Covering the Auckland Writers and Readers Festival

We are planning to head up to the Auckland Writers and Readers Festival in May. Here’s a pictorial presentation of Festival flavour …

Craft and magical thinking

Every month I read through the list of new books emailed to me and I usually find a crochet or knitting book that I need to reserve: something like AUSTENtatious crochet or Crochet master class .  It will be full of beautiful pictures of gorgeous clothes or accessories and I immediately imagine these items draped on me or the furniture. In fact, I can imagine it so well that in four weeks time, when I have to return the book, I am surprised to find that no craft item has magically appeared.

It all comes unstuck at the making stage.  Looking at the pictures and reading the pattern does not magically convey the ability to make whatever I’m looking at, no matter how hard I wish. Even buying more yarn won’t do it; that just adds to the stash. Only actually making it counts. That’s about time, motivation and work, not magic and wishful thinking.

So now I still borrow the books but I’m inclined to just look at the pictures a little wistfully then return the book. I’ll concentrate on finishing some of my many half-finished projects.

Unless, of course, a book comes along with a picture that I just can’t resist!

Tell me that I’m not the only one to suffer from crafty magical thinking! What craft books have moved you from fantasy to reality?