While I was down on Long Island I sat down with my mother to do something I’ve been meaning to do for ages but never really had the time or mental space to accomplish – I finally learned the basics of knitting. I know, I know… I have a problem with collecting hobbies like some collect original issue Star Wars action figures. But this is really something I’ve tried to do a few times, but do to various stresses and pressures it never really fully sank in, and I’d get frustrated and never finish the little piece that I started. I think I’ve done this two or seven times already. So instead of picking up the not-so-nice ball of acrylic yarn leftovers from the 80’s which I have tried to learn knitting with the past three times, I went to the new local yarn store in the town my mom grew up in to get something halfway decent that I could actually make an item with.
Why, oh why hasn’t anyone told me about little local yarn stores before?! Now, I suppose I should preface this by saying that I sew. I sew actual garments that I wear out in public (without shame, mind you), and occasionally tailor things for friends and family as long as they don’t mind my pinch-n-stitch method. I have a fabric stash – a mighty fabric stash. One might even go so far to say that I have a fabric problem. But it’s all good – I’ll use it eventually right? If the apocalypse happens, I’ll be more than prepared enough to outfit myself and my closest fifty friends for the remainder of our natural lives or fifty years, whichever comes first – this just isn’t the type of disaster preparedness that the Red Cross and federal government have been pushing in the last eight years. But back to my point – the local yarn store may be my undoing. The textures and colors are simply sumptuous, and if your local yarn store is worth its weight in salt there won’t be a thing in there that you don’t nearly immediately covet. This sensualist immediately found herself in yet another version of heaven.
Wouldn’t you know that good yarn helps you to actually learn to knit as well? I bought a hank of Cascade 220 in a grey on grey twist to make a nubby seed stitch scarf, and after only just over a week I’m down to an apricot sized ball of yarn and desperately trying to teach myself how to bind off so I’m ready when the time comes. There are only two errors, and I figure if I take my sewing skillz and do a little applique and embroidery work, no one will ever be the wiser. It pays to get decent materials, and somehow even through the mid-90 degree heat this past week I diligently sat in the mornings and evenings knitting away. Thank the heavens that I have a very patient and hobby-tolerant husband.
I came to find something else – knitting can be as relaxing as many claim it to be once you get into a pattern. No, I can’t knit and watch TV or hold an engaging conversation yet, but the blankness in one’s mind as the pattern repeats in your head is oddly soothing. It’s almost like the meditation phase of hatha yoga where you clear your mind and focus solely on the present, taking each thought that enters your mind and letting it go.
There is a certain peace in this.
This post spoke to me like none other… I was in your position about 8 years ago when I finally got my boyfriend’s (at the time) mom to pass on her knitting knowledge to me. She also had me sell all the crappy acrylic yarn I had from when someone taught me how to crochet. She took me to all the local yarn stores to buy some actual wool to start my projects. I’ve been dangling near the poorhouse ever since because of the yarn habit I got into. I also love buying knitting books with great new patterns to try. And just wait till you learn to felt. I made a knitting bag by felting as well as some cool purses.
Oh man… I know I’m going down an extremely slippery slope as we speak. I’m trying to take it slowly so I don’t completely lose myself in fiber arts, but I would not be entirely surprised (much to the husband’s chagrin) if I ended up spinning my own yarn at some point in time. The older I get and the more I learn, the more I see the value in the things that were jobs for women of previous generations but in many cases have become endangered arts, skills and handicrafts in the last few decades. Once I get comfy with the basics, we should talk knitting!
We totally should! Speaking of spinning… check this out http://www.fletcherfarm.org/ – it happens to be not a mile from my parents’ house. And right down the road from that is http://www.fiberartsinvermont.org/. I’m always doomed when I visit them.
My sister & I spend way too much time on all sorts of things related to what you’re talking about. She has a (very) small orchard & last fall I finally canned my own applesauce which was long overdue. She also bakes mostly organic (she’s the baker & manager of my dad’s store), and we’re always trading recipes – mostly originating in VT of course. I think Lindsay’s next venture may be into soap, but we’re supplied by a woman who makes it nearby and runs a shop (VT Soapworks), so she hasn’t gotten around to it yet. I haven’t done much knitting lately because I’m overwhelmed with school-guilt. I have horrible procrastination (probably because I have too many hobbies I’d rather be doing), but I need to graduate so I can put this nonsense behind me 🙂
This isn’t technically about knitting (well, sometimes it is) but I read two other blogs that are very, very amazing when it comes to domestic pleasure. I thought I would share them with you because I’ve gotten a ton of great new knowledge from both of these amazing women. Particularly Down to Earth, a blogger in Australia.
http://down—to—earth.blogspot.com/
http://asonomagarden.wordpress.com/
Also check out http://www.foodiefarmgirl.blogspot.com/ – it’s a favorite of mine!