"Craft in a time of pandemic

or how to usefully occupy oneself in isolation" is a book which should perhaps have been written long ago. 

The knitting group met at the library yesterday. Numbers are still down. This is not surprising. Although we meet "socially distanced" it is still something people are wary of doing. We have masks, hand sanitiser and meet in a well ventilated area. We are being cautious.

I take the view that life has to get back to something approaching what we believed was "normal" at some point. There will be changes to some of the rules surrounding Covid19 issues next weekend but the group agreed we still need to take precautions. There are vulnerable people there - and within families. At the same time there is a need for all of us to start meeting again.

I share most of the teaching in the group with someone who was not there yesterday. She had already warned us she was off on a short trip to the "west coast" of the state. (It is west of here but her destination is on the southern coastline.) While she is there she will meet with other knitters and spinners. 

There are small groups like this all over the state. Some of them are affiliated with embroidery and quilting groups, woodworking and modelling groups. Undoubtedly there are other crafts as well. Sometimes they are nothing more than four or five people who get together on a regular basis. At other times there may be twenty or more who have a formal meeting before they get down to business. 

All of them need to do some teaching. There are always people who want to know something, who need to know something, who cannot complete a project without some help. The Country Women's Association (CWA) provides opportunities to learn new craft skills each year. Other groups simply help as required. 

All of this has become more difficult over the past twenty or so years. There are times when "police checks" are needed. There are insurance issues and "equal opportunity"  considerations which have to be met. 

Despite all this things still happen.The pandemic and the need to isolate at home did cause an upsurge in the number of people taking up a craft at home. What disappoints me is knowing that too many of those people will not continue with these things as restrictions ease.They will go back to old habits and actually do less rather than more.

But I have some hope for the future of craft. I was searching for a book in the Senior Cat's bookshelf. When he was well enough to think about such things he told me he hoped I would pass some of those things on to other people. I found the toy-making book he had suggested I pass on. Next to it I also found the plans for a "paper clock". 

This "paper clock" is made from 168 pieces printed on very light card. The idea is to cut them out and assemble them and have a clock that is actually supposed to work. The Senior Cat bought the book with the idea that he might make a wooden version. It never happened. After a lot of thought and research he decided the project was beyond him. "If I had started thinking about this ten years ago I might have done it" was the sort of comment he would make about it.

But I took it out and looked at it and thought of someone who might be able to use it. He is about to have major knee surgery. He will need something to occupy himself when his rehabilitation reaches a certain stage. I wasn't absolutely certain he would want to try it but took the view there was no harm in asking.

I passed it over to him yesterday and was greeted with the words, "Oh, yes! A pandemic craft! Thanks Cat."

Is it possible we all need a "pandemic craft"?