Eight years ago I had a neighbor that was teaching herself to knit from a book. I was intrigued, and since Martha Stewart knits (and she and I were constantly sharing Martha wisdom and mags), I thought 'hmm! I should learn to knit too!' I tried. Really hard. For like, a day. Then my neighbor moved away and I tried to put it out of my mind. I hung on to needles I'd enthusiastically bought from a garage sale somewhere along the way. Then 3 years ago I discovered a book, Kids Knitting, by Melanie Falick. A-ha! I thought, if it's written for kids, I just know I can learn! Uhhh, no. Even my attempts at making my own needles from wood dowels as per the book (maybe wood would work better for me than metal or plastic? I wondered) didn't do the trick. So again, I put the needles and yarn away.
So fast forward to recently and my still lingering wish to learn to make fabric from yarn with my own 2 hands. I discovered that 3 of my friends kinda know how to knit. I also found out there are local knitting groups. A friend and I went to one and I had someone show me how. I could actually do it (some)! The next day all of what I thought I'd learned had left me. I went to the library and checked out more books on knitting and went to youtube (love youtube!) and watched some tutorials. I'm slowly getting it. I can't imagine doing anything but the casting on and the basic knit stitch (seed stitch? purling? CABLES? how the ****?!) but baby steps, right?
I'm excited too, my kids also want to learn and I will be able to show them how.
Don't feel so bad, I bought "Knitting for Dummies" and still couldn't figure it out. Then a friend at work showed me how, and I got it. I can only knit scarves, though.
ReplyDeleteAhh, that does make me feel better! In some of my books, I've read that these great knitters also had a hard time learning, then a lightbulb would go on and they'd get the flow of it. I can't see past a scarf myself, and even that is a ways off (I foresee many late nights knitting!) Got any pics of what you've done? :)
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