I have been knitting since ...

I was introduced to knitting by my mother when I was a little girl. She was a very good knitter. I knew that way back then, because people often asked if the items she knitted were made by machine. So I consider of course, that I learned from the best!

My very first project was a Balaclava for my Dad! I remember one of the requirements for a Brownie Badge was a knitted accessory of some sort. I would have been about 7 or 8 years old. Looking back, I think it was decided that my Dad needed a Balaclava and it would be a good idea if I knitted it instead of my mother! Said item was single ribbed, and a deep turquoise colour, similar in style to the one in the picture below. I seem to remember a different coloured stripe featuring somewhere - probably for a 'panache' effect. Not something I would recommend today as a good project to begin knitting with! I can't remember whether I finished it all by myself. I must have I guess, because I earned the badge! I think my mother probably stitched it together, because I don't remember there being a clause in the badge blurb about sewing up said item - and I don't remember doing it! It could of course be one of those horrible repressed memories, I suppose! I do know I wouldn't have received the badge if I had not done all the knitting. I don't know what happened to my 1st knitted item, as sadly, my father died suddenly at a very young age not long afterwards. I am pretty sure that if he was still around, then maybe that Balaclava would be too. I do still have my Brownie Badge though (pictured above) - and it's in perfect condition. Epiphany - it needs to go somewhere special now and stay out of the box it has been in for so long! I will have to think on that ... I remember attempting TV slippers at some stage when I decided I wanted to knit again. I really enjoyed doing those - because, surprise, surprise - they progressed rather quickly! I also remember them being rather slippery fun on wooden and lino floors! I made a jumper/sweater when I was about 13 years old, again under my mother's watchful eye. And wore it proudly - for a little while. She usually bought good wool - but in this instance the 'scratchy' stuff was used! I actually didn't care because I wanted to knit it. The pattern was in the NZ Women's Weekly, in the days when they always seemed to include free knitting patterns. To be perfectly honest though, I only wore it long enough to brag about my knitting prowess to anyone who would listen. For a time it became easier to let my mother knit for me, even after I married and decided for some strange reason that it was a good idea to knit an Aran (heavily cabled and textured) sweater for my beloved. Probably the end of the era when showing your love for your significant other apparently meant knitting them a sweater to prove it ... an Aran one apparently proving absolute, undying love! Anyway, long story short - it was a dumb idea for me to attempt that, mainly because I found out how long his arms really were and nearly had a breakdown! You guessed it, Mum to the rescue!

Over the years I have learned in one way or another, that knitting is NOT for the fainthearted! I think the fact that I went back to it, am persevering and loving it now, plus the fact that I have knitted more items than I can count on my fingers, proves that I must be a genuinely creative, patient, loving and caring human being. Either that or, I have absolutely nothing better to do!

So there you have it - my introduction to knitting! And where it led me ...