Canada Day Fireworks
Acton, ON
2008
Friday, September 18, 2009
Saturday, September 12, 2009
What knitty has meant to me
Indigirl had a great post about how knitty changed her life and she asked others to post as well. I thought I would try to change the mood here at I'm Not Bad... and get things back on a positive upswing. What better way than to talk about knitty?
I was introduced to the concept of knitting in a “middleman” sorta way. Living in San Francisco, I had a friend who wanted to learn how to knit and I had a friend who knew how, so I set up the first meeting at my apartment in November of 2003. I didn't get it at first and I kind of struggled with it. I put it aside for a bit and then I took a few classes that opened my eyes. From there I spent a lot time on the internet. Let's face it, knitting is expensive. I'm sure if we look at our collective stashes and add up the cost we might have been able to take an expensive trip or even have a down payment for something expensive... instead with have yarn! Beautifulbeautifulyummyscrummydroolpant yarn! (But I'm getting ahead of myself.) At that early moment in my knitting life I wasn't ready to make the commitment of yarn and books and needles and books and accessories and yarn and books. But I had the internet. And with that I had knitty. I would spend hours clickityclicking through the patterns, ogling yarn sites making future plans of what I would knit when I got the courage and/or skill level.
The end of 2005 Paul and I moved to Toronto. We knew no one. Not one person. We had no jobs. And it was October. But I knew how to knit... sort of. Within the first month of being in town I had found a knit night that was close to the apartment. There were many knitters there of different backgrounds and skill level and many of the discussions always came back to knitty. Lively discussions about the latest issue's patterns or what knitty patterns were currently on/about to be on/or just off the needles. The Clapotis was one of the most popular patterns in the group. I want to say everyone made one! (But I'm sure that's my memory being clouded.)
Maybe it was just me who was knitting the Clap?
2006 turned into my fearless year. I found too many new knitters saying things like "I can't...," "It's too hard...," I'm not skilled enough..." I wish I could..." I decided that those words words had come out of my mouth long enough and I thought that the worse thing that could happen would be that I would need to rip whatever I was working on out. And to me that seemed a lot more fulfilling then not trying something because I thought I couldn't. Maybe I felt that way because of all the support from all the knitters with their different backgrounds and skill level. It didn't hurt being in Toronto as knitters were every where! And that is the year that I fearlessly met Amy Singer. Well, more like I went up to her and awkwardly introduced myself and told her how knitty was important to me in some mumbling gibberish. And she didn't run away (bless her soul!). I might of if I had been her. I know I can be kind of weird and loud and awkward. And then something awesome happened. I'm not sure how, but I ended up convincing Amy that I could help her with the "More Big Girl Knits" photo shoot. Maybe she felt sorry for me? Anyway... the rest, as they say, is history.
See?! Amy and I are best of friends!!
Knitty created a connection to a community before I even realized I needed it. It was my inspiration and my ice breaker and continues to be so now that I'm back in San Francisco. My time in Toronto will always be held close to my heart along with the friends I made and the experiences I had.
Amy, I can't thank you enough for all your hard work. And as I've told you on several occasions, "You rawk!"
I was introduced to the concept of knitting in a “middleman” sorta way. Living in San Francisco, I had a friend who wanted to learn how to knit and I had a friend who knew how, so I set up the first meeting at my apartment in November of 2003. I didn't get it at first and I kind of struggled with it. I put it aside for a bit and then I took a few classes that opened my eyes. From there I spent a lot time on the internet. Let's face it, knitting is expensive. I'm sure if we look at our collective stashes and add up the cost we might have been able to take an expensive trip or even have a down payment for something expensive... instead with have yarn! Beautifulbeautifulyummyscrummydroolpant yarn! (But I'm getting ahead of myself.) At that early moment in my knitting life I wasn't ready to make the commitment of yarn and books and needles and books and accessories and yarn and books. But I had the internet. And with that I had knitty. I would spend hours clickityclicking through the patterns, ogling yarn sites making future plans of what I would knit when I got the courage and/or skill level.
The end of 2005 Paul and I moved to Toronto. We knew no one. Not one person. We had no jobs. And it was October. But I knew how to knit... sort of. Within the first month of being in town I had found a knit night that was close to the apartment. There were many knitters there of different backgrounds and skill level and many of the discussions always came back to knitty. Lively discussions about the latest issue's patterns or what knitty patterns were currently on/about to be on/or just off the needles. The Clapotis was one of the most popular patterns in the group. I want to say everyone made one! (But I'm sure that's my memory being clouded.)
Maybe it was just me who was knitting the Clap?
2006 turned into my fearless year. I found too many new knitters saying things like "I can't...," "It's too hard...," I'm not skilled enough..." I wish I could..." I decided that those words words had come out of my mouth long enough and I thought that the worse thing that could happen would be that I would need to rip whatever I was working on out. And to me that seemed a lot more fulfilling then not trying something because I thought I couldn't. Maybe I felt that way because of all the support from all the knitters with their different backgrounds and skill level. It didn't hurt being in Toronto as knitters were every where! And that is the year that I fearlessly met Amy Singer. Well, more like I went up to her and awkwardly introduced myself and told her how knitty was important to me in some mumbling gibberish. And she didn't run away (bless her soul!). I might of if I had been her. I know I can be kind of weird and loud and awkward. And then something awesome happened. I'm not sure how, but I ended up convincing Amy that I could help her with the "More Big Girl Knits" photo shoot. Maybe she felt sorry for me? Anyway... the rest, as they say, is history.
See?! Amy and I are best of friends!!
Knitty created a connection to a community before I even realized I needed it. It was my inspiration and my ice breaker and continues to be so now that I'm back in San Francisco. My time in Toronto will always be held close to my heart along with the friends I made and the experiences I had.
Amy, I can't thank you enough for all your hard work. And as I've told you on several occasions, "You rawk!"
Friday, September 11, 2009
R.I.P. Grandma
Doris Mary LaPoint
November 11, 1917 - June 17, 2009
Probably not the best way to drop back into blogging, announcing a death, but I feel I've been gone too long. And that reason for the absence, of course, was her death. She was the best grandma. I got her laugh from nurture and her nose from nature. She wasn't a baker or knitter or cook but she played a mean game of Scrabble. She always won. It wasn't because those playing against her let it happen, she was just that diabolical in her strategy. I don't win that often but I incorporate her strategies every time I play. She passed while I was in Toronto. It wasn't unexpected but it still hit me like a ton of bricks. I still cry when I think that I won't hear her voice again.
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