Obsessions

I’ve always said that beading is my obsession, but lately that has been pushed to the back as two other ‘obsessions’ have taken over. One I like to think of as being a noble obsession, the other a pathetic, time wasting but very addictive one.
When winter comes along I get an urge to knit and usually have two or three projects on the go at once. A few months ago (after my knitting phase commenced) I was cruising around Ebay and stumbled on a fabulous 1940’s knitting pattern book, I put in a bid, won the auction and so started my passion for vintage knitting patterns. I was like a woman possessed! I was in a bidding frenzy on Ebay and Oztion and I scoured all the second hand and charity shops for miles around hunting for interesting patterns from the 30’s, 40’s, 50’s and 60’s. I also dabbled in a few vintage fashion and women’s magazines as well. Soon my collection was growing daily and I started cataloguing and filing them in folders, one folder became two, then three, then four…. I guess you get the idea LOL. My husband asked me if I was going to knit anything from all these patterns, and my reply was … maybe. I explained that what I liked was the idea of preserving something that in some ways was a throw away item. As fashions change people might just throw old and dated patterns out. Putting together a collection and keeping it for the future appealed to me.
I started with buying what ever took my fancy but as time went on I refined my search and concentrate on collecting Paton’s patterns only and mainly those for women. Some of the patterns are amazing, evening dresses, swimsuits (can you imagine that!), underwear and fabulous hats. Some would be just as fashionable today as they were back then. Some are in ‘not so good’ condition where as others are pristine, either unused or well taken care of.
I guess it is the same when you embark on any new hobby or interest, at first there is a frenzy and then as time goes on you get a feel for what you really want. It was the same with my beading, there was a time when I bought beads all the time, what ever I could get my hands on, but now I am far more discerning in my choices, I buy better quality and only things I know I will use. My biggest problem with my beading is letting go, actually using the beads I have collected in pieces rather than just keeping them because I love them.
Having obsessions, hobbies, interests is, I think, what keeps us alive, well it certainly keeps me going. I can’t imagine life without some sort of obsession to keep you going. It’s all about having something to strive for.
As to my other recent obsession, the pathetic time wasting one, well, I’m embarrassed to admit it but it’s Facebook and in particular Farmtown! I can’t keep away from it, I love planting crops, harvesting and plowing. I spend far too much time on it when I should be knitting or beading or even talking to my family. I’d like to think that it’s a bit like getting back to my roots, being a farmer’s daughter and all, but that’s just trying to make it sound better than it really is. Oh well, as I tell my family, it’s mostly harmless, at least I’m not drinking or gambling!
Anyway I better go, I think I have some tomatoes that need picking and I want to earn some money to buy another cow.
Happy farming
Cheers
Sharyn