The Problem with Pumpkins

I was recently scrolling through Instagram and came across several adorable crochet pumpkin patterns. Thanks to a happy accident I realized one of the patterns was cute when you accidentally stuff it inside out (see the swirl patterned version in the photo). This picture shows just a few of the pumpkins that I've made in recent weeks. One based on a pattern by an entirely different designer is sitting on my desk at work right now. I know, I know. I have a problem. I'm not addicted to pumpkin spice lattes like so many other folks this time of year, but I do have a terrible habit of wanting to make all the cute things (I might have purchased a Christmas tree pattern today ...)! Making these pumpkins meant putting a scarf that I was working on, on hold. The scarf has a leaf pattern that I thought would be perfect for fall. You may think, well it is still fall, except I've been meaning to finish it since last fall.

In this week's Theory and Practice of Social Media assignments focus on social media and participatory culture. My pumpkin problem is directly connected to this. I started following a few crochet bloggers whose patterns I had used on Facebook. Then when I got onto Instagram I started following them there. I now follow more on Instagram than I can count off the top of my head. Some of that is the result of contests that require you to follow other accounts (very smart craft bloggers, very smart!) and I will occasionally unfollow one whose patterns just aren't my thing, but usually I keep them around. This means that there is a near constant stream of amazing looking things in my IG feed. I've been known to buy patterns and yarn for said patterns and never get around to actually making the thing.

This summer I started reevaluating my crochet hobby after I bought a pattern for a dress and yarn to make it. The dress is great, it looks amazing on the designer and the testers. But the more I thought about it the more I realized that if I made it i would never wear it. I've done this with a few sweater problems too. Patterns are usually $5 or less and I don't mind spending the money on one I won't make because it supports a designer who I like and will make other things they put out. However the real problem has become the yarn. There is so much yarn! I have it in containers in closets and under beds. So I have been trying to work away at my stash and not buy new yarn until I do. I used the yarn I bought for the dress to make a sweater that I have actually worn. And I had orange yarn laying around so I used that for the pumpkins ... but then I decided I wanted some variety and the pattern I wanted to make called for extra bulky, which I didn't have, so I went out and bought more. I guess I'm still a work in progress.

My advice to myself is to slow down, stop and think before acting. This way I don't rush out to get yarn for a project I'll never actually start. But I think this advice can apply to a lot more than an out of control hobby fueled by the accounts I follow on social media. I think if everyone stopped to take a breath and think before they rushed to post something social media could be a much nicer place, instead of one that is often extremely polarized.

This blog post is an assignment for the Theory and Practice of Social Media course at NJIT.