Monday, November 5, 2007

NaBloPoMo Day 5: Knit-Picky

When I was in high school and still lame enough to try to make people think I was cool (I fooled no one at all, just for the record), I would never have admitted to having a hobby so old-ladyish as knitting. Of course, when I was in high school, I didn't have a hobby that old-ladyish. I was too busy being on the ski team and being outdoorsy. Outdoorsy, yuck. Lame.

Of course, at my elevated age, I have given up all pretense of being cool and I am totally out of the closet as being a die-hard fan of knitting. One of the very best things about my new condo, the thing that made my husband say "Oh, Christ!" as soon as he saw it? It's the Michael's in the shopping center around the corner. I have become slightly critical of Michael's in the last few months, because I think they carry too much crappy yarn and not enough natural fiber in non-offensive colors. But they do carry a decent stock of soy-dyed wool and some nice 100% cotton yarn, so I won't complain too loudly. They've even started carrying a bamboo-acrylic blend, which, while it isn't as delicious as the bamboo silk that Kimberly was using the last time she was here, is pretty soft and cuddly.

I am working on several projects. I always have a baby blanket going, at least one, and more than one right now. My BFF is pregnant, (whoo hoo!!) so I have a little special something going on for her peanut. My office is seriously cold, so I'm working on a wrap in an indigo hand-dyed alpaca-wool blend. I would like to try socks again; I love to knit but I am self-taught; as a result I lack many of the necessary skills to make anything other than a glorified rectangle of some kind.

The attraction, for me, is that it not only satisfies my creative yen by producing something handmade and beautiful, it speaks to my practical, German-Dutch heritage by being productive and useful at the same time. Sadly, I'm also sort of an instant gratification junkie and that is tough, because I would really love to see everything come together all at once, not one row at a time.

I guess that there are knitting groups out there, but most of my friends don't knit. I maybe ought to try to find a knitting group somewhere near me. I have that whole only-child, sorta shy, sorta standoffish thing going, though. I picture a knitting group being full of either little old ladies with cats, or black-frame glasses-wearing coolsters with Belle & Sebastian playing in the background. I have no idea if either of those are accurate, but I am sure I'm not the only thirties suburban yuppie with yarn stuffed in the glove compartment of my car. Call me.

2 comments:

Kimberly said...

Ooooh, bamboo yarn is yummy. I know because I have been working with it since I was there last, which was in September, and I was working with it the time before that, which was June. You'd think I'd have a complete bamboo wardrobe by now, but what I have is the back and both front sides of a cardigan. No sleeves yet, but I'm on it. I know about instant gratification. I did my first sweater in super bulky 100% wool. Great if I am ever lost on Antarctica, not so great for Kentucky.

Anonymous said...

They're out there. I surprisingly found out after I taught myself to knit that there are even a few servers at my work that also knit because apparently not EVERYBODY here lives at the bar. I make starbucks dates with one of them and we knit...she's teaching me a little about how to make things that aren't scarves. Although we do get some pretty nasty looks from the old people nearby because our wholesome activity is held-up by some very unsavory conversations.

My friend Ryan says his mom is a knitting guru and offered to give me her number to call her, but I would feel a little uncomfortable calling some woman I've never met for knitting advice.

The moral of the story is, if I can find twenty-something waitresses that knit, you can find people around you too, I am sure.

I am still only at the glorified rectangle stage too though, so you're not the only one.