The beginning, and some sweater shenanigans.
Over 10 years ago (how has it been that long?) I got bored over winter break from college. So, I learned to crochet. Both of my grandmothers had tried (unsuccessfully) to teach me to knit over the years, and it hadn’t stuck. But the urge was still there. So, I picked up a book and some yarn and a hook….and it worked. To a point. My gauge was- and still is- atrocious in crochet.
So that summer I tried to learn to knit, from the venerable and wonderful Stitch n’ Bitch by Debbie Stoller, after all, her book on crochet taught me to crochet. This time knitting stuck. It stuck hard. My grandmother from Virginia was THRILLED. She had knitted for us for years- blankets, socks, and our beloved Christmas stockings. This was in the early days of Ravelry, when you had to send an e-mail to request to be added. I resisted it for a while. Then I joined, and the obsession grew. I learned what I liked- wool, colorwork- and what I don’t like -cotton, bobbles. I learned patience and perseverance and choosing the right project for my skill level. I didn’t learn some very important things, like how to enjoy swatching, measuring things, gauge. I learned yarn sizes the hard way with a sweater that could practically stand up. (To be fair, that crime against fashion was my 3rd ever knitting project.)
Eventually I caught the spinning bug. I will admit, it was mostly to get the most bang for my fiber dollar. If I bought wool, spun it, knit it, and then wore it, I was getting a lot more entertainment for my dollar. 6 years later, here I am. I’ve been to Rhinebeck 6 times (this year will be 7!), have 2 spinning wheels (3 if you count my Eel Wheel that is being made) and more spindles than I care to count.
And I’m finally starting a blog that I think I can follow through on. Why? Because I found somethings I love doing- turning a fleece into a sweater, and knitting sweaters. Well, I will have. You see, there is the small issue of the fact that I have yet to process a fleece successfully. But luckily, knitting sweaters is the easy part- if I can just conquer my swatch hate, issues with measuring my body, and my yarn choices.
So that summer I tried to learn to knit, from the venerable and wonderful Stitch n’ Bitch by Debbie Stoller, after all, her book on crochet taught me to crochet. This time knitting stuck. It stuck hard. My grandmother from Virginia was THRILLED. She had knitted for us for years- blankets, socks, and our beloved Christmas stockings. This was in the early days of Ravelry, when you had to send an e-mail to request to be added. I resisted it for a while. Then I joined, and the obsession grew. I learned what I liked- wool, colorwork- and what I don’t like -cotton, bobbles. I learned patience and perseverance and choosing the right project for my skill level. I didn’t learn some very important things, like how to enjoy swatching, measuring things, gauge. I learned yarn sizes the hard way with a sweater that could practically stand up. (To be fair, that crime against fashion was my 3rd ever knitting project.)
Eventually I caught the spinning bug. I will admit, it was mostly to get the most bang for my fiber dollar. If I bought wool, spun it, knit it, and then wore it, I was getting a lot more entertainment for my dollar. 6 years later, here I am. I’ve been to Rhinebeck 6 times (this year will be 7!), have 2 spinning wheels (3 if you count my Eel Wheel that is being made) and more spindles than I care to count.
And I’m finally starting a blog that I think I can follow through on. Why? Because I found somethings I love doing- turning a fleece into a sweater, and knitting sweaters. Well, I will have. You see, there is the small issue of the fact that I have yet to process a fleece successfully. But luckily, knitting sweaters is the easy part- if I can just conquer my swatch hate, issues with measuring my body, and my yarn choices.
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