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AI & Crochet

When I decided to do a crocheted throw by asking AI to suggest a pattern I pulled about twenty different skeins of thrifted yarn in colors I like from my stash, and ended up using fourteen or fifteen of them (some came to me in balls, so I have to estimate here.) Again I was able to save these prefectly good skeins from ending up in a landfill, which always delights me. It's excellent physical therapy for my hands and fingers.

Making the granny squares also allowed me to revisit the first crochet pattern I ever tried on my own (my grandmother taught me to use single stitch to make hats when I was very little.) It was a bit like going back to high school; I crocheted a lot in those days. I also didn't know I'd be diagnosed with arthritis in my twenties, so I had no fear or worry. I thought I could do anything if I just kept trying (which turned out to be basically true of everything I wanted to do as a youngster -- except be a ballerina, ha.)

I know AI is getting a lot of flack for various reasons, including producing worthless patterns, and maybe that's deserved. I don't know. This time it worked for me, and I thought it was an interesting experience.

Will I do it again? I can't say. I'm uncomfortable with some aspects of AI and how it sources its data for responses. At the same time, I'm grateful it took me on this little way-back trip.

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