i wanted to learn to knit or crochet for years. my nana used to crochet things for me when i was little, and i wanted to continue the tradition. i tried to learn from websites and books. it was pretty bad when hubby picked up crocheting quicker than i did.
four years ago i finally cried uncle and decided it was time to learn the fiber arts after a particular hellish year. my town's library was sponsoring a crochet class during february for about 4 weeks. the lady brought skeins of red heart yarn and about a dozen susan bates crochet hooks to the class. she taught us how to cast on chain and different stitches. i didn't know how to make a slip knot. i never did figure out how to do double or treble crochet. i don't think my single crochets are right. my first (and only) crochet project was a scarf, that no matter how much i crocheted, it never grew. i remember leaving one class with the most intense headache that made my migraines seem like a tiny ache. no craft should leave you in immense pain!!
my yoga teacher taught knitting at another local library. at that time, she taught a knitting class for about 6 weeks. they coincided with her yoga class cycles. if memory serves me, she'd been teaching the class for less than a year. i told her about my crochet experience and she invited me to her class, and told me to bring a pair of size 10 1/2 needles and a yarn i liked.
i showed up to class with a pair of susan bates 10" needles and a skein of varigated purple red heart yarn. lenore had a knit sample ready for me to practice on. she taught me how to do the knit stitch, and i practiced on that sample for an hour. the rest of the week i worked on my garter stitch, and found that my sample kept growing wider. how was i supposed to know i had to keep the yarn hanging in the back, so as not to create a yarn over!
the next week she taught me to purl, and how i could combine knits and purls to create stockinette stitch. i had no idear what to make for a first project, so she made several suggestions, and i decided i would make a triangular shawl. she cast on my shawl, and showed me how to make increases to make the shawl grow. now i knew i could use those yarn overs on purpose! i worked on that shawl for weeks, until i used up the skein, with enough yarn left over for fringe. i don't have that shawl - i left it at church, for someone to use if they are chilly during a service. i no longer have my first knit swatch either. i frogged it and used it for a knitting jared box. i hope whoever got that box enjoys knitting as much as i do.
as my interest in knitting grew, so did my quest to find new and interesting patterns. i checked knitting and crochet books out of the library by the dozens. lenore suggested several websites where i could find free knitting patterns. i remember coming home from class and racing to the computer, punching in the web address and then printing out patterns for socks, scarves and hats. i checked out the magazine racks at my grocery store and brought home vogue knitting, creative knitting, and (i don't think this magazine even exists anymore) family circle knitting. i would put sticky notes on pages of patterns i wanted to try.
i had a really hard time knitting with aluminum needles. lenore suggested i try other types of needles like wood or plastic. i bought bamboo clover needles at the rag shop. over the next few months i used a pair of rosewood lantern moon straights (probably my favorite straight needle ever), a casein needle (i thought i was hot stuff knitting with needles made of milk protein, although they were too long and really hard to use), and even a pair of kiddie learning needles by pony. now i knit with knit pick interchangeable harmonies and i rarely use straights anymore. in fact, once i tried to knit a swatch with a pair of straights, and i kept throwing the needle across the room, beco i forgot they weren't attached.
the first "real" yarn i bought was a skein of patons classic wool in a denim marl, used to knit a scarf and matching hat. i got it at the rag shop. i soon discovered that i really liked knitting with wool and that it was easier on my wrists than shitty acrylic red heart. i still prefer wool or natural animal fiber to acrylic and cotton. i prefer my yarns to have a bit of "give" to them - gentler to my wrists and shoulders. i discovered the local yarn shops in my area - swishers was the first one i went to. it is still my favorite. i also enjoy going to mad about ewe. i remember my first trip to glory-ous knits and feeling really intimidating, becos i was still a n00b knitter and was surrounded by all this luxurious yarns. the owner must have thought i was nuts, picking up a skein of this or that, with no rhyme or reason other than i liked the way it felt or i liked the color.
i knitted through my first year by making scarves, hats, dishrags. i remember when felted bags became the project du jour - all of us were making felted bags by beverly galaskas. i had them in watermelon (varigated green), purple, eggplant (deep purple bag with sage green pocket and handles) and a big light blue tote that i needle felted flowers on it. for my birthday i made the lucy bag, which i thought was exclusive...until i saw it in a shop in vermont! i made felted kitchen accessories for christmas presents for the grandmothers and my MIL and SIL.
after a year of knitting, i wanted to learn how to knit socks. socks were now the "it" project in class. i knit my first socks with a skein of lion brand sock yarn in shades of lime, purple, pink, red and white. one sock was bigger than the other. when i showed them to my grandmother, she asked if she could have them. how could i refuse? i have since knitted grams socks in navy and gray, and socks for mom and dad and the babies and the boy. my first pair of socks for ME were koigu. i have worn those socks to the point that they are felting. sadly, i haven't knit on a pair of socks in nearly 2 years. i recently frogged 2 pair of unhappily knitted ones. but i did start a new pair. so there's hope.
after 4 years, that small knitting class has become a full fledge knitting group. we meet every monday night for 2 hours. our group averages about 6 or 7 per week, depending on the seasons. there's a core of about a ten of us who have been attending pretty steadily over the years, and new and old knitters come and go. i'm the baby of the group. i would say the average age of our group is around 60. i enjoy their wisdom, their stories, their friendship. my knitting group is my oasis from the kiddos and stresses of life.
i am glad i am a knitter. it is a part of who i am now. it is the only part of me that is my own. i am a wife, mother, daughter and friend, but being a knitter is all about me.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Comments? Questions? Feel free drop me a line!