Embracing My Inner Grandma

I have not yet given up on this hobby. I am becoming obsessive about it (who, me?)but I find it so relaxing at the same time. My mistakes frustrate me - I tend to just rip out everything I've done (even after working on it for a hour). Part of learning means I have to figure out how to fix the mistakes and not completely tear apart something for one little mistake. I am trying to hook up with other knitters so I can compare my style with theirs. It's easy with this craft to start doing something wrong and when no one experienced is watching you, you never know if you are doing it all wrong.

With knitting, they lure you in with the promise that you only have to learn two ways of stitches, and everything else is built off of these two stitches. Sounds so easy, right? I start reading ahead in my how-to books. (Sidebar: This was always my MO in school. I read ahead. And then when the teacher asked questions, thinking that she could stump us, I had already read and, VOILA!, I could answer the question and look like the brilliant one. I still do this today - always trying to anticipate where things are going.) Whoa!! There is a lot more than just alternating these two stitches - and making clothes?? I'm so confused. And these books try to say that a sweater is an "easy" project. The instructions are ridiculously confusing and insane and I can't wait to be able to do it. God help me, I want to keep living so I can make a damn sweater. Having something to do and to create has made me feel better being around here; I was having a hard time justifying why I'm here and if I have really amounted to anything after 37 years as me.

Anyway, enough about the meaning of my life. Here's where I made silly little swatch with a repeating pattern. See below. Still not good at the landing (ending) - see the tail?




So now I am attempting an actual item. The famed dishcloth. All one color. With a pattern. Very basic and boring. I'm so excited. Here's how it's going:



It's back to work tomorrow. Yuck. It's end of the month. Such a dreaded time for me. Luckily, I seriously have three really strong closers who I trust. Without them, I would be a basketcase. Around this time, I start going to work without makeup, and barely attempting to look like a professional. I try to get away with the most I can because basically I'm working there from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. without leaving the building. Last week, I worked three days, from 8 to 8. Enough of that.

My mom gave me her treadmill. I didn't really want it, but it's mine and now, it sits in my garage. I'm going to get up earlier tomorrow morning and try it out for about 30 minutes or so. That reminds me to charge up the Ipod. Now I can lose weight and be a skinny 40-something old maid with a really nice homemade dishcloth.