1st Anniversary--A year of Knitting Furiously

I completed my first knitting project last year in July.  It was July 3rd.  I finished a garter stitch scarf for my step-granddaughter.  It was pink and brown-Chocolate Cupcake. I followed that with the matching hat and its been a rolling ball of yarn ever since.  Knitting has really brought me something I've always wanted:  to keep my idle hands busy.  My mind doesn't ever shut down, you see.  It moves and thinks and ponders and creates constantly.  I would say its attention deficit but coffee seems to keep all the loose ends within arms reach.  My husband and I laugh to ourselves whenever someone answers the question, "what are you thinking?" with "Nothing."  We find it hysterical because he and I have never thought of "nothing." It is completely inconceivable to us.

I was a quilter before I started knitting.  I constantly looked for something to carry along with me like redwork, embroidery, applique', English paper-piecing...I have done tons of it.  Don't get me wrong, I loved it but knitting is, well, better...better for me.  I completed four quilts last year and only enjoyed making one of them.  I really want to make one for my bedroom, king sized.  I have all the stuff just not the desire. Maybe the years and years and hundreds of quilts was just too much for me.

When I first started, all I really wanted to do was make a pair of socks.  I don't know why I wanted to make the socks but I was in the craft store and saw this loom and next to it were the instructions for making socks on it.  I thought, yes, I'll try that.  Much to my dismay, the sock was "Dobby" sized, meaning very small.  I gave it to my husband as a book mark (I should find it and photograph it).  Next I endevoured to buy a book with hand knitted socks in it not realizing that a beginning knitter doesn't start with socks.  Actually, I had made knitted items in the past, years ago when I was really young so I had this idea that I knew how to knit.  I have to laugh at myself now.

The thinking over the past year has gone from "I will make this thing next," to "my next 12 projects are these..." 

I have proof, of course.  I have a basket full of gauges, "tried it and failed," goofs and oopsies.  I have two drawers of completed-and-don't-know-what-to-do-with's, all meant to be learning experiences.  Then there's my completed list on my Ravelry account.  I currently have 10 active projects and nineteen bins of yarn.  Its been a productive year and a happy one. One thing is for sure, I've learned so much and I know there is still much to learn.  It has been and will be an adventure from here in my little sewing room.  Maybe I need to change the name to the "Yarn Room."