Confronting the fear of needles...... (part 1)

...knitting needles

So, if you have been reading my posts you'll probably know that I don't know how to knit. This is a bit silly when I think that both my grannies were avid knitters and crocheters, as were my mum and aunties, "back in the good ol' days". My grannies did try to teach me how to knit but I never got very far with it and this was down to several things:

• They could knit me anything me or my dollies wanted, so why did I need to learn?

• I didn't find it interesting enough to plough on past the difficult bits - the biggest thing I knitted was a blanket for my Barbie doll...
• I lived in the Caribbean for a while as a child and therefore had no need for knitted (ie woolly) items
• By the time I was old enough to take any interest, it just was NOT COOL to wear anything knitted (handmade by your granny or otherwise)
• I never did textiles at school where they taught you how to knit (I did cooking)

Anyway, I digress! The re-interest in knitting happened a couple of months ago when my auntie took up the needles again, after some 20 odd years, in a bid to help my get my online shop started. Then when I started showing people the knitted scarves etc they asked me if I knitted them - so I had to explain the scenario and laughingly said I would probably learn to knit at some point.

It turns out that point in time was yesterday!

When shopping in the orange supermarket (as they refer to it on Radio 1) I spotted this magazine which came with a free set of knitting needles (4mm in case you're interested):

I figured that with the free needles and a random ball of wool which I have in my crafty stash it could turn into something with the help of this mag. I just had to hope that there were some instructions in it (it was in one of those plastic bags that stop all the junk leaflets falling out). Low and behold, when I got it home, it did have instructions at the back! So I set to it and after a few false starts and discovering that you can't pull it too tight other wise the stupid stitched won't budge off the sodding needle, and having to start again three times, this is how my 'knitting' looks so far:

It's looking pretty good, but now I'm getting to the point of losing interest. It is just too much like hard work. My unconventional way of holding the needles is probably not helping but it is the only way I can stop losing the stitches. And now, I have an injury which I shall name 'knitter's thumb' because they are both bloomin' sore and probably developing bruises as we speak (see pic below).

I have no idea how many stitches or rows I have done but if I decide not to continue, it would make a nice chunky scarf for Barbie. Please note that I do not have a Barbie (anymore) but if I did, I would gladly give her this knitted item. If you think your Barbie would like it, please let me know!

my 'knitter's thumb'

I am aspiring to use this whole 50g ball, which to be quite honest, will probably take me a month to achieve. Will post my progress as I go along. All I can say is, give me a good cross stitch any day!


PS - I quite like the blue cardi on the front cover, so if anyone's granny would like to knit it for me I'll gladly supply the wool and the pattern...