Do You Remember When...?

Do you remember who taught you to knit? I do and I can see the scene like it was this morning (don't ask me about yesterday because anything longer than 24 hours ago is a foggy haze). Before I divulge the juicy details, you've gotta hear about my most recent experience.

I recently finished a series called "Learn to Knit!" (I know, -1 points for creativity, don't shoot me) on a website geared towards moms called modmomsclub.com. The site itself is run through The Modesto Bee and covers any topic moms could wish to learn about. From breastfeeding to home organizing to hobbies, if you're a mom it's a hot place to be.


Each week I would write a guest blog post describing in detail where and how to hold your needles and wrap your yarn to achieve all the great techniques that make up the foundation of knitting...the slip knot, casting on, knitting and purling, slipping stitches, increasing and decreasing, specialty stitches and simple stitch patterns. In fact, my Textured Simplicity Knit Scarf was a project designed specifically with this series in mind as I taught all the techniques used in it and I designed it with the beginner in mind.

So, every Monday (makes since I would blog on Mondays, huh?) I would quickly put my children to bed and, half-running, make my way to my living room/knitting studio. There I would sit criss-cross, applesauce, my camera afixed to a tri-pod and positioned "just so," needles and yarn expertly held in my deft fingers. Then, I'd gently remove a finger to hit the timer button and frantically try to put the needles and yarn back into place before the shutter released. Needless to say, at the end of a 1/2 hour photo shoot (hey, throw a a bone! I like to use professional lingo because it makes me feel more professional), my back ached, my fingers felt frozen in a crooked, twisted mess and my eyebrows were wrenched together as I peered intently at the LCD screen to make sure the shots were clear and precise.

After the shoot, videos were recorded and it was all uploaded. The blog was painstakingly written in step-by-step detail. Still shots were imbedded and links to my video tutorials were created. That said, after 2-3 hours, my posts were published. I would arch back, stretch my arms up, think to myself, "Aah, now I can relax!" and then it would happen...a little voice from down the hall, "Mom, may I please get up, now!" Well, so much for relaxing.

Each week, as I prepped and wrote, shot photos and videos and published my hard work, I'd think how easy I had it when I learned to knit. I was sitting in my sister-in-laws house at a family celebration and my other sister-in-law had just learned to knit and was working on a scarf. I didn't have to ask her twice to show me how to make the knit stitch. She planted a seed in my life and with a little watering, it has blossomed into a gorgeous bloom that brings me lasting enjoyment. For me, it was so easy because I had someone in my life who taught me. I wonder how many women in our lives need something like knitting and they don't even know it. Have you offered to teach anyone lately? Don't try to discard the notion with horrible ideas like, "I couldn't teach anyone to knit!" or "She'd never want to learn." You never know if you don't ask.

I know each of us has a story. Someone taught us to knit. Some of us have had the pleasure to teach someone to knit. Comment below and share your inspiring stories. Encourage us with your experience!