How I learned to knit

When I was around 12 my mom taught me how to crochet. I had admired for years a wool afghan my great grandmother had made. I asked her how it was made and she told me it was crocheted. I wanted to learn how to crochet so she taught me. I made various little barbie sized things and a couple of pot holder type things, but it never went any further. I didn't really like the fabric crochet made. My mom also is a knitter and when I was 16 I asked her to teach me. I then proceeded to knit a scarf. I don't remember what stitch I used to make it, probably just a garter stitch, but it was totally unwearable. It turned out as wavy as the ocean and no matter what I did to it, it wouldn't lay flat. I didn't know how come my poor scarf turned out this way but I decided I just couldn't knit.

Move ahead 16 years to a time when I was sitting watching HGTV. There was a show on called Crafters across the US or something like that and there was a lady that was knitting up purses out of wool/acrylic blend and then felting them. They were really cute and I wanted to make one. I didn't know how to knit!!! I thought about that scarf I knitted and how wavy it was. I thought about how that lady on TV made it look so easy. I was determined I was going to learn to knit. I ran to JoAnne's picked up some yarn and knitting needles, went home, and proceeded to knit this purse. It turned out really cute! I fell in love with knitting right then and there. I also figured out what I did to that poor scarf when I was 16. I made a perfectly common n00b knitter mistake. I wasn't taking the stitches off correctly so therefore I was increasing and decreasing thus making waves.

The moral of the story? Well just run out, get some pointy sticks and some string, and start knitting.... If I can do it anyone can.