Memememememe!

Firstly, I just want to say thanks to everyone for your encouragement and kind words about the whole weight loss thing, both online and off. It means a lot to know I have that kind of support. Now, for today's post I'm doing a meme. I've tried to avoid doing these, at least for NaBloPoMo because it sort of seems like cheating, but Scout's missing her mom, and I sort of know how she feels because my own mom is many miles away, but at least I can still call her when I need to. So anyway, because I can't even imagine what it would be like to not be able to just pick up the phone and call my mom, here's Scout's meme:

1. How and when did you learn how to knit/crochet? Who taught you?
When I was about 15, or maybe 16, I was going through a bunch of my mom's Family Circle magazines from the late 70s/early 80s and saw a pattern for a sweater that I Had. To. Have. It was a lace tunic done in white mohair with a huge cowl neck (I was a sucker for a cowl neck). Because it was the late eighties and I was 15 (or 16), it had to be done in black. My mother, bless her, took me to the local craft store -- I don't think we had an LYS, and my mom hadn't knitted for at least 14 years so probably wouldn't have known about it even if we did -- and we got some acrylic mohair (it actually was pretty nice, not plastic-y like Red Heart) and circular needles, because my mom knows I'm a big doofus and would probably have put somebody's eye out with straights. She pulled out her old "Learn to Knit, Crochet, and Tat" book (the big green one, not the little one, and I think it was actually her mom's, because the copyright is 1958 in this edition -- I still have it) and taught me to cast on, and knit, and purl, and yarn over, and knit 2 together, and bind off, all for this totally inappropriate beginner project, but I didn't want to knit something else to learn, I wanted to knit that. The point was not to learn to knit, but to have that sweater. I did the back first (because that's what the pattern said to do), and somehow ended up with about four extra iterations of the lace pattern across, which equaled about an extra foot in width. The front came out perfectly, though, and I took in the extra width in the back by making pleats in the shoulder seams, because I was 15 (or 16) and not about to reknit it. The only real problem with the thing was that the cuffs -- it didn't have sleeves, just really long cuffs -- weren't attached properly and so it wasn't terribly comfortable to wear because they were too tight and had no give at all. But I really loved the sweater, and thought it was really cool that I could make stuff that way. I'm sure I knit a few other things after I finished that sweater, but I honestly can't remember what, and I know I don't have any of them anymore. That is also when I found the pattern for the infamous paisley-sweater-that-is-not-to-be-mentioned on the back of the Vogue Knitting magazine I bought and knit the back (the first time). I tried to pick up knitting again when I was in the Air Force, and bought yarn and needles for a sweater out of that same Vogue magazine but got a rash from working with the yarn, which I hated because it was too scratchy, anyhow. I didn't know about the guard hair allergy yet. Finally, I moved up to New Jersey and started working in NYC. I decided I wanted to do something constructive during my commute, so I knitted myself a scarf. And then I knitted a bunch more stuff. And now I feel like I'm a pretty damn good knitter. Hence the Christmas presents, which I really need to get moving on.

2. How has this craft impacted your life? (besides financially!)
Hmmmm....well, it's made me feel less like a lump when I watch TV, which I really like to do (I also read, a lot, so I do't feel too bad about this). I think it's probably increased my confidence -- dude, I can make clothing out of string! It has also given me a love of all things fiber-y, and I've now expanded my repetoire to include spinning and weaving and dyeing, and I've tried felting, crochet, kumihimo and lots of other really cool stuff that I probably wouldn't have if I didn't already know how cool knitting is.

3. Pick at least one person to talk about who you have met through the knit-world and why you are thankful to have met them. Feel free to get all mushy.
See, this is the tough one. This is the one that gave me blogger's block the other day and why I didn't post for two days. While I have met lots of really cool people through the knit-world, I haven't stayed in touch with any of them. I'm one of those people who just doesn't stay in touch with people. So when I read this and though about posting it I realized I don't have a good answer for this one. There were the women I hung out with at Lion Brand as we put kits together for the teaching tent at the first (and only) Knit Out I ever went to. Then I met Melanie Falick at the Knit Out and had a great time manning the Interweave booth with her. Then there was the group I used to meet at Housing Works in SoHo when I worked there, but then I didn't work there anymore so I stopped meeting them. I would love to go to a stitch'n'bitch and meet some people, but right now I work too late four nights a week and the other night is Friday, and while there is a SnB at The Point on Friday nights, that's the one weeknight I get to see the baby and I'm not willing to give that up. Plus, it gives Chris a little break from putting her to bed. And I don't want earlier hours, because then Becky would be in daycare longer every day and that's not cool. So anyhow, that's that. This is not to say I don't know any knitters, just not any that I met because of knitting, if you see what I mean. Maybe someday there will be a Saturday morning SnB near my house...maybe someday I'll even start one.

posted by Laura Y. @ 9:35 AM