This has certainly been a summer like no other! I’ve found myself with more time, but less motivation than in any time I can remember. To challenge this malaise, I’ve found I have to turn off the news and actively seek out joy. Of course with the pandemic and riots keeping me safely inside my home, that joy has to come from within. I can’t always muster this, but I can always turn to my blankets for it.
Yes, that’s right, I’ve found joy in creating lively, artistic (somewhat), colorful, goofy creations. If it helps pass even one more night, I encourage everyone to do the same. During the month of June I created blankets which mimic fruit, flowers and even leaves. I love nature, so looking to it for inspiration was easy for me.
I continued on making blankets that resemble donuts, cookies and even rainbows. Some turned out better than others, but I truly felt inspired as I searched out photographs, sketched my design, picked up my crochet hook, and got to work!
All my blankets have the goal of bringing comfort to a homeless pet, but to be honest, these blankets brought comfort to me. They allowed me to shift focus from the problems in society to a perfectly sliced orange. Where I felt powerless to improve anything around me, I was able to figure out just the right stitch to convey the bumpiness of a chocolate chip. With this solution in hand, world peace can’t be far behind!
So I encourage you to break from the routine of the blankets you’ve been creating and search out this joy for yourself. Find a yarn that’s different, or a stitch that you’ve never tried before. Combine a chocolate brown yarn with bright neon green. Express yourself in these small little creations which will bring so much joy to the lucky pets who receive them. As you imagine that jet black cat snuggled on your colorful creation, you can’t help but smile. I hope just looking forward to that, helps get you through this “new normal”. Bless you all!
