Knitting has become such a huge and important part of my life that it is hard to believe that I have only been doing it for around four years. It is now such a part of my identity that when I meet someone new they think I must have been born with knitting needles and a ball of
variegated yarn in my hands. I thought I would take some time to explore how knitting and I became such important companions.
Around 6 years ago I was introduced to a most interesting and creative guy who would become my husband. Before this my life pretty much revolved around the university that I worked at and if I ever got bored I would just start working on another masters degree to keep me busy. My hands were kept active with an endless supply of
Marlboro Lights and Mountain Dew. I really didn't have time or need for a hobby. Soon after meeting Mike I switched jobs to a much more low key community college, where I still work advising mostly nursing students, and was busily planning my wedding.
After this big adventure I spent about a year looking at home decorating magazines and going to flea markets and antique malls to fill my nest with treasures. After awhile I realized that I really needed something to do with my extra time. My husband is a man of many passions, including playing guitar in a band, writing science fiction, riding his bikes, and saving the world from Nazis and aliens on his computer games. So I went in search of something to do with my time and hands since I had given up my old best friends in nicotine form.
I tried cross stitch and crochet before being taught to knit from the women whom I had taken a crochet class with. From almost the first moment it just felt right. There was something so rhythmic and meditative yet it still required me to actively focus at times, just like studying had done for me in the past. I could be a little focused while doing something simple as a garter stitch scarf or if I wanted to be really engrossed I could work on something more difficult. And then there was the yarn. I absolutely love color and I could spend hours looking at the different combinations and transitions of color in the yarn. As lame as it sounds knitting with
variegated yarn is endlessly
fascinating to me as I wait to see whether blue or green will come up next in the pattern.
So now I have an entire room devoted to my craft and I bore my husband and friends with stories about stitch patterns and new techniques. But it keeps me off the streets and my hands busy while I sit in front of the TV or watch my husband playing music at a coffee shop.
Everyone should be so lucky.
allisonstrine's shop on Etsy is the place that I go whenever I need a pick me up. I have 3 of her prints hanging above my computer in my craft room for inspiration. Recently I scored a great deal on a pendant of her work. When we were in the worst of freshman registration a few weeks ago I wore orange 3 days in a row so that I could wear this pendant. I would look down throughout the day to give me a smile. I don't know how you can be in a bad mood while wearing a Lady Bird. Here is my pendant:
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