It's Addictive

    I used to get these nice knitted washcloths from an elderly customer of mine. She used to bring in several and distribute them to anyone who was working that day. Over a few years I managed to acquire about five or six or them. I liked them a lot. They worked well, were easy to clean and were pretty.
   Then she got really sick and was unable to knit. I felt bad for her. She loved to knit and she loved handing them out. I began to wonder if I could learn to knit them myself.
   My mother had tried to teach me to knit. It was difficult partly because I'm left handed and she isn't  and also because she is not the most patient of people. It was a complete failure. I had also at some point in time attempted to learn to crochet with similar results. That was a long time ago. Maybe if I had a better teacher I could learn.
   I asked at a local yarn shop where I buy my needlepoint supplies. They do have knitting classes, but they run for several weeks and are held at night. This didn't work for me. I work mainly evenings and would miss about half the classes. Unlike needlepoint, they don't give individual knitting lessons. I was disappointed. It meant I would have to find someone who already knows how who would be willing to teach.
   A few weeks ago Dana, a friend from Toastmasters and I were talking about crafts. She does quite a few. I mentioned my wish to someday learn how to knit. Dana wasted no time. She told me that she would bring yarn and needles to the next meeting so she could teach me.
  She was as good as her word. The next week she brought the yarn and needles. In about 20 minutes she had taught me how to cast on and how to do a knit stitch. She sent the yarn and needles home with me so I could practice.
  Later that day before work I tried to knit. I was clumsy and awkward. I was dropping stitches and my work was too loose. Finally I couldn't stand it anymore and unraveled the work I had done. I recasted the stitches and went online to find a step by step guide to doing a knit stitch. I had forgotten what Dana had told me to do. I found a guide and saved it for further reference. Then I went back to work.
  It was still clumsy, but I made a little progress. I decided that I was going to practice knitting for 15 minutes every day. Each day it got easier and easier. I could see progress.
  That's when I learned something else about knitting. It's addictive. I could have happily spent several hours with a cat on my lap knitting. The 15 minute practice time I had allotted for myself went by in a flash. I wanted to keep going.
  I had the same thing happen when I started to do needlepoint. I'd be working on a piece and then tell myself I needed to stop and do other things. I'd see one small section. I'll just do this section and then I'll stop. Then I'd see another section. Maybe just one more, after all the piece is nearly done. The to do list can wait, right?
   You wouldn't think that yarn could cause such a problem, but it does. Maybe it's the feel of it in your hands. Maybe it's the lovely colours. Maybe it's the sight of the yarn giving shapenform and colour to a flat painted canvas. It doesn't matter. Yarn really should have a warning label on it.
   Needle projects are like potato chips. You can't just stop at one. Right now I'm working on a set of coasters. After that I have a sign that says "Howdy Y'All" to work on. After that I have a bird house project that uses some advanced needlepoint stitches. I can see the same happening with knitting. While I was knitting I thought of all the things I could make. I could make winter hats for my grandsons and maybe some kind of scarf for my granddaughters. I wondered if I could make a knitted shawl (sweaters seem like too much work.) I thought about all the lovely yarns that I admired at the yarn shop. I could do something with those now.
  Maybe having a yard addiction is all right. At least it's a useful vice. Or maybe I'm just rationalizing. I'm looking forward to showing Dana my progress after the Toastmaster meeting tomorrow. Next week I'm going to get myself my own set of needles....and some yarn.