There is beauty in imperfection

I've been playing around with my camera to see if maybe I should really read the instruction manual. I think the answer is a resounding "YES!!!!!" Cameras are just one of the many technical things that intimidate me. Sewing machines are also on that list. (I have an extreme fear of bobbin, but that's for another post!) In my previous life, one of the things I did was supervise photo shoots on location and at professional photo studios. I knew back then that what the photographers were doing involved lots of magic as well as skill. So I stayed far away from the equipment and just "gave directions." (Like they needed me to tell them what do do! But I was young and corporate, need I say more?) Now I have no choice, so I have to get comfortable with the camera if I want to be a blogger, and I do!

So, anyway, these are some scarves I recently made. I prefer to crochet, rather than knit, because I always manage to drop lots of stitches when I knit, and then my hands get all cramped, and I start to perspire and and pretty soon I'm just a bundle of nerves with a mess on my hands.

This was my first attempt at crocheting after over 40 years of avoiding it. As you can see, the sides are very wavy because I couldn't seem to find the last stitch at the end of a row. I was also afraid of color. But I found out that I really enjoyed crocheting, and that even a wonky scarf keeps the neck nice and warm. :-)

This was my next attempt, and I was really happy with how it turned out. I was still afraid of color (inspired by all the shades of gray during a Wisconsin winter, I think), but I used a few different types of yarn that I found in the clearance section. I'm all for using remnants and not paying full price for anything, if I can help it. I also crocheted it the long way to get the long stripes that run along the length of the scarf.

Here's a photo that didn't turn very well since I was facing the sun, so you can't see the details of the scarf, but I still like the idea of using the shepherd's hook as a prop. Do you see the rabbit footprints in the snow?

This is a close-up of the scarf, where you can see that I've used some red. I also crocheted this scarf the long way, but I started in the middle and kept going around and around, getting the rounded ends.

Here's a close-up of the scarf, but unfortunately it looks a little like a caterpillar. The colors and textures are really much prettier. There are nice chunks of gold and teal in the yarn used in the middle section, and the black and bluish-red really go well together. I took so many pictures in different locations and in different light to try to get the colors right, but with no success.

This is the last scarf I made and it is the most colorful one I've made, since I really stepped way outside my comfort zone, and it is probably my favorite scarf now. I love the different vibrant colors and the variety of textures.

It's snowing outside right now and it's supposed to get very cold again next week, so I guess I'm prepared.

Here's a photo of our cat, Skitzi, looking out the window from one of her favorite spots. I think she's waiting for the snow. She's very camera-shy, and since she's almost all black, except for some white spots on her tummy (she has a wiggle pouch*, or jungle pouch), she's really hard to photograph, especially for someone with my camera skills. :-(


*wiggle pouch/jungle pouch - Some cats still have a wiggly extra bit of skin along their tummy area, like someone who has lost a lot of weight. They inherited this from their jungle ancestors. This pouch protected their internal organs when fighting and clawing each other.