Last year around this time my addiction was the Nook. I would download two or three new titles each day and read through them faster than Grant marching through Richmond.
I managed to download upwards of 100 before the need to read was satiated and it began to fade like yesterday’s news. That was when I went on a search for a new pastime to keep me occupied.
While searching Youtube, I discovered the ubiquitous knitting-crochet tutorials.
Let me tell you, they are amazing. I ended up subscribing to Very Pink Knits, Crochet Geek, Yolanda Soto Lopez, the Crochet Zombie, and Knittingtipsbyjudy. The tutorials provided great instructions on many, many patterns, and each video helped me to maneuver through the various abbreviations and how-to follow charts. Through all my years of needle crafting, I was never able to properly follow the instructions. In fact, for me, reading and following the pattern was harder than actually doing the project, which, of course, resulted in a plethora of unfinished sweaters languishing in my knittng basket. For me, these tutorials have been a real knit savior.
It is like having your own private teacher at your disposal without ever leaving your comfy chair.
As a result of this new addiction, my home is running over with hats of all persuasions, ribbed beanies (knitted and crocheted), cabled beanies, and crochet slouch hats. I didn’t want the hats to be lonely so I made loads and loads of scarves, and then I attempted the mittens and gloves. At this count I have about five pairs, all without fingers. I’ve gotten to the part where I need to use double pointed needles and I just can’t steel myself to brave through the knit one purl one, slip-slip-knit to finish them off.
I then switched to non-clothing items and promptly embraced the miracle pot holder pattern phase, followed by the knitted dish-cloth phase, followed by the shaker-coaster phase.
Thankfully, I may add, the pot holder-dish, cloth-shaker-coaster phase is on the wan. However, now I’ve developed a fondness for crochet table-top protectors. To date, the cupboards bulge with dainty doilies sporting picot edges in contrasting colors.
Not for Nuthin ™ my wish for the new year is that with the help of all these tutorial subscriptions I will be able to conquer my fear of double-pointed needles and finish all those gloves, or at least before this fad fades and I’m left with draws full of fingerless mittens and half-knitted sweaters.
May you all find happiness, enjoy good health, be successful in all endeavors and of course keep reading Not for Nuthin. Happy New Year everyone!
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