I’ve seen this around the blog world lately–Ten Knitterly Things You May Not Know about Me. (Okay, so I may have told you some of this before, but, well….)

1. Technically, I’ve been knitting since I was about, what, 6? None of my family knits (although I’ve taught my niece), but our next-door neighbor did, and she taught me how to knit. Not cast-on. Not purl. Not increase or decrease. Just knit. Obviously, I didn’t actually make much with this except a bunch of rectangular things. (She DID show me how to cast-off, and eventually, I figured out casting-on.) All in all, not an auspicious beginning.
2. When I spent a semester in London in college, in 1987, I was impressed by how much wool there was to buy–even in the department stores like Selfridges–and all for a reasonable price, too. (Or, so far as I can tell.) I was tempted to buy some, but thought it would be a waste of money, since I wouldn’t know what to do with it. But I swore to myself (a la Scarlett O’Hara) that I wouldn’t let that happen again. When I got home in December, I went to the bookstore and found a copy of of Maggie Righetti’s Knitting in Plain English, which I found absolutely wonderful. Not only did she explain things clearly and in an entertaining fashion, but she introduced two concepts which made all the difference. Continental knitting, which was so much easier than the English method I’d been “taught” (kind of) when I was little. Not to mention that you could carry two colors in separate hands for fair isle knitting, which made it well worth the while. And, second, circular knitting. You could do that? Amazing. I was hooked without even doing anything yet.
3. The first sweater I made (and I’m pretty sure I’ve told you this), was a Lopi Icelandic sweater. Circular. Multi-colored. Big enough needles that the whole thing went quickly enough to be encouraging to a beginner. In fact, the entire thing took me 10 days from beginning to end–a record I’ve only beaten once. (If you’re going to break a record, the Olympics is the right time, right?)
4. Thanks to encouraging, mind-broadening authors like Maggie Righetti and Elizabeth Zimmerman back when I’m learning, I’m pretty much willing to try anything, knitting-wise. What is there to be afraid of? It’s just yarn, right . . .
5. Just about everything I’ve learned about knitting has been from books, magazines, or the internet. Not counting the neighbor who got me started (but had no follow-through), I’ve never had a lesson.
6. I have a copy of the original edition of the big Vogue Knitting reference book, which I read through with needles in my hand, trying out different techniques as I went. I didn’t test every lace or cable pattern, but I did try my hand at each new technique as I read about it. So, even before I ever made a cabled sweater, I had at least tried and understood the concept of cables. I’ve got to tell you–it really takes the fear out of trying new things.
7. I love coming up with unexpected color combinations, and rarely ever use the colors called for in a pattern–experimenting in front of a wall of yarn, trying out different yarns with their comrades to see what works and what doesn’t is more than half the fun.
8. For that matter, I rarely use the yarn called for in a pattern, either . . . although I do that more often than I ever use the colors. Again, I like to experiment.
9. My favorite thing to knit? Sweaters. I love making something that I can wear, and I love how the different sections require different expertise–it’s fun and interesting, and not boring.
10. But then, there’s nothing quite like blocking lace, either . . . and a shawl is often easier to toss on than a sweater is . . .

Feel free to join in, if you want to (and haven’t yet). It’s always fun to talk about knitting, right?

Oh–and I can’t take any pictures of knitting tonight since my camera’s batteries are charging, but I DID take this picture this morning. I’d gone out to get the paper, and glanced up just in time to see this pretty cloud, reflecting the pink glory of dawn. Of course, I didn’t have my camera with me to take the picture, but I ran back inside and got it just so I could take the picture. Just for you. Of course, the cloud had moved a bit while I was in the house, but still . . . pretty, huh? I can only imagine how pretty it would have been if I’d gotten up just a little earlier . . .

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning, Sky • Permalink:Ten Knitterly Things //