Knitting Fun!!! yay?..........!

Um so yeah. Yesterday...as the queasiness let up, I had a brilliant idea.......! "I'm gonna teach myself to knit!!" I had never knitted before in the entirety of my short life. Why I thought this is beyond me! I mean, seriously! I can't even french braid hair for crying out loud (believe me...it isn't for the lack of trying! I have been trying the elusive "french" way of braiding for years....only ONE attempt was EVER successful). But far be it from me to deny myself a setup for failure! I am so good at it, I Should at least claim failure as a hobby, considering I do it so often.... :P. But on to the knitting, you don't want to hear my long list of "feminine arts" failures anyway, do you?

My wonderful enabler, also known as "hubby", drove my queasy self down to one of the many "local" Wal-Marts. My original intent was to buy a Cross-stitch kit..as I am minutely more familiar with this item of feminine pursuit. However a employee soon relayed to me that "cross-stitch is no longer available." So right then and there I thought about the mounds of beautiful yarn staring me down......the colors were enchanting, the textures hypnotizing.....I could imagine all the socks, scarves and impossibly intricate sweaters I could become a failure in!

After eyeballing the mounds of yarns....I moved on to the knitting needles....and became intimidated........How was I to know which needles to pick?!?! But never fear! -- a Knitting guide sat directly below the needles! I looked and saw that it came with needles and a how to guide, relief swept over me!! I could do this! No problem... needles and yarn! how hard could this be?! It takes more to bake a cake!

When we arrived home My enabler put the other goods away whilst I entered into a staring contest with my yarn. I meekly grabbed the plastic case the book came imprisoned in and slowly worked it free. The Needles fell with a metallic *clank* on the floor. After retrieving the errant hot pink needles, I gazed at the cover of the book "I Taught Myself to Knit - Simple Instructions and Clear Diagrams Make it Easy to Teach Yourself!" It enthusiastically advertises. I get excited, It says its easy! Maybe I CAN do this!! I crack it open and start trying to follow the directions.

Lesson 1
Casting On -
At measured distance from one end make a slip knot on one needle.

me-"What is a slipknot?"

Book- See diagram 1.

me- "This diagram doesn't make sense! what do I do now?!"

Book- See diagram 1.

me- "look I tried to do that...It isn't working! I don't even know what a slipknot is!!!!!

I decide to look this elusive slipknot up on the internet, and soon figure out a much faster and more simple way of tying a slipknot than what the diagram shows.

me-"okay now what? I conquered the knot."

Book- Follow steps 4-8.

me- ~throws book across living room~


After trying to work with the book for two hours...I gave it up for useless and inadequate....realizing I could get better instruction from the internet.

Yay for Youtube!

So after going to bed defeated and feeling like a failure, I prayed for the ability to knit. Well, it took me all day with size 8 needles and tiny yarn, but God gave me the wisdom to Knit about 3 inches of a scarf! I learned how to "cast on" with two needles, and do a basic "knit stitch".

And yes, that is My project on the top of the page, along with the rejected, useless book. The book makes more sense now that I have a Basic understanding of the concept....but still the step by step instructions are vague and somewhat confusing. I think I will keep it simply for the abbreviation chart.

I don't feel like a failure at the moment...in fact I feel rather accomplished! I feel feminine! I know silly right? I know that men knit and everything..but it still makes me feel all warm and fuzzy to think I am doing something worthwhile in my free time, some thing that generations of women before me learned to do while they were probably toddlers!

I love feeling all feminine and fuzzy inside! :P