Friday, October 15, 2004

Joining the fray

After several months of reading other blogs about knitting, cooking, gardening and other general craftiness, and frankly feeling a little bit sneaky about it all, I have decided to cast my needles into the mix. I was taught to knit in the fourth grade when I lived in Canberra, Australia. Something about preparing us for life as wives in the outback, or some such other nonsense. I knit my father a large aqua blue wallet with a ginornmous bone button - I think my intention had been to knit him a sweater... but at age 7 or 8 my attention span rivaled that of a gnat with ADD. 30 years later, during the scarf craze of 2003 I found a set of plastic needles that I had used as a prop in a show. I hightailed it down to the nearest Michaels (yuck) and promptly bought myself enough black eyelash yarn to knit a gorilla. I knit scarves for my family, my friends, my cousin, my cousin’s wife, my co-workers, and the gas station attendant... And I got bored. In my frenzy I decided to knit the "oosband" a sweater. Armed with a copy of "Stich and Bitch", enthusiasm and fearlessness go a long way. I had no clue what I was doing, but it turned out pretty well - aside from the pinhead neck. The addiction hit hard and fast. I did replace the blue plastic needles. My needles have not had much of a rest since last October. And now as we are facing the holiday season, I plan to dress my family in ponchos and capelets.

I know it is a bit of a cheat, but over the next few posts I want to share the objects that I have already finished. This blog will also be interspersed with guest appearances by my sidekicks Corsa, Godiva, Gina and Jack, occasional spots by the "oosband", and of course the shoes, without which a knitted ensemble is not complete. I nearly forgot Dolores II... you will meet her soon.