Coral Flower Circle
Late yesterday afternoon I announced to my family that I was going into my room to crochet my motif and I was not to be disturbed. I would be away for 10-15 minutes and if they really, really needed me they knew where I'd be. So I closed myself in my bedroom, sat down with my back on the radiator, chose my coloured cottons and my pattern and got to work. Ommmmmmmmmmmm…...
About five minutes had passed when I heard a loud discussion from outside the door. Pepper was looking for me and Indi was trying to tell her to leave me alone and that I was meditating.
A moment or so after that Pepper burst into the room, looked at me and then burst out laughing. 'That's not how you meditate!' she cried, and then proceeded to give me a lecture and demonstration on the lotus position, the proper way to place your hands when you meditate and a couple of tips and tricks as to how to close off your mind.
My girls go to a Buddhist school, they meditate every day and apparently are experts.
Eventually she left me to it, peace well and truly broken, but a smile on my face none-the-less.
Truth be told, all five of my meditation motifs have been a bit like this: Stolen moments, interruptions, distractions, hiding behind closed doors. But I have loved every second of every stitch. I have owned that time and not felt guilty about it. I have relished it.
Penny Flower Circle
So far all the motifs I've made are from a book Bren's mum gave me called 75 Crocheted Floral Blocks by Betty Barnden. I think this one is my fave to date.
Rosette Circle
Every day after I upload my motif to instagram I click on the #motifdaymay and as I scroll through the images it makes me smile to think of all those other busy women taking time out for themselves to sit and meditate on their crochet.
Helenium Circle
I must have loved this one so much I made it twice. Weird. I've since started marking each one in the book as I hook them up.
I love getting to that moment each day when I place my new motif on the growing pile. I wonder how tall a tower the 31 motifs will be. And sometimes I do wonder what I'll do with them when the month of May is up, although I'm trying my hardest not to.
OK so those are mine, I'd love to see yours. I've tried my best to set up a linky thing below, feel free to add your motif blog posts so we can all come and visit. Hopefully it works, let me know if it doesn't and I'll have another go.
If time got away from you and you feel like starting from today, that's great and if crochet is not your thing but knitting or even stitching is, that's totally fine too.
See you soon.
Big motif love,
xx
Here's to relishing and owning guilt free crocheting/meditation time!
ReplyDeletelovely, they look so great.
ReplyDeleteWell done on the time out too.
Only slightly jealous of your girls going to a Buddhist school....oh ok I'm completely jealous but sitting with it and letting it flow through me.
I'd love to live near you, pop around for a walk and talk and pick your brain about crochet.
cheers Kate
So pretty Kate & lovely, guilt free time well spent! Reading about your girls at the door made me laugh, peace & quiet can be very hard to find can't it! x
ReplyDeleteI think all mothers can relate to that story. I know if there is 5 minutes out of the 30 minutes a current affair show it's the 5 minutes that I go to my room to watch that particular thing that it's the 5 mins that the kids feel the need to ask me questions about something. One of the other things, particularly when kids are little...whenever you were on the phone they would come up to you and Mum said "all kids hate having their face washed" so just have a washer in your hand to wipe their face when you are on that call (I'm not talking about chatting to your girlfriend, talking about negotiating your new house insurance for the year) where it's sort of business. Mum said it worked every time....kids run away from the face washer so you can finish your call. Your motifs are beautiful I still haven't had any time with my crochet yet...still tossing up patterns after I chose the one now having second thoughts. Regards Kathy A, Brisbane, Australia
ReplyDeleteHaha! I wish I had that advice about the face washer when my children were younger. What a great idea - and I bet it makes their faces even more angelic when you are finished your call thus reducing your irritation about the interruption. A beautiful solution. I agree that children, especially younger ones, have an inbuilt radar for when their parents' attention is diverted by something other than them. :-)
DeleteYour motifs are very pretty, I can't crochet so have a little bit of envy! How interesting that your girls go to a buddhist school, that's a fabulouse influence to start out in life with. I think all us mums need those meditative moments - we call them magic moments - I have mine in the garden with my tea in the morning watching the birds before everyone is up. I discovered your blog quite recently and am really enjoying your lifestyle posts. Betty
ReplyDeleteOh I think a Buddhist school sounds ace; I wonder how tall your tower will be? X
ReplyDeleteOh to be able to crochet! These are gorgeous xox
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful! I'm loving finding a moment to create my motifs, it's the perfect opportunity for stillness and surrender. xx
ReplyDeleteI've never crochet'd but they all look lovely!
ReplyDeleteI'm loving seeing your crochet mandalas Kate, such a lovely idea. They all look so beautiful in your photographs. I am very tempted to join in but I'm busy with my Rowan afghan Knit-a-Long at the moment - I guess its similar in a way as I'm putting aside some time each day just for me to knit my squares which is rather nice. Love reading your blog and great to see you on Facebook. Claire x
ReplyDeleteA Buddhist school - how lucky having one of them in your zone! Love the mandalas. Envy your crocheting abilities still!
ReplyDeleteHi Kate, I couldn't believe it when I was at my daughter's place and she has a copy of your vantastic book!! Her mother in law had bought it for her as a gift.....I was stunned...hard to explain but the connection between on line and real life hit me in the face...congrats on the book it's beautiful .
ReplyDeleteSo funny and recognisable to read about your special #motifdaymay-time! Most of the days mine too turns out to be quite far from the 10-15 quiet minutes all by myself. But the idea of doing this for me and holding on to that every day is nice anyway. And there's the joy of watching my springshawl growing, too.
ReplyDeleteI really love your motifs and quite look forward to see the pile transformated into something else.
Funny story!
ReplyDeleteKate, your crochet is so beautiful, I have knitted one square so far, I'm not sure how this is going to fit in with your circular beauties! I may have to make my own blanket! But you are really inspiring me anyway, which is the main thing. How amazing that your kids go to a Buddhist school. Brilliant! Xxx
ReplyDeleteChildren are brilliant, they bring such wonderful warmth to your hearts :D
ReplyDeleteI just love all the colours you are using Kate! And thank you for starting this! It's got me well and truly off my proverbial butt and I am learning new things each day! Oh, and aren't kiddos just priceless!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the linky Kate! Motif time is quickly becoming my favourite time of the day (even if my husband doesn't understand the idea of 'meditation' and so interrupts me all the time too!). :-D
ReplyDeleteI loved your story of Pepper explaining how to meditate... made me chuckle! How ace that a) you girls knows how to meditate and b) they go to a Buddhist school! I so would have sent my kids to one if there was one available back then...Loving your motifs/mandalas and loving the IG folk posting their pictures too! ... I will try do the linky thing as soon I've done a post :-0
ReplyDeleteI love these patterns so very much. I'm thinking of creating chair pads with the designs. I am a Buddhist and would love them for my kitchen chairs. I, also, bought your book and love looking through it and getting all sorts of ideas from it! Teaching children to meditate is one of the best life skills a child can be taught. Good for you! Thank you for always sharing. I love your crocheting!
ReplyDeleteYour motifs look fantastic! The colours are so lovely and bright and the designs have such an elegant simplicity to them that they must be as much of a pleasure to look at as they were to create.
ReplyDeleteI loved this story. I can imagine every detail. I am making time every night to add to a slowly growing pile of African Flower Hexigons. I am assembling them bit by bit and now have 50 foundation flowers on the go. Soon it will be time to add the last three rounds. For example today I went out with my son and while his best friend drove I crocheted away. I was so relaxed by the end of the drive and normally I am freaked out by newer drivers.
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