Happy Knit-aversary to Me!

Just about a year ago I embarked upon a new journey. For several years I had been enviously eyeing those people who knew how to knit. I tried to find someone who would teach me (I was not ambitious enough or naive enough to believe I could successfully teach myself!). I found out that my brother's then fiancee, now wife, knew how to knit. So, I pestered her incessantly to teach me. She told me she was more of a crocheter, but she knew the basics of knitting. Well, after much pestering, and as a reward for throwing her a kick-ass bridal shower, she gave me the gift of knit.

My "Ugly"

She bought me some yarn, a set of knitting needles, and sat down with me to teach me. The first thing I made was my "ugly" as I call it. It was, essentially, a long, skinny scarf in a yarn that I would have never chosen for myself (but was chosen because it was multicolored and thus easy to learn on...so that I didn't accidentally pick up the wrong stitch and make a huge mess out of my project). For the first few days knitting was EXTREMELY frustrating. I started with 8 stitches, yet sometimes I'd end up with 10 stitches, 7 stitches, 9 stitches, stitches that were too tight, stitches that were knitted in a big blobby circle (I made a yarn tumor...and I still have NO idea how I did that.), but after about a day of incessant knitting, I found that my stitches were getting more even and prettier, and they were consistently staying at 8 stitches. It took me a few days to finish my "ugly"--and I was so proud of it. Not because it was beautiful, or even something that I'd ever wear, but because I made it. Because I could see my progress. Because I completed the first step of my goal...I learned how to knit!

After starting a second project, in about a week I found that I not only had figured out how to knit, but I enjoyed it and was actually pretty good! I soon found that just knowing the "knit" stitch wasn't good enough. So, I continued to make more and more projects--scarves for family and friends--and began to try and teach myself the purl stitch (because anyone who knows how to knit knows that if you can do the knit & purl stitches, you can basically follow any pattern!) Well, on my first try, I could purl. I did it for three rows of knitting and then all of a sudden...I lost it. I tried again and again and again--for weeks. I was back to feeling like a frustrated beginner. So, I stepped away from the purl stitch for a few days. One afternoon, I thought about how to do it and realized that I was making it way too complicated. I tried it again--it worked--and lo and behold, I could do it again--anytime I wanted. I didn't lose it this time.

My Button Scarf

Within a month and a half of being taught to knit, I surpassed the skill of my sister-in-law (who now tells me that I need to teach her all I know) and my full-blown obsession with knitting began. I started checking out sweaters in the stores to see what stitch they used and to see if I could replicate their stitches. I created my own pattern--a button scarf--that I modeled off of a scarf I saw in Macy's. I couldn't see paying for something I knew I could do, so I bought the scarf, took it home, measured it and replicated it with a stitch and design of my own (and, of course, returned the original scarf to Macy's...). I made them for family and friends for the holidays--and got a zillion compliments when I wore the one I made for myself.

Cat Toy & Sheep

Since then, I have continued to make scarves for family and friends. I have made several baby blankets. I have made a cat toy (which my kitty loves very much) and a little stuffed sheep (which was supposed to be a gift for a friend's daughter, but I wasn't happy with the way the shape of the face came out, so now it resides at my house). I consider myself more than a beginner knitter--I have mastered the art of reading a pattern and I know that I could follow complicated patterns. But, I have yet to try knitting in the round and my mom has been pestering me for months now to make her a sweater...which I keep promising to do, but just haven't felt ready to try it yet.

Baby Blankets

I often call myself a "one woman sweatshop." I am constantly working on projects for family, friends and, yes, myself too--whether it's by request or by my own desire--and as soon as I finish one project, I have another one waiting in the wings. I currently have about 15 projects waiting to be completed on my "to do" list. When my knitting obsession first began, my husband used to continually comment on the fact that I would be knitting every night when I got home from work. However, he has come to accept that when I'm relaxing on my couch, I usually will have a set of knitting needles in my hand, a ball of yarn on my right and a project in the making in my lap.

Gryffindor Scarf
for My Brother

Some of you out there might think I'm a huge geek because I love knitting. Many of you probably think of it as an "old lady habit" (and I'm excited to have mastered an old lady skill at such a young age...think how fabulous I'll be when I'm retired making sweaters and blankets and toys for my grandkids. Ha!). But, I love it. I find it relaxing, rewarding and well, cool. It excites me when I see someone I love wearing something I made for them. I love the feeling of satisfaction when I master a new pattern or a new stitch. I love looking through my pattern books, going to the store and stocking up on yarn, giving something I made to friends or family members and wearing something that I have put so much love and effort into. In fact, I love it so much and I'm so proud of the items I make that I've even had personalized "knitted by" labels created. And, yes, I do sew them onto every project I complete!

My Favorite Scarves
I've Made for Myself

So, happy anniversary to me...here's to one year of becoming a knowledgeable knitter!

If any one else out there loves to knit or wants to learn, a great site to check out is www.ravelry.com.

Both Princess & I knit, so if you have comments, questions about knitting, or you want to congratulate Princess on the completion of her first knitted hat...or if you just want to talk to us about anything else fun and fashion related...shoot us an email at theaccessorizedlife@gmail.com. We can't wait to hear from you!