So I didn’t quite make it to an as-promised LIFE post this past Friday, but I wanted to make sure I came back to share a little more with you!
I’ve been knitting! I picked up the hobby again over Thanksgiving when stumbling upon the most adorable yarn store near my in-laws’ home in Dorset, Vermont. It was one of the few times we’ve arrived in town after dark, yet early enough to see the warm lights glowing through the shop windows of Manchester Center. I quickly spotted the inviting shelves full of color and thought how in the world have I not seen that place before? I grabbed both moms and returned to the scene immediately. Thus spawned a four-day binge of all the women in the family chatting over our handiwork.
Dare I say we returned to the store two more times that weekend, and I found the alpaca in these photos at the local West Craft Fair. It’s the 2009 blend of ten alpacas who reside at the Bromley View Inn (Sound familiar? Bromley is a mountain, and also the name of my husky mix).
Like many of my peers, I first learned to knit and crochet from my grandmother. I’ve never finished much, because just as I get things moving it always seems to turn spring again and the yarn gets tossed aside. A hat or two, some easy scarves, pieces to afghans that never had a vision anyway. I have a small book – more of a pamphlet really – that I pull out each time I’m motivated to re-learn the craft. After knitting three skeins of yellow into a long, miscellaneously-stitched scarf over the holidays, however, I think I can actually say that I “get” knitting. I understand how what I do affects the outcome of my patterns. My hands move smoothly, consistently, and I may not actually forget how to do it this time (eek, I hope!).
The coolest thing about having something to do with your hands is the fact that you’re always accomplishing something. Even on New Years Day, when a bunch of us sat around in our jammies watching parades and football all day, I still came out with almost this entire scarf! This has been good for me, because I’m not very good at sitting still (understatement). Also, as I’m working, there is an incredible flow of thought buzzing in my head. With nothing to think about, there is so much to think about!
Here are some of the sites I have found or that have been recommended to me in the last month:
- Ravelry.com (the most incredible community, started here in MA! click through to find me)
- KnittingHelp.com (quick and easy videos you can watch as many times as you need! also based in MA)
- VogueKnitting.com (such clear photos in the Knitting 101 section!)
by Stacey
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