Crafting on the Go!

They say the devil finds work for idle hands. I don't suppose that will ever be a problem for me, because I keep finding new things to do and try. Case in point: crochet.

Now, I have tried knitting and I know I hate it. Working those two needles is somehow just impossibly ungainly for me. Nalbinding I like quite a lot, but it's irritating to keep having to splice in new bits of yarn just when I'm getting into a rhythm. While I was at the craft shop getting more twill tape to finish the ties on the tent walls, I saw all the rows and rows of lovely skeins of colorful yarn and thought, maybe it's time to give crochet a shot.

Sure! It can't be all that hard, and it'll be the perfect thing to take along on this weekend's camping excursion. I pictured myself sitting around our campsite in the evening, listening to Dave play his guitar or talking with our friends, industriously working away with my crochet hook. Yes, this is a good idea!

A craft shop's main purpose in life is to get you hopelessly excited about something and sell you every book and accessory they can, so I felt quite pleased with myself for only buying a little instruction booklet with five beginner projects in it and a ball of cotton yarn. The book's (and therefore my) first project is to make a simple square coaster.

But how was I going to arrange and carry my supplies? I needed a workbasket or something to keep my ball of yarn in to keep it clean and organized. After thinking on it for a bit, I came up with this:

Just a simple quart canning jar. I cut a piece of leather to fit as a lid with the ring, and punched a hole in the middle for the yarn to come out. A leather strap is held in place with a twist of wire, and two holes are punched in the strap so I can run my crochet hook into it when I'm not using it. It's very portable, and I could even hang it from my belt!

Of course there's a concern that the jar could get broken by some accident, so a certain amount of care needs to be taken in handling, but for the most part I think it's very cunning and cute. Maybe I'll make a leather cozy for it, to help it weather life's little mishaps a bit more safely. I'm already picturing something with a punched design. But that will have to wait until after this weekend's camping trip -- and until I decide if I like crochet!