click pic to find on Amazon.com
I was tickled to see so many commenter's interested in Tunisian Crochet. I did not learn this from a website, however, if you Google it, you might find something worth looking at.
I learned from the book, Tunisian Crochet: The art of Knitting with the ease of Crochet by Sharon Hernes Silverman. Mind you, I didn't pay full price for it. Why should I when there are 50% off coupons floating around!
I seriously recommend this book if you want to learn to knit but can't for whatever reason. I didn't buy the book for the patterns, I bought it so I could learn the stitches and must say I am so glad I did. I will probably never use the patterns in the book. I'm more of a take-the-technique-and-design-my-own-stuff kinda girl!
I think some commenter's misunderstood why I cannot knit. I have what is called (are you ready?) Task Specific Severe Focal Hand Dystonia. I know, what a mouth-full! Basically what is going on is the area of my brain that controls motor function sends signals to my hands and forearm muscles to uncontrollably spasm while I am doing certain things (hence, task specific). You don't see the muscles spasming, I don't feel them spasming, I only feel pain for a few minutes and then the muscles lock up and don't move. I am choosing not to undergo treatment for the condition. When you read them, you will understand why!
Treatments:
1) One treatment is Botox injections into the muscles every 3 months, but the dystonia is so severe, I would need large quantities of Botox which would take 2-3 hours to inject and would greatly increase contracting botulism in my brain. Not an option.
2) Another treatment would be to have a pacemaker surgically implanted in my brain to stop the spasm signals. Okay, brain surgery is not an option for me unless it is to save my life.
3) The final treatment is narcotic muscle relaxers. Okay.....no!
So, I either don't do the things that aggravate the dystonia or learned to do things a different way or for shorter periods of time.
So far, the only things that aggravate it is:
- knitting
- writing
- holding a book while reading
- holding the phone
- driving for long periods of time
- hand sewing
- stringing beads by hand
- bowling....bowling of all things!
- long photography sessions
This will never become more severe than it is nor will spread to different areas, thankfully, but I am learning all the time things that I can no longer do, especially if I haven't done them in a long time. The good news is that you know me...I refuse to let anything get in my way of doing what I want to do. I will find a way to make lemonaide with any lemons that fall into my lap!!!
BTW...I did not get paid for this review. I am simply sharing this book with those interested in Tunisian crochet!
