Sunday, August 07, 2011

needle-y goodness

we all know that for the past few years, knitting has been my craft of choice.  there's something about the click of the needles as you work, the feel of the yarn, the feeling of making something BIG (or small), and the fact that i'm not really that good at it that has kept me entranced for longer than most hobbies i start.  i really love knitting. i think it's helped make me more patient, and also increased my crafty self-esteem.  i'm mostly self-taught, so every new thing i learn is kind of a big deal to me, even though there are a LOT of things i haven't mastered yet.  with knitting i'm coming to a point where i finally feel confident enough about my abilities to make stuff up, to just wing it on occasion.  there are also so many things to learn with knitting; it's kind of an inexhaustible craft. there will literally always be something new to try.

remember when my needles of choice used to be embroidery? yeah, me too.  the past few days i've done some embroidering and am remembering what i love about that craft. it's quieter and requires more attention, which i forgot.  i like the way the stitches feel under my fingers.  i like making something that started as a simple, plain thing (like a dishcloth or pillowcase) and making it more than that.  i like the old fashioned-ness of it. (wait, i like that about knitting, too.) knowing that i'm doing it, my mom did it, my grandmothers did it, etc, is such a nice thought to me. i like being part of that line of crafty ladies, making my house a home, expressing myself through needles and string.  a quiet afternoon spent working on something, listening to the radio or some music, is quite possibly the nicest afternoon i think of.

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