4 Things I do While Crafting

I often hear “wow, you must have an incredible amount of patience to make the things you do” or “yeah, I could never [knit/crochet/sew/etc...], I don't have the patience for it”. While it's true you need a certain degree of patience for any craft you pursue, I promise you I'm anything but a patient person. Not one of my natural talents whatsoever. Most things I want to happen NOW! In fact the only reason I finish half of my projects is because I love it and can't wait to wear it, I'm super excited to start working on another idea I came up with part way through my current project, or I have a deadline someone else set. (That last one applies to my daily life as well. It's amazing what all I can accomplish an hour before the deadline, or when I'm doing everything except the one thing I'm supposed to be doing. ENFP problems, Lol!)

So here are 4 ways I keep from getting bored/impatient while crafting:

1. Audiobooks
​
I love reading! There isn't nearly enough hours in a month to read all the books I want, and my books-to-read list is ever growing. Thankfully, we live in the day and age of recorded books! It's a combination of two joys in my life, reading and contemplating fantastic literature while crafting. Listening keeps my mind busy when crocheting/knitting the same sequence over and over. I choose books that are easy to listen to and imagine, such as Tarzan, A Tale of Two Cities, and Brave New World, avoiding things like Shakespeare or Plato. Shakespeare wrote plays, which are difficult to following along audibly with all the stage directions and scene changes. And Plato becomes a long, on-going lecture that I start to tune out. These types of books I prefer to read myself, when I can give them my full attention. Another aspect to consider is the reader. There are several books I love, but couldn't finish as an audiobook because I found the voice of the narrator irritating or the tone with which they told the story didn't fit quite right. For example, I'm a huge fan of the Percy Jackson book series (all of Rick Riordan's modern mythology) but cannot stand listening to it. I dislike how the actors read these stories. It boils down to personal preference and taste.
When working on projects that take days, I enjoy listening to thick books that are hours long. What better way to knock out Les Miserables? ;-) Though my personal go-to favorite is The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. It has several story-lines happening all at once, which eventually connect together as the plot evolves. You love, hate, and mourn numerous characters, experience cultures during the early 1800's, and consider different ideas on morality. I could go on and on discussing books, however, this is not a book discussion blog!

2. Audio dramas

I have a few friends who dislike listening to audiobooks. They prefer to hear their own voice telling the story, which I understand. For those of you who feel the same way, my alternative is audio dramas. I highly recommend audio things so your eyes can focus on your work. Before tv, people sat around listening to radio dramas and knit. If you're interested in hearing old radio shows, some libraries have them recorded on CD. Other options are audio dramas based off of books. Shakespeare's plays sound much better in this format! Also, I'll admit I still listen to Adventures in Odyssey :) I will never be too old for Mr. Wittaker, Connie, and the gang at Whit's End! The Novacom saga remains my favorite Odyssey adventure to this day.

3. Television

If I'm not working on a terribly complicated project, I enjoy watching tv while crafting. Glancing back and forth between your hands and the screen takes practice, but after awhile most people are able to find the rhythm. This is the perfect excuse to watch through every season of your favorite series in one weekend! ;-) Just be careful to not get too distracted or later you may have several mistakes to fix. Furthermore, I don't suggest watching foreign movies. (Sadly this means no Bollywood...) Your brain will overload trying to keep up with the subtitles and what your hands are doing. ONLY when I know what I'm doing with my eyes closed can I knit while reading text. I've managed it twice because I was making something basic, and will not even attempt it when sewing. If you're a brave soul, be my guest and give it a try.

4. Group Crafting

Crafting is actually a very social activity. It was made to be shared with others! Growing up, my friends and I participated in different kinds of craft days with our homeschool group. Some times it was charity work (making blankets, hats, and Bottles of Hope for hospital patients) and other times an excuse for socializing. We would each bring whatever we were currently making (some of us knit, crochet, sew, quill, make cards, etc..) and talk for hours, occasionally laughing more than crafting. This is also how I celebrated one of my best friend's birthdays. As we watched Divergent, she knit and I crocheted while carrying on a lengthy dialogue about the differences from the book vs. the movie. It's an incredible way to bond with others! You'd be surprised by the variety of conversations that come out when crafting.

And there you have it, 4 things I do while crafting. Hopefully now you won't dread working on your double wrapping, infinite scarf or other time consuming projects. It's simply a matter of keeping your brain active and engaged.

Do you ever get bored working on projects? Let me know in the comments if you like to do any of these things when you craft. Also, feel free to share some of your favorite books or movies with me. When creating, I'm always searching for new choices to listen to or watch!
~Jasmine <3