If the Sweater Fits...



Ta-Da!

I finished it!  Finally!  I started knitting again in November of 2010 after another refresher course, this time from my niece, Jellybean.  Originally, my great-grandmother taught me.  I think that I was around 7 or 8 years old.  She bought me a crochet hook and knitting needles and some yarn and taught me how to use both one summer in my backyard when we lived on Locust Street.  I think these were for my birthday, but I think that we were all together to listen to the Indy 500--this was before it was televised to our area.  I let both crochet and knitting go not long after. 

I was an active girl and preferred to do my needle work high in the branches of a tree as opposed to sitting nicely in a chair inside.  It never occured to me that this wasn't the best situation.  I simply saw it as combining the best of being feminine and embracing the outdoors.  Sometimes I would leave the ball of yarn and needles in the tree to come back to after lunch or whatever interrupted me.  The last time I did that and probably about the same time I put the yarn down was because of the neighborhood boys.  They had seen me knitting and purling away and leaving my supplies in the tree.  Later I came back to discover that they had unwound my ball of yarn, twirling it around the branches as if it were garland on a huge Christmas tree.  Needless to say, Dad was angry.  I felt terrible.  I remember he chased those boys through the backyards of our neighborhood with a wiffle ball bat yelling at them to, "Run for the hills, boys!"

Fast forward to me at twenty-six and hearing the wonderful news that I was going to be an aunt.  Yipee!  I decided it was time to reacquaint myself with crocheting and I popped out two little blankets.  They were identical except in color.  One was pink and the other bright red.  I have been "hooked" ever since.  (Thanks again, Jellybean!)

As much as I've enjoyed crocheting, there comes a point when everyone you know owns one of your blankets, you have an abundance of scarves and the sweaters are too bulky.  Let's remember that no one wants to add bulkiness!  I recognized that knitted sweaters looked more svelte, but try as I might, I couldn't get the hand of knitting.  Mom knits like crazy--socks anyway.  I tried to have her teach me, and I completed a couple of projects that were so basic that they only used knitting and not purling.  I gave up--again.  When Jellybean came of the age and she started knitting I was jealous and just bound and determined to get it right this time.  Well, as you can see by the picture, I finally did.  I completed my first sweater for myself.  I knit one for KR, but that is another story and it now sits in a Goodwill somewhere in central Indiana. 

I feel triumphant and just wanted to share my latest project with you.  Maybe I'll actually be able to wear it this weekend seeing as though tomorrow's high is only in the 50s!