For years I have wanted to learn to knit, but I just never actually got around to it. My mum tried to teach me a couple of times when I was younger, but her patience soon ran out at the lack of mine and we would both end up frustrated and not talking to each other.
I picked up some needles again when I was pregnant with my oldest son. I decided I was going to make a Baby blanket for my unborn bub. I have no idea why I thought that an extra 15 extra years under my belt would make a difference, because after a couple of hours of looking at a knitting instruction book I was still none the wiser and ended up pegging the knitting needles, wool and instructions across the room in a defiant display.
As more years went by, if I ever felt the urge to try again I would remember the frustration of that particular day and end up doing something else instead.
Until a few weeks ago.
I was in a craft supplies shop and I spied some balls of wool in gorgeous colours and once again I found myself fantasising about knitting myself a throw rug. As I stood there staring at the wool and staring off into space I started convincing myself that I still lacked the patience to learn and I started to walk away ... again.
As I hunted around for my 3 boys, 1 of whom I found throwing himself into a massive crate of cushions and the other 2 in another aisle playing sword fights with curtain rods, I started to think maybe motherhood has given me the patience I once lacked. I was after all quite calmly putting curtain rods back on the shelf and picking up piles of cushions and I hadn't completely blown my fuse.
And so I went back down to the knitting section and began shoving ball after ball after ball of that gorgeous wool into my basket. I grabbed a handful of knitting needles, a cute wicker basket to store it all in (as you do), and hollered at my boys to follow me to the checkout.
Damn it - I was going to knit if it was the last darn thing I ever do!
That night, armed with my iPad I started googling knitting tutorials on You Tube. I watched with my needles in hand, following along and well slap me silly, by morning I had completed my first square for my throw rug.
The boys started to sniff around me that afternoon getting all curious and asking a zillion questions. In the end they decided if you cant beat them, join them and so I found myself in the same place my mother was so many years ago - teaching them to knit.
They seem to have more patience than I did at their age and they picked it up super quick.
As for me? I'm still click clicking away, often sitting up til all hours of the morning because I just want to finish this row, and another and another. Its addictive and I am totally determined I will have that damn throw rug finished by winter.
And so I am pretty late to the knitting party, but meh, I'm making up for lost time now. I only know one stitch so far, but that'll do for the moment and I can always You Tube another one when I tire of it.
If you are like I was, desperately wanting to knit but have written it off as too complicated, don't give up just yet. I have added the You Tube tutorials I watched below and trust me on this, they are so easy to follow. Just grab yourself some wool, some needles and get cracking. Winter is only 4 months away ..... you've still got plenty of time!
If you are like I was, desperately wanting to knit but have written it off as too complicated, don't give up just yet. I have added the You Tube tutorials I watched below and trust me on this, they are so easy to follow. Just grab yourself some wool, some needles and get cracking. Winter is only 4 months away ..... you've still got plenty of time!
Is there anything you have always wanted to do but have written it off as too hard?
