Almost a Knitter

About two years ago I was rummaging through the dollar bins at Target and found a pocket sized Knitting for Dummies book.  I had always been fascinated by people who could manipulate yarn and needles and create fabulous works of art.  I thought, well it can’t get any easier than Knitting for Dummies…so I bought the book, some yarn, and a pair of needles and got to work.

 

Casting on was no big deal, but knitting the first row was one of the most frustrating things I have ever done in my life.  I felt like…a dummy…and not even a very good one apparently, since this little book was telling me that even a dummy like me could knit!  After several hours of starting over many times, I abandoned the project, convinced I was way more than just a dummy.  However, the next morning, refreshed from a good night’s sleep, I picked up the needles and yarn again and viola!  It was like magic!  I knitted one row, then another and another.  Several days and many dropped stitches later I had knitted my first scarf!!  I felt so much satisfaction at having created something with my own two hands that I decided to knit a scarf for every important lady in my life. 

Thirteen scarves later I am still going strong.  I have not been able to move past scarves or a straight knit.  I try to make up for this by getting creative with my yarn.  I usually use yarn and ribbon together to give my scarves a look of complexity that my stitches lack.  I have to say, I have made some very pretty scarves, but I often wish I could move beyond a straight knit and/or a scarf.  I have a couple of books on knitting which teach other stitches, but they are complicated and intimidating.  I am a visual learner, so I gravitate towards books with lots of illustrations, but they just look like a big jumble of needles and yarn to me.  And the lingo!  It’s like I’m trying to read a foreign language!  I have considered classes, but they are either too far from where I live or offered during the weekday when I am at work.  I sometimes feel like I picked a hobby better suited for a stay at home mom, but I love the feeling of calmness that comes from knitting and the pride I feel when I finish a scarf.

Over the past weeks I have been watching what others in blogland have knitted and crocheted and I am amazed by the beautiful things that can be created with a bit of yarn.  I have contemplated a few times linking to Yarn Along and In My Basket (since I'm also a reader...more on this is a future post), but I feel like my straight knit scarves are just not worthy.  However, I’ve decided to go ahead and put myself out there next week.  Perhaps this will motivate me to make more of an effort to seek ways to improve my knitting.  If nothing else, I hope it will at least motivate me to knit faster.  So be warned….you will be seeing a lot of scarves here on Wednesdays.  Pretty scarves (I hope), but scarves nonetheless.  And I look forward to any suggestions or advice!