Adventures with Allie Knitting

As you may remember, a few months ago I found out that I had a slight knack for sewing. I was, and still am, extremely proud of this fact. I have tried my hand at several other crafty pastimes over these past few weeks, but have yet to find something that plays to my strengths like sewing does. One of these craft projects I decided to try my hand at, is knitting.

My Yiayia (thats Greek, for Grandma), has always been an excellent knitter and owned a knitting shop and taught knitting classes for most of her adult years. A glorious side effect of this, is that my mom is also an excellent knitter.

Throughout my childhood, my mom attempted to teach my how to knit but I was never really interested in crafty hobbies as a kid, so I never really payed attention.

This past weekend I ask my mom if I could borrow some needles and yarn so I could try and teach myself how to knit.

You see, my best friend and her husband are due to have their first baby in April and I thought it would be fun for them to have a handmade afghan with them at the hospital.

So my mom gathered some supplies and gave me her “knitting for beginners” book that is older than I am, and sent me on my way.

I got home and sat on the couch, and began to read away at all the tips and tricks in that little book. I felt like I was reading an entirely different language. “live stitches” “casting” “Centered double increase” all of these terms madeabsolutely zero sense to me and had no explanation in the book. So by default, I turned to the internet for help.

Let me just say that people on YouTube that do instructional videos for knitting, could ALL be hand models. I was so distracted by the perfectly manicured, porcelain like, scar free, hands that I completely forgot about the task at hand.

After watching several tutorials, I decided it was time to give it a whirl. I grabbed my needles and yarn, tied my slipknot, and was getting ready to start my chain, when I proceeded to poke my hand so hard with my needle, that I bruised my knuckle.

After a slew of some PG-13 language and an ice pack, I tried again. I finished my first row of stitches, and was about to attempt to “cast-on” for my second, and I dropped my needles. All of those stitches gone.

At this point I’m extremely frustrated and my husband probably sensed I was frustrated too, because he made me put the needles away for the night.

The next morning I pull up YouTube, and decide to watch some more instructional videos on how to knit, and all I can think while watching said videos and trying out said instructions, is that it definitely should NOT be this hard to learn how to make a blanket.

After about six more hours of watching videos and trying my luck (and patience), I still have not successfully knit more than one row of stitches.

At this point, I have come to the conclusion that knitting, is in fact witchcraft. Those who knit (or crochet for that matter) have special magical abilities that I could only ever dream of possessing.

Knitting is not my forte, and never will be. I gave up on this crafting adventure for the sake of mine and my husbands safety and sanity.

I guess, for now at least, sewing is still my only companion in the arts and crafts world. I am determined to find another craft that I enjoy, and maybe one day I will. Weekly reminder to be kind to your neighbors,

Weekly reminder to be kind to your neighbors,

Be kind to your pets,

Shop local,

And while you shop local, be kind to your retail workers, the Holidays are an exhausting time for them, they deserve a kind face and a warm smile.