This is a celebration post--I finally finished my "fall/winter" knitted sweater! Simple looking, yes. Worthy of my knitting abilities, yes. Quick knit, no. But I am not Mario Andretti with the knitting needles either, so maybe don't take my word for it. I found this lovely pattern in the Fall 2009 issue of Interweave Knits. It was designed by Cathy Carron. And, just so happens, I used some yarn stash, Caron Simply Soft, for the finished object (FO for the knitting crowd out there). If you price this yarn (and they sell it at Wal Mart for goodness sake)--I am not a "snob-it-can-only-come-from-Italy" knitter--I knit, therefore: I shop for deals. The yarn I used sets you back about three bucks a skein--so I used 1 3/4 skein of this yarn and so spent like five dollars--what a deal! I thought this pullover had a lovely drape and even more fetching silhouette--layering is an option, but I like to wear these things without layering. And best of all (the feature I am most adamant about when selecting a knitting pattern: knitted in the round, and seamless--so call me a lazy knitter, but I hate, hate, hate to have to seam something after spending eons knitting!). So girls, if I can do it, so can you! I love to knit--but I am only an evening knitter. I have a very busy/unquiet mind and sitting and knitting during the day is next to impossible for me--so I knit at night while watching TV with hubby. Sometimes the knitting experience is a relaxing, winding down experience. Sometimes it is a maddening, nerve-wracking pain in the . . . Nonetheless, once I have my "issues" nailed down to proceed to the next "step" I am what you might call, a "relaxed" knitter.
I lurk in the "Ravelry" online knitting community. Lurk because I am too chicken to post my FOs online yet. I very much want to. I am skilled enough, I think. Mostly I turn to Ravelry to be inspired. When I login I am usually browsing and checking out the newest digs and latest trends--especially in "top down--or knitting in the round" knitting or other casual wear areas I like to browse. I taught myself to knit again (I knitted with my grandma when I was eight years old--and would on and off, find knitting needles in my hand for a bit after that--she was a very skilled knitter). Then I stopped cold. About six years ago, I walked into a LYS (local yarn shop) said, Here is what I remember of knitting, but the whole "cast on" thingy, could you show me that again? And paid for lessons one afternoon and I was off. I am a quick study and, once I've set my mind to something, I really never back down until, in my mind, I have it mastered--thus this knitting thing taking hold.
Knitting is good for the soul, the spirit and the mind. I highly recommend knitting for women (men, too). I think its rewards are endless--and being frustrated about it, well, yes that happens. But keep moving on and don't stop. Just ask for help--knitters, like gardeners, are very kind people and we really want the world to be full of knitting-types--bringing forth peace and understanding the world over.
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