Adele’s Aerie

Mom tried to teach me to knit three times, once as a young child, once as a young adult, and again within the past few years after my friend Janis tried to teach me once. The lessons never seemed to make sense or stick in my mind. I have a handful of books about knitting; I have friends and relatives who knit; I tat and crochet and sew, and my roommate spins and colors yarn and crochets with yarn and thread and tats and quilts and knits the most absolutely amazing things… so we pretty much constantly have textile goodies and books everywhere around… but I just didn’t get knitting.

Until one day in spring 2005.

Suddenly, out of the blue, It All Made Sense.

I picked up a mess I’d started years before, and just started making motions with the needles and thread that felt right. At first the stitches were twisted, but within a few moments, after Janis showed me what “the stitches are twisted” meant, I had an “Oh! Aha!” moment and I’d gotten it. I set aside the mess, picked up a circular needle and some yarn waiting to become part of one of my crochet projects, and after a quick check in one of the books to make sure what felt right (which I think I remembered from watching Mom) was actually one real way of casting on, I was off and running. It took Janis and I a bit of flipping through our books to figure out that there’s a name for the method that came naturally to me; it’s not the way most folks poke the needle or wrap the thread, apparently. But suddenly, she can show me a stitch once and I understand it, try it a time or two, show it back to her to make sure I’ve got it, and then I can just run with it.

So I’m knitting.

I can’t seem to put the needles and yarn down, actually.

I’m knitting!!

online resources

• PatternWorks
• KnitPicks
• Lion Brand Yarns
• Plymouth Brand Yarns
• Bernat Brand Yarns
• Elizabeth’s Fiber and Yarn Store
• Knitter’s Review — oooooooh… there’s a review of some of Knit Picks’ yarns!

brick-and-mortar resources

• Elegance Designer Yarns in Pasadena, CA
• Skein in Pasadena, CA
• Needle in a Haystack in Montrose, CA
• The Patchwork Penguin in Tujunga, CA
• Unwind in Burbank, CA
• The Needlecraft Cottage in San Diego, CA
• Sheep Street Fibers in Morgantown, IN
• Massachusetts Avenue Knit Shop in Indianapolis, IN
• Stores in California that carry Plymouth yarns - I’m addicted to socks made of Sockotta, and there’s so many neat colors… and sometime soon I hope to be able to make my own…
• Even more yarn stores in California

my projects

• The Red Hat - started Christmas 2006
  • For Mom.
• The Purple Fluffy Scarf - started Thanksgiving 2006
  • For someone who likes purple.
• Lots of Ladder-Yarn Sparkle Scarves - started (and some completed) during 2005, 2006, 2007
  • For myself and others.
• The Red Scarf- completed Christmas 2005?
  • For Mom.
• The Brown Scarf and Hat - completed Christmas 2005?
  • For Mom.
• The Felted Carry-Bag - started spring 2005, still unfinished
  • In progress. Three colors of Lambs Pride worsted weight.
• Adele’s First Knitted Socks - started spring 2005, still unfinished
  • In progress. I’m still figuring out how to deal with sock-weight yarn and small double-point needles, but the socks Janis has made for me are oh so very comfy that I must be able to make my own.
• The Purple Hat - started and finished spring 2005
  • My second knitted project. Lots of knits on round needles, with help from Janis to finish the ends and make the pompom for the top.
• The Small Felted Party Purse - started spring 2005, still unfinished
  • My first knitted project. Lamb’s Pride worsted weight plus sparkley bits. The knitting is done, but I haven’t attached the strap yet or felted it.