Knitting - cross that off my list of things to learn to do

In September, I was able to go to my friend Ashley's house in Austin. It was a weekend full of friends, fun, bingo (you haven't lived until you've played BINGO with these ladies and called BINGO with Kim) and it was filled with knitting. 

I have always wanted to learn how to knit and several of my far away friends know how to knit so hearing about their projects and things over the years had made the desire even stronger. My dear friend, Jerusha, smiled kindly upon my knitless fingers and taught me how to knit that weekend. I plopped my happy little self in one of Ashley's rattan loungers next to Vanessa and Jerusha and knitted away my Saturday. It was delightful. I had a nice little project square going on until I got home. In one fail swoop, little Boops pulled my needles out and started unraveling my pink square. Stimey! I had to rip out every single stitch I had done in Austin and was left to fend for myself at casting on again. 

With some assistance from Knitting Help, which is an amazing site if you need videos and how to's, I was able to get back on track. It was a slow and painful process. I hold my yarn totally wrong, I'm sure of it. I was knitting, purling, and dropping stitches like no body's business. It was a fine little piece of work. I was getting to the end of the ball of yarn and decided to try a little something. I would knit a stitch, purl a couple and so on. Yeah, not so hot on the esthetics side of things. It doubled my stitches and made my square turn into some oblong funkadelic shape that I can't properly describe.

Because I love her and we have this on going running joke about a sweater I knitted her once (not really) and how she washed her car with my hard work, Deanna was the recipient of this little treasure. She says she is using it as a Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Cozy. At least it's got purpose. I am grateful there are no pictures of it anywhere on the net or anyplace else for that matter. 

I am on my second square and I must say, it's going really well. Much better than my initial stab at knitting. Even my husband is impressed. He was impressed with the first tragedy of a project I did too so I guess that's not saying much but he's supportive none the less and I love that about him. 

Even if you don't want to learn to knit, let me encourage you to try something or learn a skill you have always wanted to know. It's amazing how much fulfillment one gains from something so small. Knitting was in the top 3 of things I wanted to learn how to do before I die and I can cross it off thanks to Jerusha and her patience in teaching me. So, much thanks and big props going out to Jelly today. Love you and thanks for teaching me to knit. You have a convert to the core!