About 8 years ago, I was just discovering that the internet was much, much more than a giant shopping store. I believe it all began in the office I shared with a very wonderful woman that was very helpful in the beginning years of my stay there. I would be struggling to find an answer to some of the questions our customers were asking about the product we sold. Being new, I did not know how to dig deeper into our information-based websites. I would find myself asking her if she knew, (we were both sales assistants but in different areas of product type). Not being able to see what she was up to, I would be floored when within seconds; she would have the answer or at least a picture of what I needed. Every time I exclaimed my surprise, her answer was “I found it on Pinterest”. I had never heard of this site.
While on my computer at home one night, I decided to check out this site my co-worker kept going to. Hence, began my next adventure into the world of crochet. I don’t remember how many hours I spent on Pinterest that night. But I do know that I had opened a door to a whole new world I never knew existed!
I am not sure how many months (could even have been a whole year), that I spent almost every night on the computer discovering all kinds of websites all related to crocheting. Just when I thought I had discovered all there was to the crochet world out there, I would find myself in yet another avenue of approach.
I would say it was either the month of December in 2011 or the month of January of 2012 when I stumbled upon this pattern on Pinterest. I followed the link to go to the designer’s website and when I got there, found the pattern, (it was free), and started reading the posts from other visitors voicing their excitement and thanks for the pattern. As I read through, I also saw the designer’s answers. She was a wonderfully positive person that had many encouraging words for all who posted. At the time, I did not know that I was on a Blog site. I didn’t even know what a blog was! I found myself returning to this site night after night. I felt so “at home” here. All these people having a passion for the same thing as me! I never posted anything myself, I just read the posts under each new pattern I discovered.
It wasn’t until about 6 weeks later that I was looking for an answer to a question I had about one of her patterns. Still not having the nerve to post anything of my own, I went to the particular pattern and read the posts below. I was down about 40 or more posts when I read a post-entry where the author was sending their condolences. Then, the next post down stating how sorry the writer of this post was, for the family’s loss.
After about 10 or more posts all saying just about the same thing. I stumbled upon the home page of this blog. Mind you, I still did not know what this website was called, I only knew the name of the person whose patterns were all here in one place. I also didn’t know that there even was a home page. On this page, I read all about the designer, her age (24), and how she had just learned the craft a couple of years ago. What? Just learned only a couple of years ago? I have been crocheting for decades, and could not come up with any kind of design of my own. Here this young girl was just churning all these wonderful items out one after another and so on.
And then I found the post that blew me away! It was an entry from this woman’s younger sister, reaching out to all subscribers to this blog, thanking them for their prayers and blessings. She went on to explain that her sister had struggled with depression for many years before taking her life! That post was dated 6 months before I even found the site!! I just sat there staring at the page and found myself crying for this young woman, who was from the Netherlands. A person I had never met, and felt like I had known her for years! Her outgoing personality online gave no clue as to her inner struggles.
The sister went on to explain that her sister had been asked to host a CAL and had started a few designs for the event. A few of her sister’s internet friends, also being designers had joined together, asking the family if they could take those unfinished designs, finish them, and along with some of their designs, move forward with this CAL in honor of her sister, their friend. The event would take place sometime in April and would be hosted by the yarn company that had originally approached this woman. It was to take place on Facebook.
I had no idea what a CAL was, didn’t know that Facebook even had anything to do with crafts (by now I was finally getting the idea of just how out of touch with the world and social media I was). What I did know, was that this woman, who was already gone, had touched me in such a personal way, changing my way of looking at life and moved me forward in my journey with my passion for crochet!
I joined Facebook only to find out more about this CAL event. I found the yarn sponsors and joined their group. I had to sheepishly ask someone in that group what was a CAL. I felt utterly inexperienced and silly when the explanation came back that a CAL is short for Crochet A Long! lol!!
After joining this group, I found other crochet groups and joined them as well. I was in a sort of euphoria, finding out that there were thousands and thousands of people who had the same passion as I did! I could read and ask anything about crochet, and someone would answer me. Not once was I ever made to feel foolish about my questions. These were people who understood exactly what I was asking, and how I felt.
I found that there was not one area of my life that had not been touched by this particular series of events. Not only was I able to learn much, much more about crochet, but I was introduced to what social media is all about. I am not always fond of social media; I have witnessed some pretty cruel posts from people who were just out and out rude and obnoxious. But because I at least experienced being part of it, I was able to better understand certain types of people and their ‘quirks’. I learned how to explore avenues on the internet, and let’s not even get started at my reaction to ‘Google’! The next introduction to modern technology for me was none other than YouTube!
I was now finally beginning to accept my rude and unwelcome shove into the 21st century! I took all that I was learning on the internet and applied it to the real world. I have always been a sociable person, never being afraid to smile, or say ‘hello’ to total strangers. Being friendly was never a hardship for me. I suppose it is one of the attributes I have that made me such a perfect fit for the retail world. Although being in sales was never a goal of mine. Now, I was unstoppable. I had no problem in making even the shyest person feel welcome and at ease. It still saddens me what social media has created though. There are so many young people entering into the workforce who have no clue how to physically interact with the public. Someday I hope to be able to help change that.