I have a “Quote a day” calendar, which is often VERY apt… Today’s was particularly so – see the end of today’s entry!
So… My mother used to knit, seemingly, ALL the time… My childhood, my adolescence, my adult memories are of her knitting… Intricate lacy designs, chunky scarves, baby wear for charity… Every evening she would sit knitting. Every holiday she would take her knitting. Every long car journey, she would knit…
So… I was put off knitting at an early age… She taught me when I was very, very young, but I had no patience – often have none now – and watching it grow 2mm at a time – or so it seemed – was just not stimulating enough for me… Even knitting a cable design – which she taught me and I enjoyed – just wasn’t enough to grab my interest; playing with fabrics always did that…
When I trained to be a teacher, and confronted with teaching about the properties of knitted fabrics versus woven fabrics, I asked her to remind me how it was done. So, I created a small piece – VERY small – and knew it was a great teaching resource – to show how the loops create a stretchy fabric, how they will unravel and ladder… However, I still felt no compulsion to take it up as a hobby.
Then, earlier in the week, while browsing fabrics at a French store, I was confronted with piles of gorgeous yarns of all textures and colours and I decided, there and then, that I wanted to knit… I see the ladies in my classes learning to sew, getting such a hit from discovering these new skills, that I wanted to feel something similar myself. Also, I knew it would help with my teaching, because it would remind me exactly how it feels to learn something completely new, or to re-learn something after 25 years or so… Now, I’m not sure if you’d class my “Learning to Knit” as learning from scratch… judge for yourself! However, I can honestly say, I’ve never knitted more than 10 rows before… And, last night, after a quick visit to a town centre store, I settled down to knit a snood. It wasn’t the yarn of my choice… It was the only one in the shop with a simple enough pattern displayed next to it. So, I bought the yarn, went home and dug out a set of Mum’s 10mm needles, and started…
I’m stunned to say, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’ve knitted 40 rows so far, and the chunky yarns and large needles mean it grows so very quickly! I had AC/DC “Back in Black” playing loudly in the background, and whether that helped me get into the knitting rhythm or it was just my mind-set, I don’t know…What I do know, it was a great feeling! To take a ball of wool and some needles and to create a fabric…..
Also yesterday, I started week 4 of the C25K plan… I honestly thought I wouldn’t manage it.. I honestly thought I’d have to make a couple of attempts… I didn’t! I did it… I ran for 3 minutes, twice, and 5 minutes twice… It was far from easy and I know I’ll feel just as apprehensive tomorrow when I tackle it for the 2nd time. But – I actually did it!
“All things are difficult before they are easy”. Thomas Fuller