Crochet as an act of Rebellion?

I'm learning a new skill! I've wanted to learn how do do practical stuff like knitting and crochet for a while now, but until recently I never had time to have a go.

While I'm job-hunting ("hah!" in the voice of Edna Krabappel) I've got time to learn new skills. I've never been terribly practical - I find learning hands-on skills takes me a long time. I tried a creative garment construction course some years back and was incredibly envious of the ladies who produced skirts and blouses seemingly effortlessly. I could design stuff ok, but making garments up was a different story. By the end of the course I still hadn't finished my first garment. Anyway, my mum can knit. My mum-in-law can knit and crochet. I wanted to be able to make stuff myself.

My beloved is teaching me how to do crochet. He's way better than me at anything practical. I did find a strange thing when I had a go - I can't get the hang of manipulating hook and thread left-handed. I am thoroughly lefty in everything but this it seems. Manipulating hook and thread right-handed was so much easier, but I can't do anything else right-handed without the most enormous difficulty.

So far, I can do single chains and I did a circle. I want to be able to make "granny squares" that you can stitch together into blankets/cushion covers etc, I want to make hats, scarves and flowers to decorate things with. Most of all, though, I want to make jumpers like Mrs Weasley's. I don't even know for sure if it's knitted in a lace stitch or crocheted. I'm planning on learning to knit at some point as well, just in case!

It's a hobby that you can take anywhere - on the bus, while waiting for your appointment at the doctor's, in boring meetings, while on set waiting to be called, halfway up a mountain (you never know when you might need an extra scarf!). And best of all, you're making something real and tangible that you can keep, or give away. Is there anything more gratifying than giving an unflattering sweater to an obnoxious and insolent teenage relative?

It's just so good to have useful skills and not be dependent on stores for everything. As I've said before, I'm not happy about the conditions so many people live and work in to produce cheap clothes etc that are imported for us to buy in our high street stores and supermarkets. I might not be able to make a huge difference, but I'll do what I can in protest.

Making your own things used to be a matter of pride. According to Alan Titchmarsh's autobiography, when he was young the only one of his family to ever have a bought coat was his dad. His mum made coats for the rest of the family. All those skills fell out of fashion and have been lost. Knitting and crochet have been in and out of fashion regularly so those skills are still there, but who could make their own coats these days? Stores have people over a barrel (suppliers as well as customers) because so many skills have been lost. Learning a craft and making your own is an act of rebellion. It's declaring independence, if only partially, from the Walmart empire.