26 May 2009

Dear Grannies,

I apologise, sincerely, from the bottom of my heart. Knitting isn't as easy as you make it out to be! I realise that people other than grannies knit, but you're the real heroes here.

What brought me to take up knitting, you ask? I decided that creative energy should be used in the best way possible. I'm around the house a lot more nowadays, so it was time for me to have a new hobby (that I could do sitting down and at my own lazy pace)!

I bought some yarn and needles this week and gave it a try. I taught myself from YouTube videos and advice from keen knitters on internet forums. There seemed to be a wealth of knowledge online about it, so why not give it a go?

I was given a pattern for beginners - sleeveless gloves. No problem, right? Aha. Ahahaha. If only I knew, Granny, if only I knew.

Problem. Big problem:



What the heck?! Knitting is supposed to be easy! People do it without looking, and I couldn't even do it at a few stitches per minute. I realised that without a real-life knitting expert to consult, I was going to have a hard time learning anything more than the very basics. I didn't know how to fix mistakes, so I just had to start all over again every time I messed up. That wasn't good, that wasn't good at all. I was a fabric failure. A nuisance novice knitter nutter.

However, I wasn't about to give up that easily! I decided that the gloves were obviously a project for someone who'd been knitting for longer than...well, longer than a day. All I knew was how to cast on, and then knit. No fancy things for me. Just pure, raw knitting. So, obviously, I decided to knit a scarf. It's May now, so with any luck it would be finished in time for winter.

So I continued, I persevered. I learned how to tink - taking back stitches when you make a mistake (it's "knit" spelt backwards. *chortle* how clever!). To my surprise, I got better. It looks quite good, apart from a few little mistakes that my ten year old sister (the recipient of said scarf) hopefully won't pick up on:



It felt so good to get it right! I'd recommend knitting to anyone who doesn't mind investing time to make something from scratch. Such a great way to keep your style individual, and keep yourself busy. Now I feel ready to take on the world! Bring on various crazy stitches! Bring on the insane patterns, bring on fancy embellishments and BRING ON THE DAMN SLEEVELESS GLOVES!

Yours (with aching fingers),

The guy who will, eventually, make knitting even more cool

8 comments:

Tom Hanson said...

Didnt know you were much of a knitting person Kyle =P

Well done on the start of the scarf! XD

Kyle said...

Oh, there are many things you don't know about me, dear Tom.

And well done if you read the whole thing, it was a long'un.

Deannnnnn said...

Knitting is awesome.
I should try.
Your blag makes me smile. It's quirky. Keep at it =]
x

Deannnnnn said...

Did I put blag?
What a knob I am indeed.
********Blog*******
x

MARI said...

KNITTING IS THE BEST THING SINCE COFFEE!
MY NIECE TOUGHT ME AND I MUST SAY I'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS AND YOURS LOOKS A MILLION TIMES BETTER THAN MINE :(
BUT ITS FUN AND THE BEST RELAXENT EVER (APART FROM SLEEP)
KEEP AT IT :)
MARI

Anonymous said...

I so need to give knitting a try =D

Kyle said...

Seriously, do it! I was scared to death about failing miserably, but once you get into it your body finds its own way of knitting and you do it effortlessly.

Anonymous said...

Knitting is amazing. I had no idea you were into it!

I am Friendthegirl from Lush Forums.

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