Crochet All Day: In Praise of Serendipity

"I'm not slow. I just savor every stitch"

Twitchysticks!

In Praise of Serendipity

July 11, 2008

Offspring had an interview for an on campus job Thursday. Seeing as there is a yarn store in Tuscaloosa, I was more than willing to be her traveling companion. Offspring hates going with me to look at yarn, but she really didn't want to go by herself, so she was willing to go to with me.

Serendipity Needleworks was near the campus (I took many pics, but none of the store...Je suis une idiote.). I think I cried a little when I walked in. All that yarn that I could actually fondle. All neatly arranged by color, weight, brand. Soothing music played softly in the background. I had arrived with my pattern in tow so I could get help picking yarn. I regret that I did not get the name of the lady who helped me, but she was wonderfully patient with a yarn ignoramus like me. I finally picked some Rowan Kidsilk Spray.

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Do I need to tell you how badly this picture represents the real thing?

As I checked out, one of the other customers pointed out some Lorna's Laces sock yarn. It was custom dyed for the store:
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Roll Tide!!

While we chatted about Montgomery and its lack of LYS, Serendipity's Sit n' Knit and classes offered (that many students attend), Offspring patiently waited.
As we walked back to the car, Offspring said "I really liked that store. Will you need to go back before we leave?"
I thought for a minute and said, "Yes, I probably should have gone ahead and gotten needles for the project."
"Ok, she said. We'll stop by before we head home."

At this point, I'm getting a little excited. Offspring is volunteering to go to a knit store with me? She has spent a lifetime fighting the craft bug. About three years ago I was really hopeful when she made a couple of crochet scarves, but it never "took." I held my tongue for the rest of the day. We had lunch at Tut's Pizza (and didn't have pizza) and met the Stray. He was there for freshman orientation and the Percussion mini-band camp (He wants to be on the drumline of the Million Dollar Band.)

Pensive Couple

We've learned not to question why he wears the beanie when it's a million degrees outside.

As we drove back to Serendipity, Offspring drops a bomb.

"I want to learn to knit."

I really had to keep myself from dancing a jig (as much as one can in the passenger seat of a KIA Sorento.)

The owner knew just the thing: Lorna's Laces Shepherd worsted (Crimson Pride colorway, of course) and Addi Bamboo straights (size 8 ??MM.) Only the best, right? Learning to knit is tough enough without adding acrylic and aluminum to the mix. (And I mean this in no snobby way, since the majority of my stash is acrylic.) She was so eager to learn that she didn't even want to pull over and wait out a rain storm.

Rain

"We're too close to home!"

When we got home, I cast on some stitches for her, did the first row and got her started on the knit stitch...with a little help from Debbie Stoller:

"In the front door, put on your scarf, then take it outside...before the cat barfs."

We seem to be creating our own terminology, too. The garter stitch bump is now referred to as the doorstep and the loose first stitch of each row is now the slutty neighbor. Yes, we sound weird as we sit at the dining room table discussing knitting.

Of course, I'm her mom, but I think she's a natural.

Learning to Knit

Last night's progress (my stubby fingers):

One day me take pretty pictures

She is very hard on herself (I have no idea where she gets it.) I keep trying to tell her she will improve with practice. She has gotten over one big hurdle: managing two needles and some yarn.

And she manages them rather gracefully if I do say so myself. She has this lovely little "pluck" that she does before pulling the loop (scarf) through. I even caught her knitting and talking on the phone (phone propped between head and shoulder) simultaneously today.

I am very hopeful this will stick. There are some positive signs: