With experience, the physical act of making crochet fabric becomes automatic. At that point, the smooth, repetitive and intellectually non-challenging motions free up our higher brain functions to take in and process information and all manner of other stimuli. In other words, while our hands are very busy with crochet, our minds may be engaged with other things. I might be tempted to say crochet makes you smarter. Certainly the possibility of layering pleasure upon pleasure makes the craft even more fun.
Crochet can be successfully and happily executed while watching TV, listening to music, participating in lively conversation. One caveat, though. Try not to have an argument while crocheting. I find that it makes me lose count.
You can most assuredly eat and crochet. Do it all the time. Crocheters who protest that they don’t are lying. Hey, when a project is underway and the deadline looms large, you might not want to stop for a meal. Clearly this joint activity has pitfalls. You have to be a tidy eater and have lots of wipes, because you may not want to stop to wash up, either. Snack foods are naturals with crochet, particularly if you choose finger foods that are neatly bite-sized, drip-less and don’t melt too quickly at body temperature, so you can avoid messing up your work. Say NO to pizza. I have knowledge of crocheters who use chopsticks to pick up and eat cheese curls so as to avoid the embarrassment of cheesy stains. My crochet food of choice is toaster pastries, you know the brand. I can’t believe I am admitting this.
Not surprisingly, the association of yarn and dessert goes way deeper. Notice how we use the same terms to describe them both. Yummy. Luscious. Sinful. Creamy. To die for. If given a choice between yarn or chocolate cake, I’d do the unthinkable. I’d actually have to stop crocheting and enjoy the cake without regret.
Drinking and crocheting. That’s a whole other discussion. Let’s just say that it depends on the libation, your tolerance for alcohol, fuzzy thinking and the resulting crooked rows.
Granted, there are activities you should NOT attempt while crocheting. I can’t read a novel and crochet at the same time. Somehow I can crochet and read crochet instructions at the same time, but that’s something completely different. Obviously you really should not drive and crochet, or do your taxes and crochet. I can bake and crochet, because there are moments of down-time with baking, like the few minutes waiting for a batch of cookies to come out of the oven. But for the most part you should not cook and crochet. What if you splash red gravy on your cashmere yarn? What if a loose end hits the burner and catches fire? EEEEEK!
One can, if one desires, perform any number of smooth, repetitive, intellectually non-challenging tasks with the parts of the anatomy not involved in crocheting. I only mention this because my friend, Marty Miller, past president of the Crochet Guild of America, educator, designer, crochet technical editor, group exercise instructor and personal trainer, routinely crochets during her workouts on a recumbent bike. I consider this sheer lunacy. However it also bears mentioning that Marty is enviably fit, otherwise healthy and thin as a rail.
Marty has just gathered some of her favorite designs that reflect her on-the-go attitude. Her new book, Totes For All Reasons (Leisure Arts) showcases her versatile bag and tote designs, all featuring straps that can be hung on your bike handles to hold your work in progress, making it easier to crochet while stationary pedaling. Nifty!
The written instructions are crystal clear (Marty wouldn’t have it any other way) and all patterns but one are rated easy. Totes For All Reasons includes seven designs in different shapes and stitches that fill all your carrying needs. So even if your butt will never in your life touch the seat of a recumbent bike, you’ll want to check out this useful collection. And follow along with Marty’s book tour, next stop 3 September at Vashti Braha’s blog. Here’s the complete schedule for the week:
August 29: Marty Miller
August 30: Ellen Gormley
August 31: Drew Emborsky
September 1: Kimberly McAlindin
September 3: Vashti Braha
September 4: Kate Steinke
Doris Chan Crochet 
I too crochet at the gym on both the bike and the eliptical! I admit, I don’t go to the gym very often, but when I do, I always bring yarn. I love the extra core ballance work out when I can’t use my hands for stability. I once walked from 96th st to 20th street while crocheting when I lived in NYC. I’ve been known to crochet at bars and restaurants, and I have actually crocheted with reading a magazine. My big confession is that I have definitely crocheted while driving. I know its horrible, and I don’t do it anymore, but traffic gets really bad in SoCal.
Love this post, Doris!
Love the creativity and thought put into this post! I mostly crochet while watching TV / movies. Definitely don’t crochet while eating or cooking. Have considered crocheting while on a stationery bike (if I ever decide I want to join a gym). Always crochet when the passenger in a car and sometimes on the bus. Impressed by people who crochet while walking.
Never been able to master a way to eat using chopsticks. Therefore, I pick up snack mix, or chopped apple bits, with bamboo toaster tongs. Yep, my crochet hook remains clean, even during a snack.
When doing this during an outdoor concert, the man sitting kitty-corner to my elbow said I was almost as entertaining as the music.
I will have to look into that new pattern book. This week, I crocheted a tote bag using about 8 small balls of yarn to work the stripes. Soon as I pulled it out to show my Needlework Group, one gal asked for the pattern. Well, it was scraps, I just started and kept going. A whole book of patterns for bags might be just what I need!
I do crochet while reading. That corner-to-corner diagonal blocks pattern is easy enough. I used to crochet while in the dentist’s chair, but he informed me that it freaked him out that I could crochet without looking. I decided it was better to give up crocheting than have a “freaked-out” dentist. During band, I knit hats while counting measures of rest. Circular needles don’t hit the floor every time I put the knitting down and the straight round-and round pattern is methodic enough that I don’t need to pay attention to it. I like the idea of the bamboo toaster tongs.
I am planning on making the Trellis bag in a Lion Brand Cotton – Morning Glory Blue. I love the color and think it will look great for that bag. Then I am going to go through the list of other bags and make them for gifts!
Nice – blog tour post and book. I crochet and listen to NPR all the time. 🙂
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