Finding Time for Crocheting or Crafting

I'm firmly convinced that a crocheter's best friend is a tote. I like the canvas ones, or burlap, or anything with both "give" and "stability," plus a flat bottom and carry handles/straps. Even grocery store "recycle" bags are good and usually only a dollar. I need at least 3. One for whatever current project needs close focus and attention. One for routine, mindless projects that are so familiar, I do not even look at the pattern instructions any longer. And one, small one, for the car or for grab-and-go trips outside the home.

For the small one, I usually find the zippered cosmetic case style most handy. They are usually large enough for a few small scrap balls of yarn or thread, or for a small skein, plus they have a small pocket for hooks, small pair of scissors, and large-eyed needle.

Once I have them stocked, finding time is an issue to deal with. It's hard to find time for the projects that need real attention to the pattern. But the other two totes sort of take care of themselves.

The grab-and-go small tote is really great. If I'm waiting for half an hour while picking up my nephew from work, I can work on a scrap yarn scarf or cap or fingerless gloves for the homeless.

The other tote, for routine, mindless work - that's the one I leave very much out in the open at home. That's the one for those pieces of time that don't seem very large but are amazingly productive. Waiting for the next load of wash to be done, or for something to finish cooking on the stove, anything of that sort. For me, it's also great for the middle of the night. My nephew drives a cab on a weird shift. We're up at 1 a.m. and he's in work by 3 a.m. Meanwhile, he has breakfast and gets his cab-bag ready (paperwork, bottle of water, low-cal snack, sugarless gum, etc.), and gets himself ready, too. I clean up any dishes from his "breakfast," and while he's getting ready, I have about a half-hour or forty-five minutes before we leave. I have to make sure I stay awake during that time. Because we have only one vehicle, after he goes in to work, I must drive the car home. It will not do for a 71-yr-old lady to be driving home at 3 a.m., groggy! During that time, my routine crochet work is perfect. I can finish some things for the homeless or the nursing home or for teen-moms rather quickly at that point. I just make sure that I pick easy patterns.

Everybody has pieces of time that look too small, at first. But with a little thinking and planning, it is surprising what we can accomplish in those small pieces of time, just doing things little by little.