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Greetings....

This blog is about something that is very popular anymore; knitting. It's also about being a mommy, charity, life, patterns, pets and other things I haven't even thought of yet. You will notice something, though. All of it, no matter what, always seems to come back to knitting, at least for me.

My name is Rachel. I am married (W.A. 10-26-10) and I have a daughter born 9-5-11. We have two cats, Shani and Katy, and we are making our home in an apartment at the moment.

I taught myself to knit over a span of years and even after I got the basic idea, I didn't really enjoy it. I can't tell you exactly when I started enjoying it, except it had to do with finding a pair of number eight needles and a wee patten for a Barbie doll hood. It was only in the last few years that I became passable and--dare I say??--*good* at knitting. My patience is increasing, so much so that I have something on the needles right now that I never would have considered making even two years ago. (The item is an Elizabeth Zimmermann Tomten Jacket, but that is a whole other post.)

I wanted to knit for one very simple (at least to a nine year old) reason: Laura did. Now, "Laura" is none other than the esteemed Laura Ingalls Wilder, my childhood hero and someone I still admire today. I wanted to learn to knit so I could knit socks and mittens just as she, her sisters and her mother did in the books...

I only made my first pair of socks (not even proper socks, mind you, but tube socks) this last fall. Alas, I don't think I am really a sock knitter, but there was a time when I would not have thought myself a Tomten knitter either, but here I am, about half done with it. So, maybe someday I will be knitting throwing that tiny sock yarn with the best of them.

Most of my knitting (and crocheting, I am in fact bistitchual) is for charity, and what isn't for charity is for my daughter or my husband. I never make things for myself. I am not saying it is bad to make things for oneself, I just never do it. Oh, I start sometimes, but the item always gets forgotten about, till one day I come along and frog it, or at least steal the needles for a project I want to make for someone else.

My favorite recipients for charity work is the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. They need everything, so I enjoy perfect crafting freedom, limited only by personal notions. I make hats and baby mitts and anything else that catches my eye. Hats are my favorite project. The Rez is also the intended destination for the Tomten Jacket.

Now that you have learned a few things about me, I shall close this, lest you become bored too soon (I'm hoping to hold off on that until the second or third post. (-:) Talk to you soon.

Comments

  1. Good first post. Good luck with your Tomtom jacket. I'm sure that some child will be much warmer for your efforts. I understand not making much for yourself - I too prefer to knit for charity. It always fits that way! LOL.

    Hugs and happy stitching,

    Kae - Kae1Crafts on Ravelry

    ReplyDelete
  2. Glad to have found this blog. Looking forward to reading more posts!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great first post! It seems to be the same for me. I very, very rarely make anything for myself. About 95 percent goes to charity and the rest to family or friends. I enjoyed your blog and hope to read more.

    Blessings,

    Betsy
    Http://Betsy-thesimplelifeofaqueen.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete

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