One Hundred More...

Mine is all knitting-related. Well, mostly. Never say that I'm not (somewhat) original.

1. I learned to knit from my grandmother when I was 6. My grandmother's nickname was "Beaner". The name suited her.

2. Sometimes, early in the morning, when I go into the bathroom and look in the mirror, I see "Beaner" staring back at me. It's terrifying.

3. I learned to knit with pink acrylic yarn on blue metal needles. I can still see them in my mind.

4. The needles were size US 6.

5. I still think that's the optimal needle size for beginners. Not too big, not too small. (The power of inertia/tradition/habit/suggestion never fails me.)

6. I re-learned to knit when I was 20, over Christmas break. I checked June Hiatt's Principles of Knitting out of the library and read it cover to cover. It's still my bible. (Thankfully, I bought it in 1992, before it cost $250!)

7. The first thing I made was a cabled scarf.

8. The second thing I made was a lace scarf.

9. The third thing I made was a sweater.

10. Almost 15 years later, I still have all three.

11. I still wear the cabled scarf.

12. I have not knit a scarf since. How many scarves does one person need?

13. This "scarf rule" does not apply to hats. I have knit many hats.

14. I may knit myself some scarves this year, too. (Perhaps the scarf rule no longer applies to scarves, either.)

15. The first sweater I made was a mess - short and mis-shapen.

16. The second sweater I made was Alice Starmore's Kilronan. (I have a steep learning curve.)

17. Kilronan is still one of my favorites.

18. For a long time Alice Starmore was one of my favorites.

19. I still admire her work, but I like my Arans and Fair Isles less boxy. (I know, blasphemy!)

20. Rowan was my second great love.

21. I have back issues to Rowan 20, but I'm missing 21.

22. I covet Rowan 17.

23. If you can get me Rowan 17, I'll give you my first born.

24. Cables are my thing.

25. Intarsia is not my thing, but China Clouds* is an exception.

26. If you can find me a complete China Clouds kit, I'll give you my first born.

27. Unless someone has previously come up with Rowan 17.

28. My favorite knitting mag is Interweave Knits.

29. When IK arrives, I read it cover to cover.

30. Meaning I read the patterns in full.

31. The way other people read novels.

32. Teva Durham and Veronik Avery are my idols.

33. Norah Gaughan, too.

34. You know I wouldn't forget Annie.

35. The first thing I ever designed was Moxie's Aran "Wedding" Sweater.

36. It wasn't refered to that way at the time.

37. The design had been in my head for a long while, I was just waiting for the man. (I was 26, what do you want?!)

38. It took me four months to finish.

39. I knit most of the Wedding Sweater on the 147 Express in Chicago.

40. I've been KIP since before it was fashionable.

41. I don't think of myself as hip or feminist for doing so. I actually suspect that I'm kind of a dork. I'm pretty sure others recognize this, too, no matter what Debbie Stoller says.

42. The second thing that I designed was a mini-dress.

43. Somewhere, in my myriad cross-country moves, I managed to lose the mini-dress.

44. I've lost or gifted most of the things I knit prior to this year.

45. I have resolved to institute a long-term knit retention plan.

46. Or to at least take pictures.

47. I have no formal system for storing my patterns or ideas. If I want to re-create something original that I knit, I have to reconstruct it from scraps of paper, often housed in various book jackets.

48. Frequently I have to get out the original piece and reverse-engineer it.

49. If I can find it.

50. Nine times out of ten I can reverse-engineer something that I see knit. This is very useful for someone who fails to keep or write down patterns. It doesn't help you get published.

51. The blog is helping me improve that state of affairs. (The lack of organization thing.)

52. My "favorite" needles have evolved over the years.

53. First it was Susan Bates' Quicksilvers.

54. Then it was Swallow Caseins.

55. Now I'm pretty sure My Addis are my favs, with the Swallows (in tortoiseshell - that's the best part) as a super close second.

56. If Swallow made circs with a smooth join I'm not sure what I'd knit with.

57. I also like Bryspun's plasticy needles, particularly in DPNs. I always recommend these for beginners. Cheap, not too slippery, not to sticky.

58. I have a lot of needles.

59. Despite a total lack of organization on the pattern front, I have meticulously organized my yarn and needles.

60. I have excel spreadsheets for yarn and needles, and have inventories printed out with different sort categories - guage, fiber content, needle manufacturer, etc. Go figure.

61. I have an acute spatial and mathematical mind, so I can "see" designs pretty easily.

62. Despite this, I am guaranteed to make at least 2 mathematical or spatial errors in almost anything I create. This is why I never design something without knitting it.

63. I am not as creative as I would like to be. I'm more of an architect. My buildings (or sweaters) will stand up, but they won't be the most cutting edge works around.

64. I wish I had an ounce of the creative talent that Kate and Marnie have.

65. I wish I could make a living designing, but I know that I don't have the discipline. (Or the independent wealth!) I'm at peace with that.

66. I prefer natural fiber yarns, in smooth textures and solid or heathered colors.

67. I sometimes stray into the realm of "acrylic" and "polyester".

68. I usually have to cleanse myself afterward, but it doesn't keep me from going back.

69. Alpaca is my favorite yarn.

70. Merino is a close second.

71. I've grown to like cotton a lot over time, but it wasn't a natural coupling.

72. I'm fascinated with Fair Isle, but only like its looks in small doses or accessories.

73. Cables belong everywhere.

74. I knit in the English fashion. This bothers me a little, as I think Continental is cooler. But then I've always wanted to be a lefty, too. Again, go figure.

75. I knit slowly. I staunchly believe that certain things should be done slowly. I'm a slow walker, too.

76. I used to be an "old school" knitter. (If you can't tell.) Only complex patterns that you could really sink your teeth into. (Kilronan, China Clouds...)

77. Now I'll knit anything.

78. I had my most fun knitting experience ever making a cup from Annie Modesitt's Tea Set pattern. (Though Kilronan still wins the prize for piece that I was most astounded by. You'll notice I've managed not to lose it.)

79. I consider myself a "process" knitter, and will often make things just to try out a new technique.

80. I love unique constructions for sweaters. That's one of the reasons I think IK is so fabulous.

81. I have no aversion to purling, seaming, or ripping. I like to play.

82. I usually knit on circs, even when knitting flat pieces. (The Addi thing.)

83. Lately I've become addicted to knitting tiny pieces on tiny needles. Sculptural knitting is very fun. (The Annie Modesitt Tea Set thing.)

84. I think knitting should be inclusive.

85. I don't know how to spin.

86. I want to know how to spin.

87. In my later years, after I have burried Moxie, I plan to raise Alpaca in the Andes. (I will also swim naked in a clear cool lake every morning and take lots of young lovers. Yes, folks, it's a pipe dream, but a nice one nonetheless.)

88. I have never been to a fiber festival.

89. Knitting is listed on my resume as an interest.

90. I always get asked about it.

91. Moxie tolerates my knitting. Except when it's for him.

92. He considers blogging to be "knitting", too. I, on the other hand consider knitting, teaching knitting, blogging, and reading about knitting to be distinct activities, which all need specific time allotments during the week. We sometimes argue about this.

93. Oh, yeah. I teach knitting. But I think you knew that.

94. I keep my *real* life and my blog life seperate. Rarely the twain shall meet, but I have made exceptions.

95. I knit solo for the most part prior to finding the Knit Cafe last year. Now I miss my "community".

96. Well, solo except for Townie, my orange boy cat.

97. Townie likes to lay on my lap while I knit. I often entince him into mommy love by coyly displaying yarn in the lap vicinity.

98. Townie never touches the yarn. He just curls up close. Very close.

99. I often get up early in the morning to knit or blog. Not normal early, frighteningly early.

100. My blog is named after my favorite Wallace Stevens poem. I am The Snowman. Koo koo ka choo.

*from Rowan 28, designed by Kaffe Fassett.

Posted by Julia at December 4, 2004 10:47 PM
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