Crochet Leg Warmers + A Video Highlighting Tulsa's Fiber Artists

If you've ever poured yourself into any form of creativity, you might relate to something I've often encountered: Variety keeps it interesting.  Actually, I would apply this theory to lots of things, even beyond the artistic world.  It's easy to get burned out on your job, your town, your daily routine, or any aspect of life if you don't try something fun and different occasionally.  So when it comes to crafting, crochet is my escape.  My little craft desk is one of my favorite places in the world.  Nothing but good vibes are allowed in this corner.  Just ask my husband how quickly he gets shut down when he tries to talk politics when the music is playing and the work surface is open for business.  It's a very safe, happy place for me.

That being said, sometimes I need to escape.  I spend a LOT of time in this corner, not only creating things but also photographing and packaging them.  So occasionally, I start feeling trapped in this space and I have to break away for a change.  That's where crochet comes in.  This medium is very mobile.  I can take it to the most comfortable spots of my home, to a coffee shop to work in the company of friends, or to a sunny park bench with a soundtrack of birds chirping and leaves rustling.   I was so pleased with a recent crochet creation that I wanted to share in case anyone else might be interested in bustin' out the crochet hooks and making some too. 

These fun leg warmers were based on a pattern I found here for only 21 cents.  I wanted mine to be tapered to fit my leg, so I altered the pattern by doing a double crochet decrease halfway around rows 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13.  I also wove a black ribbon through the top of the cuffs to keep them in place during wear and to add a little extra flair.  I was pleased with the results, but unsure of where I might be able to sport these new cuties other than around the house.  Luckily, I found the perfect venue.  I recently started taking belly dance classes (keeping with the theme of variety, I guess I was just craving something new and exciting) so I wore my new leg warmers to dance class and shimmied the day away.

If you'd like to see a few shots of these leg warmers in progress, check out this segment that was featured on the local news last week.  The lovely and entertaining MC Swab of Fly The Coop interviewed knitters and crocheters at Loops, a yarn store we all adore.  Not only can you see friendly faces working on various projects and discussing the merits of fibercrafts, there's also a brief conversation about how much my Gran inspired me to start crocheting.  I hope somewhere out there, her soul did a happy dance when her photo was aired on the local news.  

So now that you know about my creative escape, tell me about yours!  What do you do to recharge your crafty energy?