Normality Achieved

Ah, I'm home. Thanks for putting up with my Mac-centric posting the last few days. We had a fine time in the city and I'm definitely tired. I could regale you with many short stories of the events of the last two days that have nothing to do with tatting or craft at all, but luckily I do have one crafty story from my trip to share.

We spent Monday doing a little tourist shopping at Pier 39. After shopping for a bit in the nearly deserted due to rain area, we stopped in at the Hard Rock Cafe for lunch. As soon as we were seated my Mother-in-law busted out with her knitting. She is always working on dishcloths wherever she goes on a set of circular needles she can easily tuck away. When our server came back and saw the knitting, she had to ask a few questions. You see, she had received a 'learn to knit' kit for Christmas and had quickly become addicted. It was funny to hear the learning stories and we answered a few questions about making things like hats and leg warmers. I guess you never know when or where you will run into a new knitter these days.

The event got me thinking about my early knitting stories. I can't honestly remember how young I was when I first learned to knit, but it was in high school that I went from fiber curious to addict. I had a set of circular needles and I was going to make a blanket. I scrounged the house looking for every scrap of acrylic yarn I could find left over from Girl Scout crafts or my mothers crochet. I don't know how many stitches I casted on and it was quite some time before I realized exactly how wide this disaster of a striped blanket would be. It became a huge king sized blanket striped in clashing colors. I worked on it so long that I wore out almost all the color on one side of the needles. I still have the thing complete with sloppy repairs of dog made holes. Even more amusing is that I had initially taught myself the pearl stitch wrong and the entire thing is made with a twisted stockinette stitch. I haven't knitted in a while having shifted to tatting a few years ago, but it is still dear in my heart and a house full of scarves, blankets, teddy bears, hats and even a few sweaters and tank tops speaks to a hidden addiction.

I did also finish my tatted throat corset that I spoke of before I left. I decided to try tatting in the car on the way up and back and apparently that was just enough time to get most of the piece done. I came home to a couple of mask orders so it's on to them next. I guess we are really back normality now.