Guest Post: Melissa’s Scarf

My most frequent commenter is also a knitter and general crafter as well as a very old friend of mine. Her name’s Melissa (left). Recently she showed me her first finished knitting project, described below, and I thought hey – it’s not all about me, right? No, seriously, it’s really awesome to see others’ projects and see the joy they get out of making (and finishing!) things. Maybe Melissa will send us a picture of her mother wearing the scarf later, eh? Without further ado, I present:

Melissa and the Scarf

When Miriam asked me to contribute a guest entry on my first knitting project, I hemmed and hawed like crazy. I’m very much a beginning knitter, and I don’t have a ton of confidence in my skills yet. But considering my limited abilities at this point, I was delighted with how my first project– a soft heathered-blue scarf I knitted for my mom (shown right)– turned out.

I’m more or less a “dabbler” when it comes to crafts. Since childhood, I’ve tried on different crafts, looking to fulfill a longstanding desire to, well, create. But I’ve often abandoned projects after starting them, or become frustrated and quit before getting good at something. You name it, I’ve tried it through the years – crochet, cross stitch, puff painting T-shirts, stamps, acrylics, calligraphy, needlepoint. I still haven’t finished a cross-stitch kit I bought in 1994! So learning how to knit, and actually completing a project, gave me quite a sense of triumph. And with knitting, I think I’ve found the crafting hobby (or at least one of the crafting hobbies) that suits me best.

I didn’t know how to go about tackling my first project. After mastering the knits and purls and practicing ribbing, seed stitching and other techniques, I knew it was time to complete something. But I was afraid of attempting to read knitting instructions. I taught myself to knit left-handed, and I still don’t understand completely how to translate patterns for a lefty. (That’s a confusing endeavor I’ll have to embark upon as I go). A friend and fellow knitter suggested I keep it simple and just use the most basic stitch there is – the garter stitch – to make an uncomplicated scarf. No pattern, just knitting until the scarf seemed long enough, then binding off.

I chose a bulky yarn that is quickly becoming my favorite for projects – Lions’ Brand Homespun yarn, for this project in Blue Sky. The yarn is so silky, easy to work with, and has subtle color variations that I just love. I used large, size 17 needles, and because of the bulky yarn and the big needles the scarf was done in record time.

I haven’t given the scarf to my mom yet, because I completed it in August, and my mother lives in Houston, Texas. (She won’t need a scarf until at least November). But I’m so excited for her to wear it, and now I want to give knitted things to everyone! Friends, beware – scarves, bags, blankets and even tea cozies might be coming your way.

I’ve heard many people describe knitting as a meditative practice – a technique to calm the mind, its rhythmic needle-flicking and yarn-wrapping soothing the soul. It’s true for me, and I need more of that calmness in my life.

So now I’m already at work on my next project, a baby blanket for my friend’s little girl. And once again I’m using Homespun yarn, this time in Lemonade (such a pretty, sunny yellow!) It’s going to take awhile to finish. But I’m addicted to the pretty yarn, and to knitting in general. I think this hobby is a keeper.

Why craft?

There are a lot of reasons to craft, to like crafting, to feel good about crafting. So today I’m going to share with you things from other people and a little snippet about another reason I like to craft.

The other day I posted about why I think it’s important that people support small businesses. This is a theme of my life, and I think I’m fortunate to live in a place like Austin, TX where supporting local businesses is a priority for so many. For example, there’s the Austin Independent Business Alliance – an organization which came up with now-locally familiar slogan “Keep Austin Weird.” I understand that the “keep weird” phenomenon has spread to other cities as well – yay!

But that’s digressing. Mostly, I wanted to pass along an Angry Chicken blog post about something recently in the news – toys made in China. She writes her thoughts about this and handmade toys, something along the lines of “consumerism, mass production and cheap labor” to quote her exactly. Seems there are others thinking along the same lines I am.

The other thing I wanted to pass along was something that Lion Brand yarn calls the “Sisterhood of the Needle” – otherwise known as a bunch of stories from people who love knitting and crocheting about their experiences with it. Some good reading. I was thinking about all the people in there – family a lot of the time – who practice needlework together.

I wish I’d gotten to do some of that kind of thing with my grandmother. She passed away some years ago – almost 10 – well before I got interested in crochet. But in fact, she was the person who made me interested in it at all. She was a skilled crocheter, focusing on intricate projects using thread and small hooks. She made doll clothing sort of like what I’ve pictured to the right – very, very detailed, with hats, accessories – even undergarments! There was a black-and-white spanish dress with layers and layers of ruffles that I remember being really impressed with. I also remember wondering how anyone could be so patient as to create something like that!

So anyway, there’s a couple more reasons why I find myself on the crafting side of the fence. The question is more – how could I not be?

Impatience and Creativity

When I am feeling impatient, I become creative. Typically, I start painting or sewing. Usually painting. What reminds me of this is what I did a week or so ago when I was waiting for the new Harry Potter book to appear on my doorstep (which it never did – I had to go purchase it. Thanks, Amazon).

The day I was waiting for Potter was extraordinarily productive. I completed two paintings. I do not have these to show, as I’m waiting until the entire project is complete (I’m doing sixteen related ones for my living room).

But I do have this basket to show, which I was reminded of that day. This painted basket is actually titled “Impatience” and that’s what it reads on the bottom.

This incredibly involved thing was painted when I first met my husband 7 years ago. I was very taken with him from the first hours we spent together, and I was trying to be patient and not get too ahead of myself. So while I was trying to be patient and failing, I painted. Often I painted in the evening when I was waiting for him to show up at my house. Or when I wasn’t going to see him. It was only 15-20 minutes or so every day, so it took about three weeks to complete. It’s been a fixture of my decor ever since, and I now keep my paints in it

The material of the basket is wood, which is my favorite medium. The colors I chose remind me of the colors of Mardi Gras. The forms are ones that I find myself painting often – organically-shaped mazes, rhythmic yet detailed and precise shapes. It definitely looks like I painted it and no one else. If nothing else, this basket is definitely my colors, my shapes, my design, my material.

I tend toward these sort of engaging, involved projects when I’m impatient because I can really wear myself out without something to do. This takes up the mental space that would’ve gone into becoming a nervous wreck while waiting for whatever. I don’t wait easily. It’s my way of turning what would otherwise be a negative experience into something positive. And that, my friends, is reason #100,394 of why I craft.