I pondered recently the exact beginning of my fondness of string. The earliest I could trace it back to is the fourth grade. During the fourth grade I had one of my most favorite teachers I have ever had the privilege to learn from, Ms. Sandra Innes. At some point during the school year she had a woman come in and demonstrate knitting. All that I remember of that day is that we watched this woman take two needles and some red string and quickly form it into a square. We were able to file past her, single file, and look up close at what she had transformed a single line of string into. It was unbelievable really.
The next memory to surface was that of my grandmother bringing me a skein of red heart yarn and a G hook one Christmas holiday and proceed to teach me how to crochet. She taught me the chain stitch and how to build on from that. I made doilies of various sizes until I'd used up the skein. I only knew the basic stitch and my love for reading at the time was much stronger so not much came of that early foray into the yarn arts. However, in writing letters back and forth with my grandmother I learned that I'd been exposed to yarn much earlier than the fourth grade. As it turned out, my grandma and grandpa used to take weekly trips to Tallahassee, and they often took me with them on these excursions and while seated between them my grandmother was always either knitting or crocheting on my right. My mother backed this story and I realized that since toddler hood I could be found with yarn on my lap.
Throughout high school I took sewing classes and became well versed in garment making and silk embroidery. I taught myself how to cross stitch and indulged in that hobby for a while. I don't sew much anymore, but still retain the knowledge, and though I love cross stitch i find it more tedious and with lesser reward when finished. What stands out though is that these are still hobbies of string. Simply a difference in technique and fiber content and thickness.
As it is now, I have taught not just myself, but at least four other people how to knit and enjoy doing so almost every single day. Furthermore, I love yarn. I love that there are all sorts of fibers and variations of fiber content to a skein or hank or ball of yarn. I love that yarn comes in all sorts of colors and combinations of color. It comes in a variety of weight. One can make anything. There is simply no end to the possibilities. Not only do I enjoy knitting and what it produces, and love the materials involved, I even love talking about it and reading about it.
I can, and do, literally spend hours each month perusing other people's knitting and techniques in books that I have bought as well as on an Internet site: Ravelry. I also look at many different websites that sell yarn and look at all the different varieties , then go to Ravelry and see what people have made using these particular yarns. When, I get tired of that, I sometimes reorganize my own yarn, or wind it into balls for ease of use in the future. It is easy to say that I spend a great deal of time thinking about, talking about, or playing with string. How odd?
Ultimately, this hobby of mine, involving simple sticks and string, can produce profound results. Satisfaction, happiness, nervousness, beautiful garments, handmade gifts, personal challenges, immense joy, frustration, elation. I am so thankful to have found this rewarding hobby and that I have been able to share it and indulge in it with others. It truly boggles the mind.
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