of the specially picked box, peel back the handmade tissue paper and reveal the blanket that is a hug in a box. That moment melts you.

The only trouble is there is so many beautiful designs, patterns, masterpieces out there, how do you pick your next project, your next hug. And then when you finally decide on the perfect pattern, what yarn to use, and what colours?
I’m a self-confessed yarn addict, I have more than enough to keep me going for at least two life times 😝, but still I never seem to have the perfect yarn in the right shades so of course I have to buy more.
Every gift I make is unique in that way, hours of thought and love has been spent, planning that very individual special gift, then hours upon hours, days, weeks even months of hooking to make it.
No shop brought give can match that in my eyes,👀 well unless it’s been given as much love and attention as what a home-made gift has. I’ll admit I’ve brought a few gifts that I’ve spent weeks researching and tracking down so I give the gift that I believed that person wanted.

So do you still feel crochet or knitting as something that only old people do or can you see it for the precious, heartfelt, caring, loving hug it really is?

👵🏻👵🏻👵🏻👵🏻👵🏻

What is it with schools these days?
Why can’t they help the children who have a passion for certain subjects?
One of my cousins children is extremely passionate about spirit, all he wants to do is complete and improve on his skills and his personal bests. He dreams of complete for his country and if I do say so myself, he’s bloody fast.
He recently has started competing for the youth development league and for his home town, he’s been offered private sponsorship but still the school have no interest or intention to help him, they haven’t even given him a place in the school athletic team, which is an utter disgrace on their part.
This child has goals, dreams and a future planned out which he understands could only stay as a dream due to many different obstacles such as being spotted.
I know the struggles he faces as I was once a very talented athlete who was lucky enough to be spotted and trained, sadly life had different plans for me and I let my dream of running for England go within baby steps of making it. (One of my biggest regrets in life so far)
Shouldn’t these teachers be pushing him, training him, encouraging him, doing their up most to help him fulfill his dreams which I believe he is more than capable of achieving, he’s good, really, really good.
A few weeks ago I went to watch him compete and my god that child flies, he is fast, I mean very fast and at such a young age.
If I have noticed and a complete stranger has noticed, why haven’t the school.
He keeps telling me that they are an IT school and that’s all they care about. It’s totally wrong and makes my blood boil.
This young lad also is pretty damn good with math, he sits and plays maths puzzles online just for fun but still the school haven’t picked up on his talent and love for math. In infants he would be doing his much older bothers homework and get everything right.
For some reason that passion has faded now and he openly admits that it’s down to his teachers. 👨‍🏫
I just don’t get it, why would they let this fire burn out, why have they let him give up on something so important. Isn’t school all about Math and English, aren’t they the key to college? (I have my own views on that, but hey ho, that how the school rolls)
It really does infuriate me.
Marly-Kate’s school is the same, she has her passions, and they don’t seem to care, they seem to hold her back, at least she has a whizz kid living with us that is teaching her all about computer science, coding etc and thank god for programs on-line that are now focusing on young children learning code.

I really believe that the schooling system is wrong, the way they teach is wrong, maybe not for some, but Marly-Kate is a visual learner, she learns through doing and not being preached at.
I know some child learn well that way but what about the children that are left behind because they don’t, it really is a sad kettle of fish.

I’m not sure if my ramblings is getting my point across, maybe the below video will sum it up better.
I just hope that things can change a little and give the child a chance at their dreams, their goals, their destinies.