Beginnings

Beginnings seem appropriate for today, January 1, the first day of 2010.  My knitting experience began when I was about 12 or 13 years old.  My sister-in-law, Ann, was a fantastic knitter, one who could knit intricate patterns while chatting, watching TV, interacting with her children.  She indeed was the Queen of Multi-Tasking at a time when the word "multi-tasking" had not entered our vernacular.  Ann was patient and loving, and she sat me down with needles and her loving patience and taught me the basics of knitting.  I can't remember what I knitted first or how often I practiced, but what Ann taught me stayed with me so strongly that when I became pregnant with my son, now 38, I knit a cap, sweater and blanket for him as I waited patiently for his arrival.  I still have them and need to take a picture and post it since it's my first remembered project.


From there, I branched into being brave enough to knit something for my mother, an afghan which I now have (she died in 2001).  It was a trio of greens (her favorite color -- she was a redhead) in a fan and feather stitch.  I can never forget my frustration when I learned she had taken our son home to get something he'd forgotten for school and I had the afghan out and ready to block that night after work!  She said she never saw it; to this day I wonder.


My bravery grew and in 1984 I knitted sweaters for my mom and stepdaughter for Christmas.  I don't remember that they ever wore them.  The one for my mom was sent back so that I could redo the ribbing around the neck.  When I initially did the ribbing, I was watching an extremely intense mystery on TV and my tension in my knitting must have mirrored the tension I was feeling!  Mom said she couldn't get the sweater over her head. 


Over the years I have done charity knitting and made caps and booties for preemies at Oregon Health Sciences University.  I now knit caps for underprivileged children in the Portland School District, along with women in my church who also love to knit.


So now you know my beginnings.  And as I begin 2010, I've gone through and found my UFOs and have committed to finishing them before I start anything new.  I'm also going to get photos of my projects on the blog as it will be a perfect journal of accomplishments.


Wishing each of you a Happy New Year!