Because Creativity - for the joy of crochet, with Klamo

Join me on an adventure, exploring and celebrating creativity of all kinds, just because.

Photo by Abigail Baines on Unsplash

Dear readers, welcome to the very first Because Creativity guest post, with

Klamo

.

Klamo joined the While I Was Drawing community in April and sent me the most beautiful email after receiving my Welcome Letter.

“Hello Emily,

I’m not sure I’m doing this right, but I felt inspired to answer this email.

I’m Klamo on Substack and live in Belgium, Antwerp.

I like to take pictures of the beautiful / funny / inspiring things I see around me.  Those are taken mostly during my daily walk or my visits to Zoo Antwerpen.  Photography helps me to focus on just that one thing in that specific moment.  You can see some of those pictures on my Substack.

My second creative pursuit is crochet.  I crochet with my left and right hand, and design my own projects.  I like the challenge even if it is sometimes frustrating.  It takes me months and usually years to make one project because I crochet with crochet hooks that are smaller than 2,5mm and am a slow crocheter.

I like your substack.  It’s a constant reminder that it’s about the joy of making.  I need that reminder, and the feeling that I’m not alone in wanting to make and express myself, just for the joy of making and having an outlet that (in my case) in not verbal.

I wish you every success in all your endeavors.

Kind Regards,

Klamo”

It always fills me with joy to receive personal email replies to my letters and I was delighted by Klamo’s introduction and intrigued to learn more about her crochet.

I asked Klamo if she would like to share more about her beautiful work here on While I Was Drawing, and I am thrilled that she agreed.

“I started to crochet about 20 years ago.  I wanted a creative outlet that I could put down and pick up again easily.  I stuck with it because I became addicted to the feel of the yarn going through my hands.  Crocheting soothes and calms me while the design process invigorates me.

There are so many possibilities with crochet.  With yarn and a crochet hook I can create something as sturdy as a basket or as lacy as a doily.  Mostly it depends on the thickness of the yarn, the size crochet hook and the crochet stiches used.

The way I crochet is a bit different.  Due to some health issues, I crochet with both hands.  One row with my right hand and the next row with my left.  I don’t turn my work.  This opens a whole world of possibilities.  I didn’t come up with this.  I was lucky enough to stumble upon the book “Tapestry Crochet” by Carol Ventura.  She also explains very clearly how to chart pictures.

Since most crochet patterns are written for a right-handed person, I can’t use them as they are written, so I decided that it would be easier to create my own patterns.  After several years, I’m not sure it’s easier, but I’m now addicted to the fun and frustrating process of designing and making my own projects.  I love the questions “Could I…?” or “What would happen if I do…?”

Here are some of the projects or swatches I made to answer some of those questions.  These pictures are my final answer.  Before that I often had the answer wrong, or only partly right, or needed to change something here or…  So yes, it took me more or less 20 years to answers these questions.  I don’t care.  I’m enjoying myself.

What if I carry two stands or yarn instead of one creating a tapestry piece with three colors in a row instead of only two? (fig. 1)

Can I create cables in crochet without creating any holes? (fig. 2)

Yes ok, but the back (see the middle part) does not look that nice.  Can I maybe have cables on the back and the front so both sides look good?

Good.  I read about this möbius band.  Can I crochet something that has no beginning or end even when looked at closely? (fig. 3)

Now that I can create cables on both sides wouldn’t it be nice to have the cables in a different color than the background? (fig. 4)

And now I want to crochet a big project.  Since this is still in the design phase.  I need to nurture this baby and keep it close.  The general idea is there, but I still need to work out all the details and adapt where necessary.  Chart, yarn combination,…

And so, my creative journey continues…”

I am in awe of Klamo’s patience and skill, to spend many years developing and practicing her creativity and creating such delicate and enchanting crochet. Thank you so much for sharing her work and her words with us, Klamo.

Klamo also writes on Substack and shares her joyful photography from her daily wallks and her visits to Antwerp Zoo.

Have you ever tried crochet?

When my sister and I were young, Mum taught us to crochet, and we whiled away many hours crocheting squares, which we then stiched together into little blankets for our toys.

My niece, Bethany, makes adorable crocheted animals in her spare time and although it’s been years since I picked up a crochet hook, I am now feeling inspired to give it another try. While I was at the craft shop this afternoon, I bought myself a crochet hook and some yarn and I am going to try a crochet jellyfish!

@bethelsworkshop on Instagram

If you have a creative pastime that you do for joy alone that you would like to share as guest post on While I Was Drawing, let me know here.

Bye for now,

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