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Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Woohoo! I can knit! I can knit!



Okay, this might not look like much to anyone else, but this is the first time I've followed a knitting pattern and had it look like it was supposed to. I have been trying to break past my knitting disability since my daughter was a baby. So for almost eight years I have been stuck on scarves, plain hats, or simple things on circular needles, as I could never get past simple knitting and purling.

With the help of google, and some awesome knitting help sites, I figured out part of my problem came from accidentally teaching myself the 'combined method continental hold' way to knit (and I was even doing that a bit incorrectly). When you knit that way, then you have to convert patterns to work. And I barely even knew what the regular way was, so it was like trying to translate Spanish to Braille when I could hardly speak Spanish and didn't know Braille. So I usually gave up and knitted a scarf, or some sort of free form creation. Or hats, that typically ended up really large.

I enjoy knitting, it soothes me. I love yarn stores. We have an amazing one in town, but the women there pretty much know me as the chick who buys wool roving for her felting crazed daughter. (Well, maybe I am imagining that label, but it feels like that.) I've longed to be able to try out some of the amazing projects that are shared on blogs and to join Ravelry, and be able to understand the patterns.

I've been recovering from illness, and get tired out quickly. I've spent a lot of time sitting and resting which tends to lead to knitting. But I was getting frustrated with my inability to follow a knitting pattern. So yesterday, I followed video after video online. After ripping out the same little bit of yarn at least twelve times, it finally started to click. This morning I knit something that looks exactly like the picture of the pattern I was following. FINALLY! It only took me eight frickin years to make holes that were supposed to be in a knitting pattern and be able to repeat it.

Sigh... somehow this feels like I finally learned to read after years of longing to but struggling with how to combine letters into words. My son calls himself a 'basic reader' as he can read, but knows he's still limited to early readers books. Books are starting to unlock for him, and he is just at the threshold of that large, beautiful book filled world. He is excited and awed by what awaits him in his reading future. So I guess I can finally say I am a 'basic knitter'. I CAN read patterns (and then translate them into my backward, inverse way of knitting). It is slow going but I am so relieved and excited to actually get to cross over that threshold. I am excited and awed by what awaits me in my knitting future.

And I can't WAIT to go to the yarn shop and buy yarn along with the pile of felting supplies I typically get. Today my daughter informed me we were out of red roving and that she would like some for holiday projects, so I think we will have to go soon. Yay!

5 comments:

val said...

Oh this post makes me so happy. What a breakthrough, and you're right, so much fun out there ahead. You've got the eye for color and design and now you'll be able to make it actually happen. love,Val

Deb said...

Good for you! I cannot knit, no way, no how so congratulations! Show us the completed item ok?

jozen said...

i think that looks great! knitting is hard!

Unknown said...

Congrats! I am determined to learn to knit this year. Any suggestions on knitting sites you used to help you out??

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Lindy said...

I can sooooooooooo relate. I can't read a pattern for anything and am still making scarves (you were much further along with attempting hats!) so congrats to you for figuring it out... well done!
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