Knitting and Crochet Blog Week-Day 1

Starting Out

How and when did you begin knitting/crocheting. Was it passed down or learned form a book?

Well my Mom taught me to knit and crochet. I remember I was around 5 or 6 and I was the type of child that got bored easily. Today it would be called ADHD. My mom was always crafting something. Knitting, crocheting, needlepoint, cross stitch and sewing. Those are what I remember. She taught me all of it. I joke it was to keep me occupied and out of her hair. I am not sure which she taught me first but crochet was easier for me. I did knit a little and even have one of my first finished projects. It was a bag I made for my grandmother. I laugh each time I look at it and being the grandmother that she was she kept it for all those years and when she passed it was given back to me.

I kept up with the crochet over the years in I guess you would say bursts. I always had big ideas just couldn't sit long enough to finish them. Plus I was always doing something. I don't think I ever learned to just sit = )

I can tell you that when I was pregnant with my first I crocheted like a bandit. I had hyperemisis gravidium which basically means I couldn't stop vomiting. It was morning sickness on steroids. I lost 40 pounds my first trimester. I had a PIC line in my arm and that is how both of us got feed, by IV. I made severals blanket including one for Hubby that was nothing but double crochet on big hooks using 3 strand of yarn held together. That puppy is heavy!!!! Skywalker had at least four blankets by the time he arrived. Then with each of the girls as soon as I knew I was pregnant off to Michael's I went. I didn't know there was something called a yarn store back then.

I think Drama was about 3 when I was looking through a magazine that had both knitting and crochet in it and this was the time ponchos were back in style and there was a beaded one that Drama like and asked me to make it for her. It was knitted and I had not knitted since I was little. There was a very basic learn to knit section in the magazine and just skimming through it it all came back to me. Which surprised me since it had been almost 25 years since. Well I was off. I haven't stopped since then. I also learned as much as I could. I have this habit of jumping into something fully, it is like I need to know everything that there is to know. I do not listen to what people say too. I read many comments about cables and lace being very hard, honestly I think they are easy. Now I am not saying that they are not hard for some people it is just I think all the comment turn people off to even trying them. I have taught people to knit and showed them how to cable and I have heard so many times "that's it?!" Though I am the one who has always formed my own thoughts and not listened to others peoples comments.

I have also discovered natural fibers which are really much nicer to work with. I have a stash that is full of very yummy yarns and love working with them. I have learned to spin so I can make my own yarn. I find all of this to be fun and relaxing.