It's the Knitting & Stitching Show this week and once again it's hit me that I'm planning to go and shop but haven't really used anything I bought there last year (or the year before, or the one before that, etc etc).

So to make myself feel slightly less guilty, and also because I've missed crocheting, and winter seems to have hit here this week, I got my yarn out and am busy crocheting myself a versatile cowl/ snood/ scarf/ cardi.

This was so out of my comfort zone it was unbelievable!

I'm happy coming up with my own beadwork as it feels familiar to me.

I can pretty much predict what will happen so I'm not scared about wasting precious time on something that won't work.

And if it doesn't work I have enough experience of that to know I can either figure out what to do with it or throw it into my sample box to re-appear as something else at a later date.

I just don't have that kind of confidence with crochet- and that just comes from lack of experience. 

I blogged previously about putting in the hours and guess I just need to do that with crochet. But that includes putting in hours of failing and seems such a waste!

What if it doesn't work?
What if it doesn't fit?
What if I don't like it?

I couldn't find a pattern for what I wanted to make so I was faced with a conundrum.

Did I make something that wasn't quite what I wanted but I would have the instructions to follow or did I dive in and give it a go?

Be proud of me dear reader, I dove in and am now busy making a strange woollen, hybrid. it may or may not turn out to be what I want. 

I just keep reminding myself that all those hours will pay off in someway.

I may not get the piece I want this time but I'll be a better crocheter, will know more about working with this yarn, will be better able to predict what I'll get out of 10 balls of yarn and will know more about chosing colours.

But having said all that if it doesn't turn out how I want it I will sulk- lessons learned or not!