And we're off...

I am a knitter (with a little k, per the definition of my beloved yarn harlot Stephanie Pearl-Mcphee). I started knitting a whopping month ago. Yes, a month ago. I’d had slight affairs with knitting before. I once attempted to knit a scarf that ended up growing wider and wider with increasingly more holes. My best friend taught me to knit then, and when she left me alone with only a base knowledge of knitting, I caved, threw my holey scarf away, and decided I stunk at knitting and would never try again. Then, my beloved came back, singing the praises of this wonderful art. Whatever...I suck. Then, she purchased a bag. My heart sang at the prospect of having a hobby that would allow me to purchase bags (yes, more than one…I’m needy). So, right then and there I chose yarn (which I’m sure, being the Knitter-with-a-capital-K that she is, made her twitch since I picked up the pretty stuff with no regard for anything else) and needles and we left the store. She taught me to cast on and to knit and purl and I was exicted, even when I messed up, because I was getting it this time. Then, she left again. I forgot to ask her how to end something you’ve knitted. Was I destined to knit on this obscure and horrendous skinny scarf-like thing for all eternity? Would all my knitting be gifted still attached to their knitting or stich holders?This is when insanity briefly ensued and I put my needles to a use better than a useless, non-ending scarfy thing. I just want to say, right now, that I love the little asian woman who taught me how to end my knitting on YouTube. Bless you…I love your country’s food. My first accomplishment was a scarf for my sister, with 2x2 cables.

(Please forgive me if my terminology is not correct. I’m the protégé of one many hours away, and while she will correct me after reading this, there’s nothing she can do now). I also started a seed/moss stich scarf with three different colors in bamboo thread..I’m halfway done with that and it’s going to be beautiful. I made a goofy looking had for my fiance, although another, better one is already in the works. He wanted a Jayne hat (from Firefly and Serenity) but in our haste we just bought yarn and a pattern and I knit away. It wasn’t until after I was finished that we found an actual pattern for the real hat and, sadly, the colors we saw when we had pulled the hat up on our cell phones in the Michael’s to pick color was nowhere near correct. He’ll get the real thing later.

I’m reading the funniest book of the century (mentioned earlier…Yarn Harlot by Stephanie Pearl-Mcphee). Even in my short knitting experience I find myself laughing hysterically at her kniting adventures. I’m comforted to know that even experienced knitters make mistakes. I naively thought that someday, I wouldn’t accidentally drop a stitch. I do know that experienced knitters know to pay attention and look for their mistakes so they can fix them sooner. I know that I’m already falling in the knitter’s trap…I made a list of things to knit for Christmas. I’m teaching, taking master’s degree courses, and attempting to plan a wedding for March while continuing to lose weight..sure I can knit mulitiple things for multiple people. No biggie. I’m already seeing the error of my ways thanks to that lovely book…I won’t be consumed by “IT.”

We have to run a club at the school in which I teach, and I decided to start a knitting club. I’m very aware that, as a baby knitter (and that’s a new knitter, not one who knits exclusively for babies), I probably shouldn’t be teaching others how to knit. But, I’m confident in the books that helped me, an overhead projector, and middle schoolers who are super excited (thanks to my obsession…I tell every class, every day, how my knitting is going). I am a bit nervous about the little girl who asked me today “Can I bring my knitting bag on club day?” I hate to tell her but if she’s better than me she’s in charge.

Anyway, long blog shorter than it could be, my leader told me to start a knitting blog, so here I am. She bugged me and bugged me. Then, as I’m talking to my lovely fiance about my knitting, he says “Why don’t you just start a knitting blog so you can obsess online?” They ganged up on me. They win. But I love knitting and I’m proud to be a knitter aspiring to one day be a Knitter.