Farmers Market Bag
This beauty was started last Fall and finished this Spring. Right on time for pursuing farmers markets on the weekends. A long time dream of mine is to shop weekly at a farmers market. Buy all the produce I need, and then supplement from the grocery store. One day, when my national park living is over, I’ll make a point to live in a town. For the mean time, I can make these little treasures for you all. Can’t you see the tops of carrots and kale peeking from the brim?!
This is not my pattern, but it can be found here from Just Be Crafty Blog. It is pretty straight forward, and easy to follow. I already want to make another one! My only mistake was not reading the correct amount of yarn needed. Y’all. I went back to my local-ish Michael’s THREE times to pick up more yarn. Hah! Thankfully, the store had the same dye lot each time, because not all grays are equal. Lesson learned? Do my math and buy more yarn than needed. If you like this finished product, it’s available in my Etsy shop. Want a different color? I would be more than happy to make you one!
What I love about this project is not only the lessons learned from my mistakes, but the symbolism for being in a season of putting things down. I can’t even remember why I stopped working on this bag—besides running out of yarn. Since January, I kept finding myself putting things down. Sometimes by choice. Sometimes by force. There’s been expected, and unexpected, travel for David’s work leading to major shifts in my priorities and how I run my home. Many, many impromptu hangouts with family and friends that fill my soul, and leave my home’s surfaces dusty. Owen started day care a few hours a week in January, and that sacrificed a weekly play date with other mommas. I started a new business that led to less crochet and writing time. Running has taken a back burner, because I’m focused more on long walks with Owen and the mutts.
For most of the year I’ve felt a slight tension, like my shoes are always tied a little too tight. For most of the year I categorized that tension as wrong and needing release. Unfortunately, that left me with being pulled in every. single. direction. Not fun, and exhausting. I’m still unearthing exactly what season I’m in. (I really really like things to be exact.) However, as I finished up this bag last week, the epiphany came to me. It’s okay to put things down for a while, and it doesn’t mean it’ll never be picked back up again. Running consistently WILL come back to me. This isn’t the season for it. Meal planning and cleaning WILL become a joy to me again. Right now, David and I are focused on acing our budget. One day, Owen will be in school full time and I won’t have these impromptu, soul filling hangouts watching all the toddlers run around. (Seriously, I’d rather spend my life around these people every day than cleaning my house.)
Whatever season you find yourself in, acknowledge it. If you’ve put something down, even if it’s good and you miss it, chances are you’ll pick it back up one day. Just like my little market bag.
