Why did you start knitting...

 

Happy Sunday!

 

 

How was your week? Mine was rather busy as it tends to be after a three day weekend. So busy that it had me grabbing my knitting project more often than usual during lunch breaks. Which reminds me how grateful I am for knitting. As I was knitting it got me to thinking of a question that I often ask fellow knitters...why did you start knitting?

 

Pattern~ Simply Ginny Socks Yarn~ Wee Chickadee Woolery Smooshy Socks in Rose Moss

For me it was just another extension of my crafty upbringing. I can't remember a time when I wasn't introduced to or doing something creative.  When I was young I remember snatching any scraps from my mom's fabric stash to put together clothes for my Barbie. When I say put together I really mean it- sometimes fabric where simply wrapped around my Barbie with something classy like a rubber band and other times a few messy stitches were made to connect a wrapped skirt.

 

 

The crafts changed from loomed potholders thanks to a friend of my mom's, then to cross-stitching and as I got older crochet when I was in my younger adult years. Now here is where things gets fuzzy, I don't remember what made me want to knit. Not sure if I saw something in a book that was knit and it sparked a desire. No one in my family knit, I just remember that once the spark was lite, I wanted to knit more than anything I have done. It took many ( and I mean many) tries over years and thanks to a friend who also wanted to knit, I took a class and it stuck.

The rest they say is history. While sometimes my mind wanders to creating those tiny stitches on Aida cloth or a peaked interest when I see amazing spinning...my heart remains with knitting.

Now it is your turn, why did you start knitting?

 

Enjoy a song and have the best day today!

 

 

XO,

Andi

Comments

[Susan S.]

I learned to crochet at 13 but as the years went by I wanted fabric that looked finer, like the sweaters in the stores had. My nursing supervisor taught me to knit at age 20. I have knit on and off for 50 years, definitely full time ON the past 20. Love knitted fabrics!.......and the yarns that make them!

[Dee]

I adored my dad's best friend's wife, Shirley. She was everything my mon was not, in my child mind. She was SO elegant. She had an IMPORTANT job. She dressed really fancy and had her hair done every week at the hairdresser AND SHE.KNIT!

She taught me how to knit when I was a little kid and I've never quit.

[DrLeonesse]

I come from a line of creative women. I have always believed my grandmother could fashion anything lovely thing from old clothes. My mother excelled in embroidery, crochet and was an excellent seamstress. (I still envy that last ability.) When I started knitting, I had no role model. It was a purely selfish reason that drove me to pick up the needles--I bit my nails. My mother had tried any number of ploys to stop this awful habit, to no avail. Not only did I find the perfect solution and lovely nails but I also found a lifelong joy. It's been 55 years now...and counting.

[Elly]

It has been a while since I've commented-- I've been reading but lurking since I took on a QUILT project for a friend that I'm still not quite done with. I wasn't a quilter (my grandmothers and great grandmothers were functional quilt makers-- my mom started by never finished her first), but I supposed I am now. That is also close to how my knitting story started. My grandmother is a knitter that makes things like blanket squares, slippers, and baby hats. When I was a teen she taught me how to knit flat on straight needles and I did that for a few years for stress relief and never made anything. Then I needed stress relief but wanted to MAKE something and have taught myself everything else-- afghans, scarves, hats, socks, lace, etc.

[Linda]

The first time I ever knitted, I was around 18 or 19. I made a couple of baby items for a gift and then didn't knit again until I hit around 55 or 56. The reason...I could no longer see the little tiny holes on my cross-stitch fabric. So I needed some other creative outlet. And I started knitting. My sister always crocheted and still does from time to time. But once I started knitting, she did too. I actually taught her many stitches over the phone! She is 540 miles away from me. I still cross-stitch once in awhile (got some close up lenses for it)... but my main love is knitting! It has saved my sanity more times than I can count!

Linda in VA

[Tricia]

I always loved knitted socks & mittens, but with numerous beginner classes over the years it just never stuck! My brain knew everything about knitting, but my hands would.not.knit! I've crocheted since a kid, but in 2012 I sat down in front of ElizZimmerman DVDs and YouTube videos on a passionate mission to learn how to knit socks - my DH was deploying to Afghanistan for a year and I absolutely had to knit him socks to send in his boxes. Suddenly my brain clicked, my hands started knitting, and he got handknit socks in his Valentine's box. I haven't stopped knitting since then.

BTW, last week I bought 2 skeins (purple and aqua speckles!) of the most decadent yarn from Wee Chicadee Woolery after seeing your Rose Moss socks a couple of weeks ago - oh my - the epitomy of knitting bliss indeed!!

[Frances]

As a child I learned basic sewing and crochet from an elderly woman who had a welcoming kitchen with a wood-burning cookstove and a rocking chair. But I wasn't introduced to knitting until I was about 10. It was in the beginning of World War II, and my teacher decided we children should knit wool scarves for servicemen. A woman volunteered to teach us all to knit. Poor lady! I caught on at once and loved it. Sorry to say I never finished my scarf, as I was more interested in climbing trees, but later on I picked it up again, and it's one of the great joys of my life.

[Cecile Hermans]

My mom taught me the basics when I was about 8. She did not knit a lot and never developed an actual passion for it...which I did. Between 15 and 22, I did not knit a lot but was much more into cross-stitching (which, by the way, is far cheaper), but I picked up knitting again when I was pregnant with my first boy, at 30. Since then, I have been knitting, knitting and knitting. I simply could not do without knitting and feel miserable if I do not get at least a couple of minutes to knit a few stitches every day. As for many fellow-knitters, knitting has helped me stress out and chase away negative, depressive thoughts many a time.

[Maureen]

I had been in the hospital for a health issue a few times and I needed a creative outlet. I did not want to go far and my mother signed me up for lessons and I have been going going going ever since and that was 15 yrs ago.

[Margaret]

My grandmother crocheted. I learned to crochet from her. She also quilted and she and friends taught me to quilt. My mother sewed and embroidered, I learned those crafts from her. The knitting ah the knitting, I love the most. I thaught my self. When I was 12, I just knew straight knit stitch. I would nag my grandmother all the for her scraps of yarn. Some where along the years I did a lot of craft stufff whatever fad had come along.But I always came back to knitting and my skills improved, I watch tube to find out things now a days and blogs.

[Katherine]

So much beauty in this post, Andi! This is always such a relaxing place to stop by!

When I was maybe 7 or 8, my mom began learning to knit and took to it right away. I'd go with her to the LYS while she'd pick out yarn, and of course it wasn't long before I wanted to knit too! I did it on and off as a child ... and then in my early 20s, got pretty obsessed. Now, I'm (hopefully) nearing the end of my PhD, and knitting is a really important part of my life. It's an important balance to the type of work I do during the day, where it's often hard to see progress ... I love the tangibility of knitting progress and feeling like I've actually made something!

[jane]

One grandmother crocheted and cross-stitched and the other grandmother was a beautiful seamstress and knitter. I lived 10 blocks from the Gram that knitted and sewed. She taught me both. When I was a little girl, I sat beside her and held the ball of yarn while she knitted. She knitted lots of pink yarn and wore Estee Lauder Youth Dew perfume. When I was 10 or 11, she taught me the knit stitch on yellow plastic needles. When I was learning the purl stitch, I'd ride my bike to her house so she could fix my mistakes. That was 55 years ago. Still knitting after all these years, in between quilting and cross-stitch. I learned a few basic crochet stitches but just enjoy two needles rather than one hook.

[Rhonda]

I finally learned to enjoy knitting a few years ago, when living in Oslo, Norway. I joined the knitting group that was part of the international club. A kind friend taught me the basics. I practiced (and cursed a bit) until the stitches looked right. This was my third attempt at the craft, having taken a class at age 12, and trying to teach myself in my 20's. What really helped was meeting with friends weekly. The members had all skill levels. I live in Texas now, where it isn't sweater weather for much of the year. I just made my first lace-edged shawl. Lovely!

[Caffeine Girl]

When I was growing up, our beloved babysitter was Norwegian. She knit and crocheted all the time. For some reason, she taught me to knit. I'm so glad. I didn't knit from age 14 to 44, but once I started up again, I was an afficianado!

[Vicki]

My mum always sewed and crocheted with the little bit of knitting. When I was five, my mum was expecting my sister. She was making baby clothes. I don't know if it looked like fun or if I just wanted to be like mum so I asked her to show me. That was it. I have never stopped. I never gave it up. It was ages before I actually made anything other than squares or long strips of knitted fabric. I just kept knitting. I am now in my fifties and have added other crafts but knitting has been the mainstay.

[Angela]

No knitting but learned crochet at 9 years of age. I made a horrible brown and orange granny square pillow cover for my grandma. Later I noticed a mistake and she never pointed it out to me. She actually used the pillow. Back then brown and orange was the "thing."

[Juliann]

I learned to knit as a girl, taught by my grandmother. I picked it up again when our girls were little but then got 10 pyears ago, I learn d about prayer shawls and picked my needles up again. We started a group at church to knit prayer shawls and donation hats. I keep knitting because I love picking up a project in the evenings and making lovely things to keep people warm. Thanks for asking.

[Lisa]

It was interesting to read about your crafty upbringing and then how you started crochet, then fell in love with knitting. I started knitting when I took an Arts and Crafts class in grade eleven in high school. I think I always had an interest in learning to knit but it was this class that made it happen. I have been knitting every since. I was also crafty as a child and my mom set up a craft table for my sister and I to create with different craft supplies. I am so glad I found knitting or it found me, and that I am a part of this amazing knitting/crocheting community :)

[Cimorine]

My father taught me. The first hour was because i wanted attention. Then i quit. But a few years later, my father had to stop readibg to me, so i picked up audiobooks. We had a cassette player hooked to our media center (including the tv), but i couldn't move in order to listen. I sat on the floor with headphones in. And my hands got bored. First i tried tracing, then i remembered knitting. I asked my friend's mother to reteach me, and i was off.

At first i only knit garter cloth. I'd cast on, knit until the yarn was gone, then cast off. My dad stepped in and got me a lace dishcloth pattern book. And i taught myself the rest.

See, my dad learned it from his mom, my busha. She died when i was 8. So knitting is also a way to connect us.

[knittingnmaine]

When I was ten years old, I had to undergo an operation on my kidney and it was a very long recovery time. My grandmother came to help out my mom with me and my brothers. She was a beautiful Hungarian woman who crafted out of necessity growing up in Hungary. In order to keep me in one place and keep me busy, she doled out knitting lessons to me in tiny bits to keep me interested. In fact thinking back on it, she was so wise to be keeping busy doing other things and then she would take a break and sit and knit - to get her full attention I would curl up next to her and have her show me what she was doing. It made me feel so special that she would stop baking or cleaning or laundry to teach me. I have loved knitting ever since and whenever I pick up my needles I see her sweet apple cheeks and her smile. She also taught me to crochet and cross stitch and embroider on future visits. It was something very special we shared together.

[DWJ]

I always wanted to learn but never knew anyone who knit. So 6 years ago I saw a Groupon for knitting lessons and decided it was time to give it a go. It took a few lessons and some practice and then one day it all clicked and just felt natural to my hands. Best thing I ever did was take that lesson.

[Kay]

Kniitting and crochet have been my handcrafts of choice since I was 8. One grandmother was a sewer, quilter, knitter and crocheter. My mother sewed, knit and crocheted. The other grandma was a tatter, crocheter, knitter, sewer and quilter. Between them, I learned to first knit and then crochet during summer vacation. It wasn't easy for them! I would sit and watch whomever was available between doing my chores until one day it clicked for this lefty knitter. I knit myself a cardigan as a first project (no one was around to tell me I couldn't) and proudly wore it to school. I don't remember why I stopped knitting after that until I was in my 20s but I know crochet filled the gap for many years. I still switch crafts from time to time but I always seem to have something going with both. After 60+ years of having either a set of needles or a hook in motion, I don't think I could stop now and stay healthy!

[Kat]

Honestly? I started knitting because one of my friends got a Fourth Doctor scarf, and that put the idea into my head. I bought a book, knit a couple of washcloths, then jumped into a pair of socks and a lace shawl. (I did finally knit a Fourth Doctor scarf for myself about four years later...)

[Nadja]

My mother taught me how to knit and crochet when I was little. I enjoyed it then but never really made anything other than clothing for dolls or my teddy. I didn't knit for all of my teenage years and well into adulthood.

But then (2007) I got annoyed. I couldn't find gloves that would fit my hands properly. I have very large hands for a woman (they are as long as my husband's) but they are pretty thin with slim wrists. That meant women's gloves were always too small for me (mostly too short in length for the fingers and hand). Men's gloves fit well in length but were usually far too wide and loose. So, I knit myself a very simple pair of fingerless gloves. Directly followed by a pair of socks and then my lace wedding shawl because I seem to be very ambitious when it comes to knitting...

I've since tried my hand at spinning and sewing and though I enjoy both I just love knitting like nothing else.

[Kim]

Oh, how I can relate to the Barbie-clothes-made-from-scraps story! Sometimes, I couldn't find a rubber band, and just told my friends that she was wearing a poncho.

I started knitting because I had refused to learn as a teenager, and was beginning to see and understand what I was missing.