Over to You: Claire Torbett

A little while ago I invited readers who did not already have a blog to submit a crafty 'Show & Tell' they would like to share. I was delighted when the following post arrived in my inbox from Claire, because I too wasted spent many hours on Sudoku in the years BC (Before Crafting)! Here's what Claire had to say:

Why Crochet is Better than Sudoku...

I’ve never been very good at sitting still. Once the children are in bed, dinner’s been had and tidied up after and the TV is on, I get twitchy hands. I’ve surfed the internet, completed jigsaws and solved a serious quantity of Sudoku puzzles in a bid to keep my hands and mind busy. In May 2011, I decided I need something new. I like learning but what to choose? Going out in the evenings is difficult due to my husband’s long hours and two small children (one only three months old at the time) so it need to be something to do at home. A few friends on an internet forum crocheted.Young people. People like me. I liked what they produced but have never considered myself a “crafty” person and didn’t think I’d be much good at it. Nonetheless, I decided to give it a whirl.

I reserved a book at the library, bought a 3.5mm hook and some double knitting yarn and set to it with my book, advice from crocheting friends and some YouTube tutorials. It was hard to get started: the yarn needed holding a certain way; the hook had to go in this gap, not that one and the finished swatch was, well, wonky. But soon I got the hang of it and I was hooked (pun intended!).

What have I got to show for my new crochet habit? Blankets (many), hats (lots), toddler jumpers and cardigans, scarves, bowls, snowmen, snowflakes, apples, pears, a pumpkin, a mug cosy, crab and octopus finger puppets, cakes and a fried egg. Oh, and a cupboard full of yarn and some pretty, shiny hooks! What have I got to show for my old Sudoku habit? Completed grids of numbers and an average time of just over 7 minutes on the expert level of my phone app. 

People are nice about my crochet. They show an interest in what I’m doing and what I’ve done. They touch and examine what I’ve made and say nice things about it. They’ve asked me to make things for them. I can give original gifts. It makes me smile. People care and it’s great. I’ve met lots of people through my new hobby which helped a lot when we moved to Belgium two years ago.

I still do Sudoku from time to time but no one’s bothered when you’ve completed a Sudoku puzzle – not even the REALLY hard one on the very back page!

All images are (c) Claire Torbett, used with permission. If you'd like to submit a 'Show & Tell' of your own for consideration there are a few more slots available, so please email me!