In the Beginning
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
It is only recently that I've picked up knitting in a big way. For those of you who are interested, I started knitting when I was about 8. A friend of my mum's gave me a knitting kit, you know, one of those ones which are aimed at wee lasses, with tiny fingers. I was taught to knit in the British way (it was a British kit).Since then, I've knitted off and on but when I say knit I don't mean all those complicated things like k2tog tbl or psso. The only things I knew how to do back then was casting on, casting off (or binding off as I recently found out), knit and purl. Oh, I knew how to incorporate other colours too! :o)
I used to knit little swatches of I-have-no-idea what for a while... even at a young age, I found that knitting is very relaxing. Even I was desperate and I found myself without any sort of knitting tools, I used to use my mum's chopsticks. This she was not impressed with as ivory chopsticks aren't very strong and the tips tend to break off fairly easily. It's amazing what one remembers...
Then, one day, when I was prepubescent, I found this yarn shop in a local mall... Ampang Park for those of you who are familiar with KL. I picked up knitting again, this time with the help of this wonderful lady, Mrs DeSilva. Unfortunately, since returning to the craft, I've learnt that she has since passed on :o( . So, I selected my pattern and began knitting. My mum promised me a trip to London if I could knit a sweater in time... so I began knitting earnestly. Needless to say, I didn't complete the sweater in time, I've never been to London but I am still knitting.
Mrs DeSilva was a wonderful teacher but she babied me i.e. she would do the joining of yarn, the shaping etc for me, so my skills were limited to the ones I learnt when I was 8. She taught me the basics and encouraged me. During that stage, I finished 2 sweaters and started 2 more. I have no idea what happened to those completed ones but I recently found the material for my incomplete ones and I frogged (a new term I recently learnt :o) ) them. The yarn is now part of the blanket that I am doing. Pictures will be forthcoming once I figure out how to upload them.
During my university days in Melbourne, gawd only knows what possessed me but I did a few scarves for the BFs I was dating at the time. Nothing flash but fun. I remember drawing up "patterns" on checked paper, spelling out their names etc. Talk about your all time puppy love. I wonder if they still have those "scarves" or rather, wall hangings as my sizing was a little off. I still don't know anything about gauges and estimations.
So now, when I am in my 30s, I've decided that it is time I learn how to knit and how to do it properly. Armed this this ambition and my recently acquired DSL service, I'm now roaming the Internet, looking for help and other like-minded people. I've met some wonderful, very helpful and generous knitters, but online and here, in KL. I've made my first ever purchase from Amazon and got two great books on knitting. I've also recently ordered my first stash of yarn from Elann. Am sharing the shipping cost with Laura and I simply can NOT wait for it to arrive! The yarn is for my blanket which my dad wants.
As I am immensely tired of knitting simple squares, I've also started another project, my first ever lace knitting one. After roaming the Internet, I found a pattern which is challenging for my level. It's called Cozy. It is a simple lace wrap, for a good friend of mine who thinks that it is hysterical that a person like me knits. Come to think about it, most people do not believe that I knit. Why?
Well, I think that the perception that only old people knit is still very much prevalent in our society today. Then, I am fairly outgoing, I used to go to the gym a lot (plans are still in the making to get into some sort of physical activity before body parts start going further south), I dive a fair bit etc. Old friends are shocked when they hear that I knit. The BF almost died when I dug out my knitting needles and started knitting. Oh well... stranger things have been known to happen.
I think that this is enough for one day. Stay tuned for more...
12:16 pm :: 
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5 Comments:
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Wow Jackie very impressive, can't believe you can whipped out a blog in a few hours. Great job. We'll definitely stay tuned for more. Post some pictures and show us your cozy.
By
Unknown, at 1:57 pm
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woosssh..:) Great story. Welcome to da club hehe. Yea, can't wait for the stash too. I'm keeping track of the time. Dun worry, I'll keep chasing them :)
By Laura.Y, at 2:11 pm
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Welcome to the Knitting World.
By Doreen, at 2:16 pm
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Congrats on your new knitblog! I think you'll find it addictive :)
By knitties, at 2:28 pm
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me likee your background - cool
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Mona mona, at 2:35 pm
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