A Return to Knitting.

This past weekend, I started knitting again.

That doesn’t sound like a big deal. But to me, it is huge.

You see, I always considered myself a KNITTER.  Like shamefully crazytown in to knitting, KNITTER. The person that gets yarn catalogues sent to her house.

As a child, I was determined to knit much to the confused chagrin of my wonderful, yet woefully uncrafty mother.  My first attempt at knitting was with pencils and twine. Yes, I was that desperate to knit.  My mother farmed me out to an equally crafty lady, who became my crafting mentor and set me straight on knitting, launching me into a world of knitting.

I became that person who carried yarn around with them. Even before it became cool to do that.  Every vacation would include a trip to the local yarn store.  I had opinions about knitting. I could tell you the pros and cons of knitting with Addi turbos vs. wood.  I would even look for vintage knitting patterns online and owned dozens of knitting books. I taught a dozen or so people how to knit. I knit English but toss my yarn similar to the way continental knitters do.   I followed dozens of knitting blogs and my first foray into blogging in 2005 was to talk about knitting.  I have favorite yarn manufacturers (Rowan) and favorite needles (Addi Turbo circular). I had a favorite way to turn a heel on sock–like these toe up sock in a jaywalker pattern on circular needles.

And I knit. Sweaters. Socks.

And no baby was safe from my needles as a churned out baby sweater after baby sweater after baby sweater after baby bootie after baby bootie, after you name it.

Then in 2007 my arms finally gave up. They would have waved a white flag if they could have held on to it formore than five seconds.  Repetitive stress injury (RSI) took hold of my arms and took away my knitting.  Turns out all that knitting plus all that time on my computer was too much for my arms. And I ended up spending a lot of time in braces.

I wasn’t a fan of braces.

I actually ended up giving away 90 percent of my yarn. Just saving the needles or some expensive yarn that I thought I might consider selling on Ebay, etc. I broke my heart.

And then adding, insult to injury, I became pregnant and all of a sudden I was overwhelmed by this need to knit for this little bundle of cuteness.  Fortunately, I had a couple of sweaters that I didn’t give away.  So, they naturally went to the Peach.

But it just wasn’t the same.  And every November I would pick up a little thing to knit and stop after a few rows.  And it kinda breaks my heart.  I know. It shouldn’t. Afterall, there are soo many other fabulous crafts out there.  Sewing, quilting, needlepoint, crewel. But I missed knitting.

On a whim, last Saturday I picked up that sorry little sweater I started two years ago wanting a nice simple cream sweater for the Peach. I knit a row. And then another. And then another. And decided to throw in a cable or two.

With no pain. Albeit, I was taking breaks instead of knitting nonstop for a few hours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m back! Maybe this time, I won’t be the crazy knitter who let knitting stand in the way of a healthy body. But at least I’ll have a sweater that I made especially for the Peach.

Stay tuned…

16 thoughts on “A Return to Knitting.

  1. I loooved this blog! Dotty you are my kind of girl! And yes, for many Christmases I showered the male members of our family with my gifts of kinit:
    ; ski caps, mittens, scarves and –get this vintage wear: dickies! At some point their Thank You notes lacked the initial enthusiasm, and I got the messge to stop. And so I have now for many years!
    However, just started to crochet a blanket for Wolfie: Ode to Missoni!, Have you seen the pattern?

  2. YAY!!!! way to jump back on the yarn horse! after going to my knitting group on tuesday nights (3+ hours), i always have a pain in my elbow. i honestly barely knit during the week now because i need to be able to function at work/school. maybe the secret is only doing a little at a time; “the golden ratio” or whatever?

    1. Lady, I TOTALLY know that elbow pain.

      One day I will find the “golden ratio” but it’s so hard when you just want to knit knit knit! Like sit down with Downton Abbey and go to town knitting. Oh, that sounds so good!

  3. oh noes–I might go insane if i had to stop knitting permanently! I’ve definitely had injuries that have prevented me from being able to do it for a spell, but I’ve been fortunate to always be able to come back to it. Now I need it for the sake of my mental health!

    1. Cara, I’m right there with you on the mental health of knitting. It was almost like meditation to me! I missed that more than anything else. I’m a process knitter and still have yet to find anything that is like it for destressing!

  4. I had the same issue with knitting! In fact, when craftyminx started it was about 90% knitting. I found that only using circular needles was the best thing for arm and wrist fatigue. I bought the options set from knitpicks and I haven’t touched any other needles since. Well I haven’t touched any needles at all in the last year — replacing them with the crochet hook haha. Oh well.

    1. Dana–I’m right there with you on the circular needles! But I must ask–do you find crochet to be easier on your arm than knitting? Inquiring minds want to know!

  5. Glad you are knitting again! You have inspired many, including me, with your knitting prowess! Perhaps I’ll have to send you the bags of yarn that sit unknitted in my craft stash… I much prefer to sew these days. I tried to be a knitter, but I’m just not patient enough…

    1. Aww, Adrianne! I miss our little knitting bonanza! But you do have that little cutie to knit for and it’s getting into the winter months and baby sweaters are soo easy to knit!

  6. Dottie, glad you posted this & that you are back typing again. I am struggling with RSI now…I think it’s from toting my 15 month old daughter in the crook of my elbow close to me. And being on the computer a lot doesn’t help at all. Pain ensues. Must stop typing now, but thank you for sharing.

  7. awww good for you, I want to learn how to knit , I just got into embroidery and I’m teaching myself how to sew little by little. There’s just something about making someone you love something by hand that makes my heart smile =)

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