For years I have owned a couple pairs of knitting needles. Determined that one day I would be able to knit as well as crochet. This was not to be. I would try and try and try and I would mess my tension up so badly that I would end up with some kind of mess that looked as though I had tossed my yarn to a cat to bat around. It was okay, I always had my crochet to go back to and I LOVE to crochet. Truly I do. I dream about different yarn color combinations and yarn textures as well as what I could make and for who.
Now here I am pregnant with my 4th child and having to spend more time resting then I want to, hubby's orders. After reading the Twilight Saga twice, my thoughts once again drifted to those knitting needles nestled safely with one of my many piles of stash yarn. ( I'm an addict for yarn, but it's ok I tell my hubby. I like my addiction just fine. ) During one afternoon at nap time I settled myself in with YouTube, yarn, and needles. Whoo Hoo! Victory. Tension was perfect, no dropped stitches and I made myself an over sized washcloth. Used it right away as well so no pictures were taken to share. I liked everything about it. Maybe even more than my crochet ones. The texture, the flexibility. I could not keep my hands off if it. So battling the skin condition of a teenager with this pregnancy, I decided to make a face cloth as well. A rectangular one to use with my bar of soap. Love it! Soaps up beautifully and feels so so good on my skin. Now I am making some granny smith apple green ones for my shop. Really liking green this summer.
My kids naturally wanted to know what I was doing so I got brave and decided I would try to teach my 9 yo. Previously she had wanted to learn crochet but just picking up the hook seems to send her into panic so that will be revisited when she is older. Bracing myself I showed her how to cast on. Amazing! She did it. No tears, no frustration, just wonderful enjoyment of the fiber art. What a gift I felt I was giving her. Then we moved to learning the garter stitch. She is now working on her first washcloth, pink of course, after having made a scarf for one of her barbies. Now she has had to frog this project 3 times so far but has kept with it. Then one day on youtube someone said a nursery rhyme that use to be used to teach kids to knit. Brilliant. Now she says this when she knits and she is doing marvelous. In walks in my 5 yo and 2 yo. They have learned the nursery rhyme as well. The 4 yo is still learning to hold her needles and the 2 yo holds on to them with mommy. My little chanters. This is such a fun adventure to be sharing with them. My 9 yo came up to me the other week. "Mom, I really like having this time with you to make stuff. Just you and me." Smiling I chocked back tears. Still my baby after all. I am pretty sure I would have been crying anyway, pregnant or not. I am so blessed.
So here is the nursery rhyme that now echos in my house instead of cartoons. :)
In the front door,
Around the back,
Take a peek,
Out comes Jack
This is used for the English version of knitting. I do not know if it would be the same for Continental. I think it may be easier for kids to learn English first.
As a side note. My 9 yo who frets at the hook wanted to learn how to do a provisional (invisible) cast on. Daddy (yup, the man is amazing and constantly blows me away. I love it.) stepped in to help her watching youtube with her to learn as I was also learning it. I wish I would have had the camcorder on.
