It Only Looks Harmless

  It started with a washcloth. A cute knitted cotton dishcloth that was given to me by a customer. I loved the hand knitted dishcloths that Mrs. Mac would sometimes bring the pharmacy staff. They were far better than the ones that you can buy in the store.
  Mrs. Mac eventually became too ill to knit and a while later she passed away. No more dishcloths. I remember looking at the dishcloth and thinking that I could learn how to knit one. Then I would have an ample supply. Even better I could make dishcloths for others and show them how much better they are.
  I didn't think I would ever be able to learn. I didn't know any body that knitted and I just didn't have time to go to a yarn shop and take classes. They probably would not be able to teach me anyway because I'm left handed. I didn't think anything of it.
  I did mention my wish to learn how to knit to my friend Dana. At the time I didn't know what was going to happen. That harmless little dishcloth was going to lead me down a path I thought I'd never travel.
  The next Thursday, Dana had something for me. She had a ball of yarn and a set of knitting needles. She was going to teach me how to knit. I was pretty clumsy, but I spent at least 10 -15 minutes every day practicing what she had taught me. Eventually I got better at it. Some one gave me a pattern to make a washcloth. I made one. It wasn't the best looking one, but it was mine and I made it. I could keep myself supplied with washcloths.
  I decided it would be good to have a knitting reference book. I bought "Knitting for Dummies". It has a lot of good stuff in it. It also had patterns to make things besides dishcloths. There were patterns for a hat and scarf. I decided to make a set for myself. I found some beautiful self patterning yarn. I followed the directions for the scarf carefully. One end turned out wider than the other. Clearly I didn't do something right. The good news was that the scarf was in stockinette stitch. The edges curl in so no one would notice my error as long as I didn't block the scarf. The hat turned out to be too big. There is a way to fix it, but I don't know how so I just wear it as is. Maybe it will be fashionable someday.
  I decided to knit a scarf for each of my stepdaughters. The scarves would be all one colour and would have blocks of random stitch patterns. It's called a sampler scarf. I made one scarf in kind of a fishnet pattern as it was going to Elin who lives in Texas and doesn't need a warm scarf.
  While I was doing this I was looking at patterns and buying all kinds of yarn. I soon had a three ring binder of patterns from off of the internet. I had so much yarn that I had to buy a small corner storage unit to store the yarn. I still needed more room. I have yarn stored in a basket and more in a large bag until I find a better place for it.
  I got into novelty yarns. I bought different kinds of self patterning yarn. I bought tape yarn and variegated thick and thin yarn. Someone gave me some eyelash yarn. I got hand spun yarn and hand dyed yarn. I made some cool looking scarves for friends of mine. I made a cherry red one for myself.
  Then I got into shawls. I knitted one shawl and have the yarn for two more. (Actually make it three or maybe four....)
  I have my eye on a few more projects. I saw where I could knit a rug. Right now I'm knitting two small rugs of alpaca and eyelash yarn for the cats to lay on. That way they won't lay in my knitting bag and get hair all over my yarn. I'm also knitting a scarf out of some hand painted yarn I found in South Carolina. I saw that it is possible to knit a basket. If I can knit a basket then I will have more room to store yarn. I could make it out of T-shirt yarn. You make this by cutting up old t shirts into thin strips and then knitting with them. I may be able to recycle some old sheets this way.
  If this isn't enough I have lots of knitting accessories. I have two or three knitting bags, a blocking set, two knitting kits and a large needle organizer. I have a circular needle set with interchangeable tips. I also have lots stitch markers in all kinds including some hand made ones I picked up at the Renaissance Festival. I forgot to mention my two cable needles I case I want to cable knit.
  A couple of years ago Dana gave me  a crochet hook and an instruction book. I won't even get started with that. Suffice it to say I have several crochet hooks of different sizes, two different reference books, a half finished throw and a wooden box with a lot of granny squares that will be made into a blanket someday.
  This is where that harmless dishcloth took me. It took me into a hobby that takes up my time and some of my money. It also gives me an outlet for creativity, some much needed stress relief and a way to make things that are useful. Thank you Mrs. Mac, where ever you are.....