Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Two Things

Every knitter needs two things:  A personal, at-home, knitting library and people to knit with. My opinion of course.  One can knit without these things, but  if you want to be a 'capital K'  Knitter, you need them.

The idea of needing   people to knit with is  an easy sell   - even a lower-case 'k'  knitter sees that knitting can be a solitary experience.    Who doesn't enjoy spending time  with  like-minded people, learning from them, laughing with them and getting  your knitting done  at the same time? 

Convincing knitters they need a personal,  at-home,  knitting library is more difficult.  "Can I get a copy of that?"   is much   more commonly heard than   " I must buy that book - that pattern - that magazine."

But let me tell you -  when my inspiration button gets stuck,  when my vision fades, when first attempts fail, I turn not only to my knitting friends,



but also to my personal, at-home, knitting library.



 
How much more difficulat would my knitting life be  without the inspiration of expert knitters to guide me, direct me and lead me through the visionary process?  How wonderful to have Sally Melville, Elizabeth Zimmermann, Deb Gemmell, Priscilla Gibson-Roberts,  Wendy Bernard, Stephanie Japel,  and multiple magazines full of other wonderful 'K'nitters to pull onto  my lap as I recline in an easy chair to do 'research'.
Having done just that over the last couple of evenings I am now ready to tackle a creative,  top-down, pattern-free sweater.   It will be successful, I'm sure.  Sally, Deb, Wendy, Stephanie, Priscilla, Elizabeth  'et al' are watching.  What could possible go wrong?

 

4 comments:

Sel and Poivre said...

I'm with you on the library! The extra great thing about expert's books is not only are they written by expert knitters, they're edited by expert communicators and illustrated/photographed by experts in those fields to add clarity to publications.

Even if you had all those knitting superstars you cite in your knitting group just talking to them wouldn't be as beneficial for detailed instructions etc. as reading their published words on the same topics!

Sigrun said...

I love my knitting books/magazines. And I love my new-found knitting group. I think that DH prefers the books, though, because when I'm in the books, I am still present bodily. At knit group I'm gone, gone, gone (till I come home with goodies).

Sandra said...

You (and I) have the best of both worlds, and may I add a third? I find my online community - both people like yourself, and Ravelry, to be a huge resource as well.

Needles said...

And if it does go wrong...If you rip back a knitting project you turn it into yarn and what is yarn, but a pile of possibilities? Sigh. I love knitting.