I can’t believe where the last five years have gone. It feels like just yesterday that my friend Claire and I tentatively picked up a pair of knitting needles.
Since that fateful day I have knitted countless mittens, scarves, cowls, jumpers and blankets, all lovingly documented in this very blog. I never thought I’d catch the knitting bug quite like I have. I’m a bit faddy when it comes to hobbies, never really sticking to one thing for more than a few months at a time. So I’m both amazed and equally curious as to what is so different about knitting to every other pasttime I’ve discarded and left by the wayside (french horn lessons anyone?)…
My journey into knitting has resulted in so much more than I ever thought it would. Starting this blog for one. But I’d never in my wildest dreams imagined I’d released my own patterns, or knit commissioned pieces for paying customers. And there’s a peculiar symmetry to my being featured in April’s Let’s Knit magazine, 5 years to the month since I took my first steps into knitting.
Where has the time gone?
In the spirit of passing on the ‘knitting bug’ I thought I’d share five helpful tips to anyone thinking about taking it up:
Don’t start knitting unless you…
- don’t want to buy anything knitted from shops ever again (‘I could totally make that myself’ will become your party line.)
- don’t have a problem invading other peoples’ personal space by picking up their scarves, jumpers and hats to find out which stitch they’re constructed with
- don’t mind not having money to spend on food, or toilet paper, because that super soft angora silk mix was just calling to you
- are totally cool with everyone asking you if ‘you could just knit them a….{insert handmade garment of choice here}’
- don’t mind wearing a smug smile when someone asks you where you bought that gorgeous jumper, only to reply ‘I made it myself’.
Now I’m off to take a magic ‘cool’ pill, cos I think that’s the only thing that’ll help me now!
Happy 5 year knitterversary!
x