Kick'n Some Knitt'n Butt

One of the Knitters of The Mile came by last night. She is fairly new to knitting but has an enthusiasm that I admire. She wants to knit a hat, and she knows how to knit and purl, so she picked a pattern that she liked entirely based on the fact that she really liked it. She asked me to look at with her and clarify anything she might not understand.

I almost fell off my chair! She had picked a pattern that was two-colors (very funky skull and cross bones repeated - I agree it is a cool pattern!), includes a provisional cast-on, and uses size 1US/2.5mm needles. You gotta give the woman some credit for ambition!

While inside my head, I was saying "what???", I didn't want to discourage her. So we went over a provisional cast-on and walked through the pattern and, you know, I think she will be able to do it.

I had a flashback to when Patti and I started a knitting group back in the day in Sunnyside. At first, nearly everyone needed lessons to get started but soon enough people were up and running. Except that most didn't actually run, they walked. Slowly. Patti and I would ask if they wanted to learn how to increase/decrease so they could make something other than a square or rectangle, but no, they were happy. And they were happy! It drove me nuts in a silent sort of a way. "C'mon people! Don't you want to...you know...knit a mile or something????" Nope, no, they were happy chugging along on their novelty yarn scarves.

I suppose my admiration should go to those who find contentment in their 10th novelty yarn scarf - especially at this juncture (Vanna, I love you!) - but my understanding is with the two-colour, provisional cast-on, size 1 needles, first pattern ever knitter.

Sometimes you just have to go for it!