learn to knit

Why Did I Want to Learn to Knit? Find Out Now

Last Updated on July 1, 2022 by Cheryl Moreo

Learn to Knit?

Why did I want to learn to knit? It was the 1960″s, and I was a teenager wanting to create something with my hands.

My mother was an avid crocheter. I attempted to learn crochet from her, but I am sure that most of you can relate to mother/daughter learning sessions. It did not go well. I couldn’t please her. Nothing I did was correct.

My Aunt Ione, a very classy lady that I admired, lived in Alabama. She was a Navy Doctor’s wife and a nurse. She would send us knitted items. In my farm girl’s mind, I thought that must be what the classy ladies do. They knit! Maybe I should learn to knit. Mom doesn’t know a thing about knitting and, therefore, couldn’t be critical of what I turned out on my needles.

How I Learned to Knit

The next time we went to the big city (Danville, Illinois) to Sears, I bought a teach yourself to knit kit. Yes, over 50 years ago, Sears had their brand of yarn and knitting supplies. The yarn was a gorgeous purple. It even had needles and a small accessory kit with markers, stitch holders, needle gauges, point protectors, and a pattern book.

I learned to cast on, knit, and cast off. There was a pattern for a slipper in Sear’s knitting instruction book. I knit one slipper in garter stitch. That was IT! I was in love with knitting. Next, I taught myself to knit on circular needles. Yes, I did twist the knitting and ended up with a mess, but I knew what was wrong. I started over and knitted myself a lavender skirt in the round with a matching vest. Yes, I had a thing for purples back then, too. I don’t know where any of this first knitting is now more than 50 years later, but it is all vivid in my memory.

Where Learning to Knit Led

I became acquainted with crafters at a small village where one lady was a machine knitter and a spinner, and another was a weaver and a spinner. Also,  demonstrators at the Indiana State Fair were very encouraging. I joined the local Guild, where I was introduced to weaving, spinning, and dyeing yarn. Of course, I became fully engulfed in all of these crafts, too.

I attended events such as Vogue Knitting Live and Stitches.

Little did I know that someday I would own a yarn store–The Fiber Closet and teach others to knit and crochet. Now, I have knitting needles in every size and shape and lots of yarn. I have since semi-retired, and The Fiber Closet is now an online shop only.

But, before I owned a yarn shop, knitting led me to explore other crafts. I am the proud owner of several knitting machines. They include flatbed machines,  circular sock machines,  and Addi circular knitting machines.

I no longer teach any crafts, but I do write about them on this blog.

So, How/Where Did You Learn to Knit? Were You Self Taught?

Inquiring minds want to know. Please tell us in the comment section below.

learn to knit
Photo by Les Triconautes

Other Knitting Posts

More knitting articles

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x
Scroll to Top
%d bloggers like this: