Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Picking Up An Old Skill
When I was eight years old, my friend Robyn and I spent what seemed like an entire summer trying to knit a pair of slippers. We rode our bikes to town (about 7 km, one way) and bought some acrylic yarn at the local Steadman's store, then rode all the way back to my house where my mom showed us how to cast on stitches. That's where it all unraveled for me, so to speak. I was frustrated, I had mistakes, split yarn, extra stitches, I can't even remember the times I hurled the needles in frustration. In the end, my mom finished the slippers for me. I have no idea what happened to Robyn's.
My mom has been knitting since she was 16 years old. She's an amazing knitting multi-tasker. She can "touch knit" just like some people touch type - without looking at the needles. And she's fast! So, whenever I "need" something knit, I call my mom. Because my mom knits so much, and I've had so much exposure to it, I can read patterns, know all of the abbreviations, and people regularly ask me for knitting related advice, but I still wasn't able to actually produce anything. This year, I decided it would be different. I was going to cast those old frustrations aside and learn to knit!
Becky has been making a little doll for Bunny's Christmas gift, so in return for a little doll help, she's been helping me with my knitting. She's a really great teacher and as a result, I'm nearly done a necklet for my mom's Christmas gift.
It's still a work in progress, and I can't say that I love it yet, or that I find it relaxing the way I enjoy sewing, but I only managed to pick up one extra stitch so far, which I think is pretty good! I've figured out that there is a front and a back to the stitches (go figure!) which has made life much easier.
I wonder what ever happened to Robyn's slippers?
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