A little over a year ago, I decided that I was going to teach myself to knit. I wanted to be able to make something that I, or others, could use and enjoy. I’m not very creative in making my own designs, so the fact that there are a ton of patterns already available really helped.
I began by looking at YouTube to figure out where to even start. Then, I went to Michael’s to buy a skein of very basic yarn and a set of needles that seemed like a popular size (size 8). I used Studio Knit to learn the basic stitches. I made a lot of mistakes at first, but I got better as I kept at it!
The first project I made was a baby blanket for one of my teacher’s children. This helped me feel like I was actually succeeding at this new skill. I then made some washcloths and did well enough at creating some basic ones, so I decided to start trying some more complicated stitches. I made a bunch of washcloths for the women in my life last Mother’s Day.
Washcloths I made for my Grandma
Last summer, I made my baby nephew a blanket and cocoon.
I really love making things for other people, but I finally decided to make some things for myself: a shawl, some scarves, and a couple of hats.
A shawl I made for myself
It’s an amazing feeling to be able to tell somebody that you made something for them instead of buying a gift. If you want to learn a new skill, I say go for it! Learn something that makes you feel good and proud when you use it.