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Learning from a Fiber-Filled Week

5 Mar

This fiberisto has had a busy week with a lot of activity and news, so I wanted to take a moment to share not only the events of the day, but what I’ve learned along the way.

Sunday

Last Sunday, I had the opportunity to brunch with my friend Ping who was in town from Chicago.  As Fans of Fiber often do, we greeted each other with gift bags!  I gave her some handspun Blue Faced Leicester I made, and she gave me two bags of beautiful spinning fiber!  One is merino in a deep burgundy with occasional sparks of light blue and yellow.  The other, Blue Faced Leicester combed top in aquatic hues of green and blue.  We had a great time catching up, and spending a good portion of our time talking about our projects and other fiber-related pursuits.

What I learned: Taking time with friends to enjoy a meal, laugh, and to talk about the fiber arts is one of the best ways to spend a Sunday morning!

Tuesday

One of my goals since getting my bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 1994 has been to go back to school to get my Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing.  Writing, like knitting, is a passion of mine and a pursuit from which I glean great joy.

Last August I began the journey of preparing all of the required elements for my application to the MFA program at the University of Central Florida, located here in Orlando, Florida.  The process was involved, as it required me to study for and complete the Graduate Record Exam, as well as drafting a 30-page writing sample, a 5-page essay, gathering letters of recommendation, etc.

Tuesday I realized the hard work and focused effort was worth it – I received notification that I’ve been accepted into the MFA program at UCF!  In my essay, I wrote about my interest in writing a knitting memoir so I am, much like I do here at BrianKnits.com, looking forward to blending my passions of fiber arts and writing once again.

What I learned: Much like any challenging knitting project, sometimes in the process you have that moment where you wonder why you’re doing what you’re doing, wondering if it’s all worth it.  But then, when the last stitch is cast off, or in this case, that acceptance letter arrives – the sense of accomplishment and satisfaction is extraordinary.

Wednesday

With the new spinning fiber I received on Sunday, I was inspired to return to my spinning wheel.  It has been some time since I’ve taken the opportunity to spin.  I’ve been focusing too much on my, ahem, sock project.  But, before I could begin spinning the beautiful burgundy merino gift of mine, I needed to clean off some bobbins.

I had two bobbins of plied Blue Faced Leicester/Tencel blend, and one that was another wool blend of thick and thin rose/gray combination.  It was great to take these beautiful fibers that had been laying around on bobbins and get them wound, washed and ready to go.

What I learned: There’s a right time for everything – this yarn had been waiting on a bobbin to be wound.  With a little inspiration (knowing I needed to clear off my bobbins before I could spin the fiber my friend just gave me), I was able to crank out three skeins and get started on the burgundy merino.  Sometimes it just takes a little inspiration to help us drive towards finishing a project or starting a new one.

Friday

It’s always fun when two fiber fans gather.  I wrote recently about how knitting brings people together and I enjoyed yet another case in point on Friday.  Last month, a friend and work colleague, Robby, took my knitting class at The Black Sheep shop.  Since then, he’s completed a blue and gray scarf for his son, and he’s begun knitting a series of experimental swatches to try out different stitches and stitch patterns.

Yesterday we had the opportunity to have lunch at the office and catch up on knitting conversation.  Topics ranged from his progress in learning the knit and purl stitches, as well as our respective dream projects waiting for the right yarn and time to complete them.  I was very impressed with his progress and it is clear he has developed his own rhythm for performing the basic knitting stitches.  Not only is he a great student, but is also becoming a good friend.

What I learned: Friendships emerge from the unlikeliest of places, and when we seize the opportunity to share our passions, never underestimate how that can ignite a fire of creativity and inspiration in others.

Saturday

This morning, I taught my monthly knitting class at The Black Sheep.  I had four wonderful students, one of which is the wife of the nephew of the partner of an online knitting friend of mine, Chris French (a.k.a. vtknitboy)!  The group picked up on things quickly and as they practiced their knits and purls, we waxed on about the beauty of the yarns they each had selected, and brainstormed just a few of the myriad creative projects they could pursue by changing just one or two variables in the mix.

I’m always inspired after a class, seeing others get excited about practicing and learning and, most importantly, creating something beautiful for themselves or someone else.

What I learned: I’m always fascinated by the ability for knitting activity (classes, knit-alongs, groups, etc.) to bring people together – esp. people who may never have met under other circumstances.  Such was the case today, and the fact I share a connection to someone in Vermont with a student was pretty cool.  When I teach classes, I am also challenged to stay on my game and I continue to learn myself as my students present me with new questions and opportunities to unravel or repair a stitch or two gone awry.

This has been a fantastic week full of fun and fiber.  When I reflect on all I’ve done and all I’ve learned, it simply confirms that for what started as a “phase” for me in the summer of 2008 has truly become a lifestyle now, and by finding different ways to pursue that lifestyle, that passion, I am affirmed that my love affair with yarn continues!

 

A Sock Knitter’s Quandary

27 Feb

If you follow me on Twitter (@BrianKnits), you might be aware I have recently revisited sock knitting.  I completed the first sock of my second pair ever a couple of weeks ago, and since then, I have been spending time working on the second sock of the pair.  But, I get ahead of myself.

Sock #1

The finished sock is actually the product of a do-over.  When I got to the Gusset Pick-Up (the point where smooth sailing turns to the Bermuda Triangle), it got messed up.  Then, trying to frog in a state of frustration, I ended up losing my place and in a fit of knitter’s rage I ended up pulling out over 9 inches of stockinette stitch and ribbed cuff to begin anew.

Sock #1 was finished and looks as it should – even without slight holes near the heel as is a typical defect newer sock knitters experience (from what I’ve been told).

Sock #2

I had a plan for this weekend.  I was going to finish sock #2 and be able to write about how I overcame my mental block on socks, how I successfully completed my second pair of socks and how excited I was to immediately jump into another pair using sock yarn I recently purchased in my state of elation upon finishing sock #1.  That was my plan.

However, on Friday night, something went terribly wrong.  I reached a point (again, during the Gusset Pick-Up) at which I became confused, lost in a maze of fingering yarn in stockinette stitch, Addi Turbo 2.5 mm. needles, cable holding my Magic Loop intact.  Using videos on YouTube that helped me navigate successfully through sock #1, I tried to determine where to align the round to the needles so I could carry on and begin my gusset decreases.

At this point I knew something was terribly wrong, that something was backward, switched around, fundamentally inappropriate.  However, ignoring my highly refined sense of intuition, I stayed calm and knit on.

A few rows later, on the right side of the fabric, a lovely raised PURL row appeared on my instep.

I will not include here certain favored expletives that emerged upon realizing what had transpired.  At this point, it was late, I was exhausted after a busy week, and had lost all semblance of patience to even begin to attempt to rip out my errors and start that section again.  It was not the time, nor the place.

What I Learned

I think it’s true for many knitters that, as you are very far into a project and you don’t get it right, it’s frustrating.  I know at that moment I realized something had gone terribly wrong, I berated myself for taking this critical point in the project on in a state of exhaustion.  I berated my needles and yarn for not doing what they should’ve been doing (at which point they look at me with silent expression, knowing full well they were only instruments of my misplaced direction).  I also used language of which I am not proud.

At the end of the day, however, I realized this is part of the learning process – which is one of the many great things about knitting.  Every time you take on a new project with more complexity or a new stitch or technique you are incorporating into it, you are learning.  In knitting a sock, by the time I get to the heel, I’ve already knit 9″ of cuff and leg – which gives me the illusion I’m good at it.  And, I would say I am good at 2×2 ribbing and stockinette stitch.  But then comes the heel experience and gusset extravaganza that, technically, is still something new to me.

What I know for sure as a result of this experience is:

  • I should not take on complex projects when I am tired, at the end of a busy week.
  • I should view videos repeatedly BEFORE picking up needles and yarn to ensure I have full comprehension of what I am about to embark upon.
  • If things don’t work out as planned, I should be kinder to myself – it is part of the creative process to make mistakes, take detours, and even sometimes have to simply rip it all out and start over again.
  • Keep going and keep creating!

I’m still not sure what happened, and yes, I may end up just ripping the whole thing out and starting over (because I am stubborn that way).  But ultimately, one of the many joys of knitting is that it is a continuous journey of learning.  Keeping that in perspective when these mistakes emerge, I must remember, keeps both hands and heart happy.

When Two Knitters Meet

20 Feb

There are certain things I have in common with each of the good friends I have.  With one friend, I may discuss more work-related topics.  With another, I may discuss literature or theater.  One thing I have noticed on two separate occasions in the last month is that there is a unique energy that emerges when two knitters converge.

A few weeks ago, I was introduced to the cousin of a friend.  Ping is an avid knitter and yarn stasher, and as I walked into my friend’s home, she and I had an immediate connection.  It was as if we were swept into a fiber vortex – talking non-stop for an hour to the point of the others at the gathering wondering if we would be joining everyone else for dinner.  We talked about current projects, favorite yarns, preferred web sites or favorite yarn shops, challenges we’ve had and how they were solved.  The conversation kept flowing without fail, and requiring little effort.

This weekend, our friends Jesse and Denay stayed with us on a brief visit from their home in The Bahamas.  Denay is a creative provocateur – knitter, sewer, crafter.  An endless source of ideas, Denay and I have shared some wonderful conversations this weekend, talking about projects, shopping for fabric and yarn, and trading stories about yarn stores we’ve visited in our travels.  Again, that wonderful energy emerged as we began to talk about specific types of yarn, Denay’s foray into felting, and my struggles with sock knitting.  It was an ebb and flow of brainstorming and critique, exploring possibilities and trying to encourage each other’s craft shopping pursuits (while not being TOO encouraging to the point of breaking the bank).

What I know for sure is that when two people who share such passion for a similar topic – in this case, knitting – there is magic that occurs.  There is an unmistakable stream of energy, ideas and creativity that elevates the spirit and captivates the senses.  As I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to share conversations with fellow knitters I have realized how much I miss that.

It’s been a while since I’ve gone to any local knit night or knit-along.  I’ve become more of a homebody knitter, enjoying the pursuit as a channel for decompression after a long day’s work or a busy weekend.  Having the chance to be inspired by other creative, energetic people reminds me of what I’ve been missing in my fiber arts journey…perhaps these two auspicious encounters were meant to gently bring me back to the social aspect of knitting.

Social knitting enables our penchant for purchasing yarn.  It captivates our imagination when we see the projects others are pursuing and completing (or struggling to the point of surrender).  Knitting with others helps us learn and teach tips and tricks that may make a technique so much easier, that may demystify something that has caused us great struggle and strife.  There is a camaraderie and sense of community that is forged when people all having their own personal love affairs with yarn join forces.

In the time I’ve spent with Ping and Denay, I’ve learned that talking about knitting or spending time actually knitting with others is part of the experience of being a fiber artist – it is about engaging in a dialogue with others, exploring, brainstorming, learning, teaching and being totally and utterly inspired.  There are those times where simple joy comes from creating in a solitary space; but there are also times when converging with another knitter or two reminds you of your place in time, your role as fiber artist, your ability to take yarn and use needles to create something just as beautiful as anyone else can.

Knitting: A Spiritual Process?

12 Feb

Most of my Saturday mornings have a few things in common.  There is always a good, dark roasted cup of coffee by my side.  I am curled up in my favorite recliner.  And I am almost always knitting.  This morning was no exception as I near the final two inches of sock 1 of 2 in a pair.  I was thinking about the steps we all traverse in any knitting project and how, inherent in each of those steps, is an element of spirituality, a sprinkling of the sacred.

Casting On

Although there are many ways to do it, every knitting project begins with Casting On.  Casting On begins the rhythmic tone for your project – if it is loose, the project will be comfortable to knit.  If the Cast On is too tight, you will wrestle with the project until you finish or simply get frustrated, putting it aside or ripping it out and starting over.  Casting On represents beginnings, the excitement of starting something, conjuring thoughts and visions of the finished project and how beautiful it will be when it is completed.

Stitches

Whether simply rows of knits and purls, or more complicated patterns like lace or cables, there is a fundamental simplicity to each stitch.  Knit one stitch and we think we’ve performed a seemingly simple and mundane act.  Knit four rows and you suddenly have a small piece of fabric crafted by your own hands.  There is a sense of the miraculous for after completing one series of a pattern, you realize you’ve fashioned a beautiful texture, a surprising embellishment, a twisted cable!  One stitch may seem insignificant, but after a few rows, you realize you are a full participant in the creative process, using yarn and needles to craft something special for yourself or someone else.

As we stitch, we also realize that it becomes a meditative process.  Knit one – think about the yarn.  Knit two – think about the pattern.  Knit three – think about the person for whom you are making the object.  Knit four – think about all the good intentions and energy you want to infuse in the item for its future owner.  Then, begin again.  Knitting row after row is cyclical and rhythmic, reminding us to slow down, focus on what we are doing, and be in the moment.

Binding Off

As things begin, so do they end.  Binding Off a project symbolizes the act of coming full circle, of finishing something you started.  There is a great sense of excitement when the Bind Off begins, as you consider getting to that last stitch, being able to hold up the item in the light, and examine its handcrafted beauty.  After you cut your yarn and tie off that last loop, there is the reminder that everything is temporary – the journey and joy that has come from knitting the particular project has now come to a close and its time to tie up any loose ends and begin again, start anew.

Weaving in ends

As in life, we have our loose ends – those things we may be putting off or ignoring because of fear, anxiety or other reasons, real or imagined.  In knitting, we have to tie up those loose ends (weave them in, actually) or the project isn’t truly completed.  Weaving in the ends is an act, too, of reflection on the overall experience of knitting the item.  Did you learn a new technique?  Did you try a new yarn that you ultimately hated?  Or fell in love with?  Are you glad this challenge is over or are you ready to make it again?  Revisit the journey of the project one last time as the ends are woven in, sort out what you learned from unproductive thoughts and carry only the good with you into your next creative endeavor.

Some knit for the mindless simplicity of it, others do so for the ultimate challenge.  I love a little of both, but also love the fact that at every step along the way, my knitting reminds me of how to live – honor new beginnings, enjoy every step of the journey, pay attention, celebrate results, acknowledge what was learned, and realize everything is temporary so take nothing for granted.

Works-In-Progress (WIPs)

29 Jan

In my experience, it is the fundamental nature of fiber artists to have multiple projects-in-progress at any given time.  This can be due to our inherent desire for variety.  It may be due to a bit of boredom with one project and the desire for a new beginning.  It can also be due to an interest in having a simple, mindless project going as well as something a bit more complex.

I also have seen among my knitterly friends the tendency to have multiple works-in-progress…and when I say multiple, I mean anywhere from 5-10+ active projects on needles, partly completed.  They do this for many of the reasons I shared above, and I am sure there are other reasons.  That’s a lot of needles to tie up, a lot of yarn partly used!

I have a different approach when it comes to WIPs (knitter’s jargon for works-in-progress).  I typically have no more than two WIPs at any given time, one a bit more complex than the other, typically in different colorways of yarn.  This appeals to my desire for variety in hue and degree of difficulty, while still not feeling like I have too much unfinished business.  Frankly, with more than two projects on needles at a time, I get anxious.

Just as I find tremendous joy in the possibilities that come with starting a new project, I also get a great sense of accomplishment when something is finished.  To start with nothing but yarn and needles, and to take those two basic tools and transform them into something else, something useful, something beautiful – it’s inspiring!

Finishing one project gets me excited about the creative process – beginning a new project requires the searching and scouring of patterns, reviewing one’s yarn stash for the right fiber to create the project I’ve identified.  I also look at the pattern and see if there are any modifications I want to do in order to make the design my own.  These are different creative muscles that are used at this phase of the process than those that work to execute a knitted project.

I love the starting process just as much as finishing the project – and for me, with too many projects started and not enough finishing taking place, I would not get the joy of the full experience of being a knitter.  I would only experience the starting part, the finishing remaining a mystery.

I don’t want to imply that my knitterly friends who have multiple WIPs sitting around don’t finish things, because they most certainly do.  I speak here from my own experience, from what energizes me most about the creative process as a fiber artist.  I love all parts of the process, and enjoy experiencing each phase more frequently, more evenly.

We all have WIPs laying around (my two current WIPs are photographed above).  We may have more or less, and it’s always important to start something.  The good news is that when there’s a quiet moment, or the creative juices just aren’t flowing, a WIP can be sought after like an old friend, picking up where you left off until time separates the two of you once again.

20 Reasons to Knit

23 Jan

As a knitter, I am asked (by non-knitters), “Why do you knit?”  Sometimes there is a tone of wonder, or perhaps judgement, but sometimes people really don’t understand why I (or anyone else) would take up the craft of knitting (let alone elevating my pursuit to a passionate art form).  Here’s my top list of reasons why I knit:

  1. It’s relaxing.
  2. It’s an outlet for my creativity.
  3. It gives me something to show for the hours I do spend in front of the television.
  4. My knitting is something I have complete control over.
  5. After I’ve spent a few days or a few weeks working on a project, I get a great sense of accomplishment and satisfaction to see what I made out of yarn using two sticks.
  6. Knitting is meditation.
  7. Knitting is grounding, centering and, on occasion, I would even say it is a sacred act.
  8. Knitting something and then giving it as a gift is a way that I can bring joy to others.
  9. Knitting something and giving it to a charitable organization helps people in need.
  10. Knitting builds biceps.
  11. When you become a knitter, you become part of a centuries-old tradition of fiber arts throughout history.
  12. When you become a knitter, you become a member of a creative, fun and skilled community of fellow fiber artists.
  13. Knitting opens the door to new friendships.
  14. Knitting in groups brings unexpected combinations of people with very different perspectives together – in other words, knitting can build bridges.
  15. When traveling, besides museums and good restaurants, trips are made even more exciting with a visit to the local yarn store.  Even better: purchasing hand spun/dyed yarn produced locally.  The yarn then serves not only as a source of creative inspiration, but also a souvenir.
  16. Knitting is one of those arts in which you can never possibly run out of ideas or options.  I can’t ever imagine saying something like, “I have run out of yarn and ideas.”  That just won’t happen.
  17. Knitting and reading patterns keeps my brain active.
  18. Knitting has opened a door for me to teach others how to enjoy this wonderful craft.
  19. Knitting keeps the between-meal snacking at a contained minimum.
  20. Knitting is a productive, enjoyable way to pass the time.  It is, in a word, SANCTUARY.

I think what is interesting as I get to know other knitters is that we all have different reasons why we knit.  These are just some of mine, but you may have a whole different list. As a bonus, I would add one more reason to the list:

21.  No matter who you are, you can find reasons to knit.

Whether you have been knitting for years or just beginning your journey, take a moment to make your own list.  You’ll get the question, trust me.  I just want to make sure you’re prepared – and my hope is that in your exuberant response something is sparked in the one making the inquiry to the point that they, too, discover the desire to have their own love affair with yarn.

The Creative Process: Experimentation

21 Dec

I always get excited each time I begin a new knitting project.  I look through my stash (or the latest arrivals at local yarn stores) and find yarn that speaks to me in the moment.  I may have something in mind for someone specific, or I may simply be inspired by a colorway or fiber.

This weekend I started one such new project.  I have been on a scarf roll recently, and wanted to do one with a pattern that created not only some visual interest, but was a bit more complex in construction.  I selected some beautiful hand-dyed yarn I purchased while on holiday in Alaska this past autumn in autumnal colorways of orange, brown and deep red.

At first, I thought I would go simple.  Garter stitch was the first day.

After about 20 rows, I was already bored and was also not particularly fond of how the colorway was knitting up in that simplistic knit-every-stitch-on-every-row pattern.

Next, I took to Ravelry in search of a pattern that may be a bit more complex while not an instrument of torture.  I found what appeared to be a simple 4-row pattern from a woman in Finland.  I started at it and, although I liked the pattern and how the colorway was evolving, as I got about 4 inches into the effort, I noticed the sides beginning to curl in.  I wasn’t knitting in stockinette stitch, though I may as well have been.  And the Finnish Pattern was the second day.

Finally, after another cursory review of available free patterns on Ravelry I found one that is really interesting, knits up fairly quick as there are a multitude of slip stitches, and it creates a very unique pattern.  No curling.  No odd behavior otherwise.  A beautiful square edge.  And the Prismatic Scarf was the third day.  I’m sold on it.

What I was reminded of over the past few days is that, as with any artistic pursuit, there are stops and starts.  There is trying a different color, a different medium.  For fiber artists, it can be a variation of color, of fiber, of needle size, of pattern – and all of those variables behave in different ways when combined together.  Our role as fiber artists is to experiment, to not be afraid to make mistakes, and to make a few false starts until we find the pattern that really works well with the yarn we are using and finding the right needle size to create the gauge that is appropriate for what we are trying to accomplish.

Some may fear making mistakes, some may pick up a pattern and knit it to the end come hell or high water.  I say – try it until it is what you want it to be, and do what you need to do to evolve a design or pattern until it is something uniquely your own.

A pattern may suggest a particular type of yarn – use a different one.  The pattern may suggest a smaller needle – use a larger one.  The worst that could happen is that it doesn’t evolve as you hoped it would and you can pull it out and start over again (the yarn does not have to go to waste).

I hope this holiday season, and in the year ahead, in your fiber arts as well as life in general, you give yourself permission to make mistakes, to try new things, experiment with new materials and methods – doing all of this until the right combination emerges.  And that combination will ultimately become your artistic legacy.

It’s not too early!

17 Oct

As the weather turns from 95 and humid to a more comfortable 75 and slightly less humid, I realize I have about 2 and 1/2 months until the holidays…and that means it is time to start formulating my knitted gift giving list.  Will someone get knitted socks (as I also face my nemesis – sock knitting)?  Will a flurry of scarves abound that my Floridian friends may use 2 days a year here, or on travels they may take northward?  That remains to be seen, but my point here today is that it is never too early to start planning your knitted gift giving.

I go about this in a couple of different ways – and it’s often a journey I take throughout the year, not waiting until the fall.  If I see yarn in hues I know a friend or family member would thoroughly love, I buy at least enough to make a scarf and knit that up.  I have a bin of Finished Objects (FO) either made with or without intention that keep the woolies safe until they reach their ultimate fate.  It is also a bit liberating to arrive at November and realize you already have 3 holiday gifts knitted and ready to go!

This year, though, I find myself in more of a “make a list, then knit like crazy” mode.  I have made very specific yarn purchases for certain individuals, so that part is managed well.  My opportunity now is to pick patterns, plan projects and plan out my knitting schedule to ensure I deliver on time.

You may be thinking, “Hey, we are fiber artists here!  Planning things out like that takes the fun out of our work!”  To that I exclaim, “Absolutely not!”  Just because you are working on planned projects (vs. impulsive ones) doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy the process.  If you are like me, I can pick up needles and yarn and work on something mundane like a coaster or dishcloth and still feel a sense of comfort and calm almost immediately.  At the holidays, this mindset is even more critical to enjoying the season!

I write all this to simply say, although Halloween has yet to pass, and the harvest festivals and foliage viewing continue, it is not too early to write out your plans for knitted holiday gift giving.

You may laugh at me now, but let’s check-in again in mid-December.  As the impending countdown to Hanukkah and Christmas approach, I’ll be enjoying a spiced beverage and merrymaking, knowing finely decorated packages are filled with my hand-knitted wares, ready to bring (hopefully) joy and warmth to those near and dear to me.  Where will you be?

Yarn store visits in the Pacific Northwest

30 Sep


I always get excited when I have the opportunity to travel.  I enjoy taking in local historical and cultural sites, trying new restaurants, and certainly, as you could imagine, I love visiting Local Yarn Stores in the cities I visit.  My recent expedition to Seattle and then into Alaska’s inside passage was no different and I was given both planned and happenstance chances to visit two yarn stores while I was away.

So Much Yarn – Seattle, WA

This was my planned yarn stop on the trip.  Located on the 2nd floor of an unsuspecting office building, flanked by physical therapist and dentist offices, So Much Yarn is a very nice space.  The service is friendly, offers insight and creative suggestions (which I appreciated) and has a nice mixture of show pieces, a classroom area in the center of the shop, and certainly, plenty of lovely yarns.

There were a variety of colors and fibers to choose from and I settled on 4 skeins (2 different colorways) of Trabajos del Peru by Plymouth.  Upon purchasing, the store clerk (a guy!) and I chatted about Stephanie Pearl-McPhee’s one row scarf and I purchased the yarn with the intent of using it with this pattern.  Only a few blocks from Pike Place Market, So Much Yarn is a great place to stop for the much needed skein or find a place to learn and commune with other fiber artists.

Rushin’ Tailor’s QuiltAlaska – Skagway, AK

Although primarily a quilting store with beautiful fabrics and patterns, Rushin’ Tailor’s also had a small but eclectic section of incredible yarns, many of them produced in Alaska.  I ended up purchasing some hand-dyed New Zealand wool from Anchorage in two different colorways that were vivid, bold, and will, I’m sure, make striking projects as well.  I had a nice chat with the store clerk and she asked me if I was with the Knitting Cruise that was in town.  I replied, “No, although I have been knitting on my cruise, I’m not on a knitting cruise!”  I thought it was interesting, though not surprising, that a ship could be filled with knitters (or at least a portion of the ship).  Much like my trip to Halifax, Nova Scotia, last year, I was glad that I was able to find fibers that were locally produced and I could contribute, in some form, to the local economy.

What impressed me in both stores, as well as in Seattle and throughout Alaska, was the general state of kindness residents live in.  The pace is slower and, particularly in Alaska, the lifestyle is a hearty one to be sure, but the people are warm and generous and willing to help.

Whether you find yourself in Seattle or Skagway, you are sure to find friendly people and fantastic fibers!

Do men and women knit differently?

11 Sep

I was reflecting on some of my early days as a knitter and some of the groups or knit nights I would attend.  I remember going to these groups, or to classes, and making some observations about how me and the other guy in the group were approaching our craft versus how the women in the group were approaching it.

Before I share my observations, I do want to make it clear that these are based on my personal perspective and what I saw play out in the groups and classes I’ve attended.  I am also using more general language so as not to imply that “all men” or “all women” take a particular approach.

Men tend toward focusing on the task at hand.  Women tend toward focusing on relating to each other, while enjoying the act of knitting.

At knit nights, I typically find a chair, often in the corner or on the edge of the action (being an introvert by nature, I often prefer to avoid sitting near the center of attention).  I remember my general focus in these groups to be on my knitting project.  After all, it is Knit Night.  We are there to knit, aren’t we?

I would also find great entertainment in the dialogue that would emerge in the room as, primarily the women, would share insights into their days, their families and their lives.  They spoke of milestones – births, deaths, anniversaries – and of trials – illness, broken relationships, and even violence.  I was impressed with their candor and there was this sense, to me, that what happened at knit night stayed at knit night.

Now, as the knitting began and the conversation ramped up, I would also notice periodic exclamations such as, “Damn, I lost my place!”  ”I knit an entire row of 330 stitches I should have purled!”  ”I hate lace – is that new sock yarn you’re using?” and I wondered if the focus of relating to others served not only to build relationships, but to create distractions to one’s craft.  Even at times I found myself caught up and captivated as a participant in the dialogue, only to realize I, too, had fallen off-pattern.

I don’t know that there is a “right way,” as I believe we each have our own way that works for us.  What I do know is that, for me, I inherently focus on the project and conversation is simply the icing on the Knit Night experience’s cake.

Men tend toward a “project management” approach to completing the project.  Women yield beautiful things (but also experience frustration of being distracted, going off pattern, and spending time fixing more mistakes).

In some of my earlier projects where I knew just enough to be dangerous but not enough to really know what I was doing (and to avoid some of the common pitfalls of which most other knitters were aware), I would lose my place, forget to count a row and throw the pattern off, among other knitterly indiscretions.  Then I got smart – or obsessive compulsive.  You decide.

I’m now at a point where I take patterns and re-type them in the form of a checklist that I can physically check off each row that I complete to make sure that I know exactly where I am in the pattern beyond a reasonable doubt, and I minimize any possible chance of overlooking a pattern element or simply losing my place.  Does it still happen?  Absolutely.  But it does occur with much less frequency than it would if I weren’t using such stringent project management processes.

I am always amazed, in contrast, to the women who I’ve encountered at knit nights – they are caught up in the conversation, contribute fully and wholeheartedly to the animated dialogue – and they still yield lace shawls, complex sock patterns among many other beautiful finished objects!  Now, as mentioned earlier in this post, I do hear more acknowledgements and exclamations of errors that require fixing, but at some point, it appears effortless – that a meaty conversation can be held at the same time that a complex 40 row pattern is being flawlessly executed.  That is a gift I’m confident I did not receive.

Men appear to learn in a more structured, linear path.  Women appear to learn in a more circuitous, non-linear way.

I am a linear thinker.  I don’t know if that’s a “man thing” or just the way Brian was made.  Especially when I am learning something, I think in process terms – what is step 1?  Step 2?  Step 3?  I found in the classes that I have attended in the past, I become very task-focused (after all, I am there to learn), and prefer to go step by step on the technique which I am learning.

In my experience however, the women I have encountered are able to somehow acquire a new skill in pieces, ebbing and flowing from “This is how you do a Make-One leaning to the right” to “My son is graduating on Thursday and his girlfriend just told him she’s pregnant,”  right back to, “Don’t you love this cashmere?” Meanwhile, BrianKnits is still trying to practice the Make-One Right from five minutes ago.

In all of these circumstances the bottom line, for me, is that we have to experiment to find the outlets, communities and places that allow us to explore our fiber arts in a way that is pleasing and enjoyable to us. And as long the output is what you want it to be, the process by which you get there really doesn’t matter.  It’s more important to have fun and enjoy the act of creating, of knitting or crocheting, and to have a love affair with yarn.

What do you think about these observations?  Have you seen similar situations?  Are these off-base and have you had experiences that demonstrate the contrary?  Please share your thoughts – I’d love to hear from you!

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