Here we go...

Note to self - don't try to post an entry during the scheduled maintenance. It doesn't work.

Well, as you can tell from the title, this is a blog that will be mainly about knitting. Primarily because that's usually what I do lately.

I learned to knit probably somewhere around age 10. I don't remember if I was taught by my mother or my grandmother but I know it was one of them. I do remember learning to crochet because a friend tried to teach me in high school and I didn't get it. I had to sit and read an instruction book before it made sense to me. Anywho, I learned to increase and decrease in knitting by making Barbie doll clothes for Scott's nieces. That was before Ariane was born 23 years ago. Knitting began to take a back seat to counted cross stitch. I know I made quite a few pairs of two needles mittens for Ariane and Alek when they were little but I also know that I was cross stitching at the same time.

Then in 1995, we went online and I succumbed to "groups". I have been in more floss exchanges, cross stitch round robins and secret stitcher exchanges over the years. Cross stitch took up the bulk of my crafting time from then on. Until two years ago when my wrists brought a screeching halt to x-stitch. I could barely move them without horrible pain. I had to stop. But I couldn't give up crafting. Over the years, I've done quilling (not quilting), basket weaving, knitting, crocheting, cross stitch, sewing, and jewelry making. After I stopped x-stitching, I did silk ribbon embroidery, crazy quilting, Brazillian and regular embroidery for a while. The only problem is that I really don't like to sew. The embroidery part is okay but crazy quilting requires sewing a base to work on. So I started knitting again. And I joined yahoo groups and became acquainted with the knitlist.

Reading posts from this yahoo group broadened my skills and aspirations. I started knitting more complicated patterns. And I joined other knitting groups that inspired me. Then I started knitting for charity. This is a great thing because I can try whatever pattern I want and size doesn't really matter because it will fit someone. Plus it's so satisfying. I feel a real need to give to those who don't have as much as I do.

And that's all I think I'm writing for now. Too much information in one big block is hard to digest. This may even be too much.