In the 17th week of pregnancy with my second son I had to have emergency abdominal surgery, and during my recovery I needed something to keep my mind and hands busy. I finished a crocheting project I had set aside a decade earlier, and that got me interested in specialty yarn; I crocheted many soft, squishy hats. Then I figured with all of the time on my hands I'd be brave and try the craft I'd been thinking about for years, knitting! A friend gave me a tutorial in English, but my crocheting background made it difficult for me to get the hang of holding the yarn in my right hand. I was so excited when I stumbled upon a video of someone demonstrating Continental! I loved it! I bought myself a cone of Lily Sugar'n Cream ecru cotton yarn and started making dish cloths! My favorite one was the simple moss stitch pattern, and I still have a mental note to make a sweater with that stitch pattern someday.
The first hat for my second boy
Next I tried knitting a simple little hat in Cascade Fixation. It was just a tube with a sewn top, but knitting with a stretchy cotton-elastic blend was quite different from the definitely not stretchy cotton I had gotten used to. It turned out so cute though, and I got lots of compliments from my labor and delivery nurses.
Then I jumped into deep water and started a sweater.
Pullover modified to cardigan
Cute garter stitch sleeve panel
Baby sweater: modified Flax
Now, this was all new to me: following a pattern, knitting abbreviations, decreasing and increasing, using double pointed needles. Ah! I felt quite overwhelmed at times, but then I'd remind myself that knitting is supposed to be fun and the finished project was for my new baby who had gone through surgery and recovery with me. It was well worth it, and I do love a good puzzle. I had found an amazing site, Tin Can Knits, where there are amazing tutorials and beautiful patters, even free ones! I modified their free Flax pullover into a cardigan. What a joy to see that little sweater take shape! Isn't it interesting how sometimes you have to be taken way out of your comfort zone to grow and find a new favorite thing? In that fall of 2013, I found my new favorite craft!
Zech 4:10