💜🌈 CitizenPressDog 🌈💜

Hello and welcome to another insightful entry! This year has been quite eventful for me in terms of my yarn collection, particularly as I went through a material purge due to concerns about quality. Earlier in 2024, I donated nine bags of yarn that were no longer suitable for me due to my eczema. Following the end of a significant 4.5-year relationship, I found solace in shopping and reorganization, parting with clothes and other items that no longer served a purpose in my life.

Today, I received a new order and decided to update my stash to ensure I have all the materials necessary for my upcoming projects. I’m not sure if I’ve shared my story about the name change related to my crafting journey. I chose to honor a person who deeply influenced my love for knitting and yarn by adopting a new name. Reflecting back to the 90s, when my family owned property in the Caribbean, I learned to make dishcloths using cotton yarn, which I’m currently working with. For a long time, I enjoyed creating dishcloths for my church’s holiday bazaar. As I write, I’m using a holiday-themed cotton yarn, transitioning from dishcloths to dishtowels.

As an avid online shopper, I prefer purchasing directly from yarn companies, and today was no exception—I received a restock order and made two additional purchases of similar products due to my familiarity and appreciation for the yarn and its colors. Looking ahead to 2025, I aim to create scarves and placemats, with the latter requiring less yarn. I find great fulfillment in donating my creations rather than selling them, as I believe that my time spent on simple garter stitch and basic crochet doesn’t equate to a profitable endeavor.

Although I occasionally sell some of my pieces, I find it challenging to price them appropriately, given my limited production capability. This year, I’ve also dabbled in crochet and invested in custom crochet hooks, favoring the economic options available. In my creative process, I typically knit the main project and then incorporate a crocheted final row to finish it off.

Most of my work is donated to the local community, as my budget doesn’t allow for shipping products to other causes across the country, despite my desire to support them. While I could take tax write-offs for my yarn purchases, I choose not to, and I primarily engage in selling my garter stitch creations at a lower price than they may warrant. Nonetheless, I appreciate the joy and satisfaction that comes from crafting.

This entry may seem a bit lengthy, but that’s perfectly alright. I plan to share one more reflection on my past relationship before concluding this chapter. Thank you for joining me on this journey!