Along came knitting.

For most of my life I've tended to stay away from yarn crafts - after my disastrous attempts to learn to crochet from my grandmother usually ended up in long chains that were useful only as cat toys!

But knitting kept popping up in my life. Back in college, I had a friend who was knitting herself a sweater (which I'm not sure if she ever finished). It seemed odd, and old fashioned, but at the same time, kind of intriguing. Still, it wasn’t for me….yet.

Add to the mix that I’m a voracious reader of just about any subject. Did you know knitting pops up surprisingly often in books? Fiction books where the main character knits. Historical books: where knitting and other textiles were important parts of the economy. Farming books: where knitting is the end product of animals like alpacas (another personal favorite of mine!).

Once I started being aware, I also saw people knitting everywhere. Sitting in a restaurant or out at an event…..other teachers during teacher meetings….even some of my own students on the bus going to a field trip.

So through all this exposure, over the years, knitting began to take on a romantic glow. Here is knitting – something practiced almost since time began by shepherds with their flocks – for years a winter staple to knit up clothes and blankets, sitting by the fire while the bitter cold discourages outside activities – a social activity to give your hands something to do while gathering with friends and family. Over the years, this romantic glow started a fire in my heart. And quietly, to myself, I began to yearn – I want.

I want to be part of this age-old tradition. I want to know that I can be self-sufficient (if needed) and be able to make things. I want to be one of those people that can sit with friends and family and knit without watching my fingers. I want to have something productive to work on in the evenings when I watch TV or a movie. I want to knit in public and have other people come up to me with wonder – how can you make that and can I learn how too? I want to pass on this tradition I love to others. I want. I want. I want….to learn to knit!

Being a teacher, I got a book. And I read it and tried out stitches and patterns. Occasionally, if I was stuck, I’d go online and look at videos. But, mostly it was a solitary journey of self-exploration. I wanted to learn so I tried, and when it didn’t work, tried again. I practiced all the time. After the first 6 months, I was actually making things that didn’t have too many mistakes and looked pretty good, if I do say so myself. I won’t say that I knit the same way that everyone else does, but that in itself is part of what makes knitting wonderful. There are so many different types of stitches and patterns, that you can find what you like and run with it.

It’s fair to say that for awhile knitting took over my life. And perhaps my friends and family would say I’m still a bit obsessed. I am, after all, the one that carries my knitting bag with me just about everywhere we go (if you have to wait somewhere, that’s the perfect time to get in a few more stitches on the latest project!). Most of my friends and loved ones have received knitted items as gifts, and will probably continue to do so as I find new patterns to make things I think they might like.

So, now, I knit. I proudly proclaim myself a knitter, joining in the age-old tradition. I knit several evenings as week, if there is anything interesting to watch on TV. I knit at family gatherings, and yes, I’m now one of the ones that can talk without watching my hands (well, if the pattern is basic and doesn’t involve too much counting). I still make mistakes, and either rip them out to try again, or roll with them and incorporate them into my work. I’ve knitted enough that I have a “feel” for knitting. I often start with a pattern, but along the way I’ll often change things to make it more what I actually want. I continue to learn new patterns and techniques – sometimes because it’s peaked my interest, but other times because circumstances in my friends’ lives or a request from someone leads to exploring something new.

Now this journey has led to Etsy. It makes sense, really. What else am I going to do with all of these hand knit items? My friends and family can only use so many scarves, hats, baby booties, blankets, and clothes. If I’m going to continue to knit (and that’s pretty much a given), then I’ll need to find other people who will treasure my hand knit items. And that’s where you come in – the Etsy customer. Now I’m knitting for you. I’m picking yarns that are super soft or have a fun texture or maybe the color stood out to grab me. I’m picking patterns that are useful, but fun at the same time. I’m knitting up unique items – full of love and wishes for health, happiness, and hope for the eventual wearer. I’m knitting for you!

Be sure to visit my website (link on the right) to see some of the crafting I've done!