Author: BeverlyArmyWilliams

It’s a rainy late summer day in New England.  Maddie, recently aware of her twin and also somewhat naughty when I left the house for an hour (shhh…we put the stuffing back in the sofa.  Don’t tell Neal.), is draped over my legs.  All is right in my world.

I realized I have the yarn already for my Dream Sweater.  There’s this pile of Manos in my stash that was first destined to be a cape.  Then it was carried along in the Stripes are Stars v-neck that’s now in the frog pond.  I added up yardage, and I only needed two more skeins.  A perfect yarn, nearly enough yardage, and my LYS had the same color.  I can handle different dye lots.  I’ll alternate rows.

I’ll do a gauge swatch tonight (yes, Lauren, I’m going to make a swatch for a change!).  Does anyone think there is a chance in Hades that the world’s slowest knitter, if she applies herself, could wear an actual sweater (collective gasp) to Rhinebeck?

While you ponder that question, I’m going to think about Lolly’s post today about the article in Publishers Weekly.  My understanding is that the article asks the question "is knitting a trend that is going to go away?"  and "What is the future for knitting books?"

I think that one of the reasons knitting (along with the related crafts such as spinning, crochet, needle felting…well, you know what they are) has become so popular is its appeal to a varied demographic.  Age, income, educational background don’t matter too much when you knit.  I’ve taught a five-year old to knit, as well as women in their 40s, and I was taught by women who were grandmothers.  I learn from women of all ages, still.  Get this, too:  my neice, at 8, showed her mother how to cast off when she (her mother) wasn’t sure she knew how. 

There are yarns and needles in all sorts of price ranges, too.  When I’m broke, I can pick up a skein of Sugar and Cream and knit up a few bibs.  When I’m flush, well.  There’s that cashmere from Rome that I’m still glad I paid too much for! 

As far as education?  As Dave once wrote to me, our anscestors knit stuff and didn’t have patterns.  You don’t need two graduate degrees to knit, although I will say that I’ve enjoyed the pleasure of some pretty smart and wise women while knitting.

Which brings me to the heart of it.  Before I saw Scout’s sign for the Albuquerque SnB at Village Wools, I knit alone.  Often, back when I first learned and was married to a musician, I would knit in clubs and coffeehouses, but I was the only knitter.  As a writer, I spend enough time in isolation to make me crave good company, and upon moving to NM, I was eager to make some friends outside of the University.

So I went.  I knit.  And for the first time in my life, I had a different relationship with women.  I don’t know if I can do it justice.  I mean, sure, there are the friendships I’ve made throughout life that endure and are precious to me.  But I don’t always get to see those friends often enough.  Each week, our group of women met, laughed, shared stories, taught each other new techniques.  They made me feel like I was supported, part of a sisterhood.

I think that’s why knitting will endure.  I think that’s why there are so many knitting blogs.  We humans crave community.  There are lots of places to find it, but through knitting, not only can we express creativity, challenge ourselves (or not), do good, spread love, but we also just plain have fun.  There’s a lot of dark bad things in the world.  Knitting comforts me.  Making stuff comforts me, and always has.  Making stuff with other people keeps me hopeful and optimistic.

So what is the future of our craft?  I’m amazed at the improvements I’ve made in my knitting in just one year.  If Scout and Carole hadn’t insisted that I learn English knitting in order to have a chance at avoiding 0000’s for sock knitting, I don’t think I’d have the same pleasure in the things I’ve been creating.  No matter how skilled a knitter is, there is always more to learn, which makes me suspect knitting will be around for a good long while.

Lolly mentions Handknit Holidays.  It’s a beautiful book, and one of my favorite things about it is that I can select projects that are at my skill level, or I can challenge myself with something more complicated.  I hope the more knitting books do the same.  I like very much, too, Knitting Rules for its knitting "recipes", which allow me a strong base for any desire I have to experiment in my knitting or to explore design.  That’s what I’d like more of in knitting books–options.  Show me an item, then show me how to customize it.  I’ll buy that book in a second. 

What do you think about these questions?  Visit Lolly, read the article, join the conversation.  It’s a fascinating one.