My mandala is done. It didn't take long, just one night, but it took me some time to determine pattern and yarn colors for the mandala I would contribute to the #MandalasForMarinke project. I was trying to determine what color palette and what pattern I wanted to use, and that was a process. I decided on her Summer Hearts Mandala, and the color scheme is meant to reflect peace.
I didn't know Marinke Slump personally, but I had followed her blog for a few years and enjoyed her creative style and love of crochet. For her, crochet was a way to manage depression. Sadly, Marinke took her own life the end of July. Kathryn Vercillo of Crochet Concupiscence started a project to honor Marinke and raise awareness of depression. The crochet community was deeply impacted by this loss, and aim of this project is to gather mandalas and stories from the crochet community. It will be a wonderful explosion of yarny color, celebrating a young woman who touched so many she never knew.
The mandalas will be posted on Kathryn's website with the #MandalasForMarinke tag and promoted through social media. Each post will include at least one fact about depression to help raise awareness. All of the crochet and written work will be curated into an art show in San Francisco in late 2015/early 2016. In addition, all crochet and written contributions will be compiled into a book associated with the art show, available for sale online for those who cant attend the show. A portion of all sales from the art book will go to raising awareness about depression. The mandalas will be donated after the art show, how/who is still to be determined.
Deadline to have mandalas postmarked is Aug. 31, 2015 October 15, 2015.
My mandala is done in soft hues, representing the peace I hope Marinke (Wink) has finally found. I decided to contribute after hearing the news of Marinke's suicide. Crochet has always been my way to relax, de-stress, cope with all the things that pile up in life. I want others to find the peace I have found in crochet, the peace Marinke found in crochet. That's why I chose to contribute to this project - so others will see how much it means to me.
Rest in peace, Marinke.
I was trolling the social media world today and came across another blog post about knitting in public. The post questioned whether it was considered rude to knit in public or "perfectly reasonable to do so." After reading the entire post, I tend to agree with the final 'rule of thumb.' Generally speaking, if you're in a public space and your knitting (or crocheting or other activity) may imply lack of interest or attention, put the hook down. It's only common courtesy and we would expect it as well.
This post did make me stop and think, though, how my crocheting in public may appear to others. Would anyone think I am being anti-social, or as this post implies - rude? I have never had an experience like that. In fact, most of the time when I'm crocheting in a doctor's office or other similar place waiting for something I have comments from fellow yarn lovers and even from those who ask what I'm doing. I find it's a great conversation starter, plus it passes the time and keeps me less stressed while waiting for whatever the reason may be.
My crochet doesn't always go with me, but if I think there is a possibility of getting some hooky time... a WIP is most definitely with me. Not only does crocheting or knitting pass the time, it's been proven to reduce blood pressure, relieve stress, calm nerves, etc.
I would have to agree, however, that I would not crochet during a presentation, poetry reading, meeting, etc. where my attention should be fully on the task at hand (no matter how uninteresting the topic may be!).
So, the Golden Rule applies here as well. Do unto others as you would have done to you. If you wouldn't want someone knitting or crocheting or whatever during/where you are at, then it probably isn't appropriate to be doing it yourself!
Happy on the Hook!
Gwenhywfar
