I don't want to do something unless I can be perfect.
About 13 years ago, I took a knitting class with my ex at a local community center. From there, I was hooked (or I guess that's for crochet- get it? Get it?). I made all sorts of poorly executed acrylic nightmares, mostly in scarf form, and bequeathed them to beloved family members, who wore them one and promptly hid them (I'm looking at you, mom).
I bought books, needles, and as much cheap cheap yarn as I could, and would go on spurts of vigilant knitting. Now I learned knit and purl originally, but never taught myself other skills (the community lessons were short and the teacher was a bit scary). I was afraid of experimenting and failing. When I moved back home my mom even paid for me to have a one-on-one with a local yarn shop owner, during which she taught me cables (and I immediately forgot since I'm one of those people that needs to do something like 10 times before I remember).
When I was pregnant with my first, I started going to that little yarn shop all the time, and I bought a set of expensive (at the time) interchangeable needles, nice (at the time) yarn, and all the accoutrement. I made a baby blanket for my future progeny, and made a friend who has since turned into a knitting fiend.
After giving birth to said progeny, I discovered a little site called Ravelry.
My eyes were hence opened to all that I didn't know.
I learned that the "nice" yarn I was buying at the local shop was actually pretty cheap! I learned the expensive set of needles I bought were just the tip of the iceberg. And there are sooooo many more skills necessary to this whole knitting thing than I imagined.
My good friend has since taught herself these skills and can do cables, sweaters, color work. I can do big and little squares and rectangles. That be all. I be dumb.
But damn if I didn't go whole hog on this hobby.
Go big or go home, right?
If I have all the right gear, then at least I have a chance of succeeding.
And if not, then I look like I'm talented, even barring lack of talent.
I give you- the right gear.
Needles that have about a year wait to get them custom made? Dyakcraft Darn Pretty Interchangeables.
Yarn-specific bags? Tom Bihn yarn stuff sacks.
Yarn from Germany that only goes on sale at 3 am Michigan-time, and sells out in a matter of minutes? Wollmeise DK in Maus Jung.
The project? A free cowl pattern from Ravelry- honey cowl. And that little bit has taken me months, mostly because I get it out of the bag, knit two rounds, and go to bed. I'm old. Or I get onto Ravelry and just stalk things, search through people's stashes.
I can't knit with multiple colors, I can't pick up stitches or make socks, but the crappy cowls and scarves I can knit are made with pretty yarn.
Maybe I'll even guilt myself into learning more, since I have so much money tied up in this thing.
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