Girl Who Knits - dollar_and_a_half_cardigan

Endings and Beginnings

noreply@blogspirit.com (Erin) — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 23:22:34 -0600

You all have heard me talk about my sisters. My girls. One I knit with, the other I have knit for. We like to sing Karaoke Revolution and eat REALLY large bowls of Baskin Robbins ice cream (Peanut Butter-and-Chocolate and Gold Medal Ribbon to be exact.) I love my sisters.

Last weekend, little Bri got engaged. To a boy named Adam (note to self: must find out if Adam is okay with me writing his name and talking about him on my blog. Update: not only is he cool with it, I even got permission to post a picture. Point for Adam.) I am thrilled about this news. I like this Adam since I think he knows how lucky he is to have my sister love him. Bri is happy in that good wholesome way which makes me feel right about things.

Cute Bri and Adam

I have been asked a lot how I am feeling and if I am okay with the news. Well, we are not living in Jane Austen times. I am okay with the younger sister getting married before her elders. Bri is no Lydia Bennet either. She is smart and knows who she is. She has a career she loves and a great perspective on life. She is ready. I think the only thing I will have a hard time with is that this event changes everything. It an ending. She is no longer only my Bri she is also some guy Adam's Bri. I have to share and I am not sure how I feel about that.

On the other hand, I am gaining another brother right? Maybe he will let me knit him a hat or something--that could be fun. So it is also a beginning.

Much like life, knitting also has it's beginnings and endings. (Nice segue right?) Soon to be ended is my Phildar Zip Cardigan as the zipper arrived in the mail Friday! As soon as Ann can get her sewing machine over here I will have a FO. I am so excited to show you this sweater--I think it is going to be one of my favorites.

As for beginnings...my knit picks needles arrived today too so work on the Dollar and a Half Cardigan can finally begin.

And of course, I mustn't forget Blithe. See what has begun...

(fyi-color less baby blue in real life--is is more like a nice deep gray blue)

One thing knitting has taught me...new beginnings can be a very good thing.

A Love Story

noreply@blogspirit.com (Erin) — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 17:35:00 -0600

About two months after I taught myself to knit, I casually mentioned to my sister Kara that she should knit a scarf. She agreed but then later when I was teaching her she asked if I was sure I was okay with her learning to knit seeing how it was "my new thing" and she didn't want me to think she was stealing my thunder. I assured her I didn't mind at all and so we continued with the lessons.

Kara was a quick learner and soon she was past the scarf phase and interested in knitting more complicated patterns. I was actually really pleased that like me, she wanted to keep knitting. It was the oddest thing actually, we didn't just learn how to knit--we felt this unexpected draw toward it. It was strange to realize we both REALLY liked knitting. You know what I mean right? When it becomes more than just knitting a scarf or beanie every year. When you start looking at yarn like it is art. When you think about it all the time, make lists of your upcoming projects, and start calling a yarn store your LYS.

At the time we started we weren't roommates but would get together to watch shows and knit. I remember turning to her and saying "I really love this." She would turn back to me and say "I do too." It made me happy because she got it. We got each other you know? We both loved knitting.

Kara and I have knit several projects together. In fact, our first sweater project was the ill fated and totally wrong for our body types Rebecca Wrap Cardigan. Next up was Nancy Bush's Norwegian Stockings which fared much better. It has been a while since Kara and I have done a knit-a-long together and frankly, we missed it. So when we both fell in love with the Dollar and a Half Cardigan from the new Spring 07 Interweave, we knew we had found our project.

Last weekend we bought Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in Truffle (for me) and Willow Leaf (for Kara.) Eager beaver that I am, I knit a swatch last night and blocked it and everything. I think this is going to be fun.

Erin: "Do you think this will all go away and one day we won't care about knitting anymore?"

Kara: (after some thought and a brief pause) "I really hope not."

Me too Kara. Me too.