52 Weeks of Crochet: My Reasons Why in 2024
What is 52 Weeks of Crochet? Let me start with some backstory! Several years ago a creative friend introduced me to The 100 Day Project. I painted a a 4×4 painting every day for 100 days and posted them to Instagram. I was a graduate student with fairly grueling schedule so this would often be the last thing I’d do at night after a full day of classes, studying, and work. I’ve never taken any instruction in painting so it was a learning through discovery situation.
I’m still a novice at best and I’ve rarely picked up a paintbrush since, but it was one of the most rewarding creative endeavors I’ve undertaken. It was also a fun way to connect with creative friends and share something that was enjoyable to me. Graduate school can be a bit a soul suck and creative activities have always been part of my mental health or self care practice. Naturally, I’ve wanted to do another 100 day project ever since.
My 100 Day Project
That was in 2016. Since then I’ve undertaken other creative activities including several years of pottery, attempts at punch needle, two NaNoWriMos, and a creative writing class. Pottery was messy and expensive and it got more challenging to get into the studio after the pandemic started. Now I have boxes of ugly ceramics that I’m not sure what to do with them. I’m too much of a perfectionist to want to give most of it away, let alone sell it. Punch needle is fun, but unwieldy and not always as portable as I’d like. I love creative writing, but it can be solitary and isolating and mentally draining when it’s not going well. I’ve been seeking a creative outlet that is easy to contain, portable, and easy on the mind.
In the spirit of The 100 Day Project and my desire to take on a new creative outlet, I’m excited to announce my 52 Weeks of Crochet Project!
Why Crochet?
A few weeks ago I started amigurumi kit by The Woobles. You can find my first impressions review here. Keep watch for a full review in the future! I don’t think amigurumi will be my thing, but it was an excellent self contained introduction to crochet. More on that another time. What I do know is I enjoy the calm of finding a rhythm in in the stitches, and it’s so versatile. I’m most excited to learn how to make wearables like sweaters and shawls, and home decor like blankets and coasters. To stick with the project I need it to be packable. I can crochet from my sofa or just before bed. I can also crochet on the plane or on a car ride. Finally, I’ve always been fascinated with fiber arts and surprisingly crochet is one I’ve not tried yet so I’m excited to develop the skill.
Why 52 Weeks of Crochet?
As a beginner, one hundred days could be how long it takes me to complete a project. I want to ensure that I don’t get into a rut and I also know you don’t want to see 100 days of double crochet on a single project. By allowing more time and focusing on weeks instead of days, my goal is to share more projects and progress overtime.
I also know that daily postings are going to be hard to keep up. Instagram is date for quick posts, but a blog requires a long form approach. I’m intentionally blogging on this site, instead of Instagram, because I want to experiment with sharing on a platform that allows greater ownership over the content I share. I can tell longer stories here, embed more videos, photos, and links, and it can be free of the distraction I often experience on social media. I’m hopeful that I can experiment along with way with different ways of sharing my crochet progress.
What’s Next?
I’m going to be crocheting! My goal is to share my progress here at least once a week. I invite you to check in on me and see how I’m doing with my 52 Weeks of Crochet Project!
