Maybe I can actually make something...

Since I have all this free time these days, I'm really trying to put it to good use...you know being productive and all. So far I've been cooking more and trying new recipes, which has been so much fun as well as incredibly delicious, but cooking can't be done all day every day. That would just kind of end up being a waste of food, right? So now I've decided that I need to get crafty with it. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I, Mallory, with craft and project ADD, have decided to take up knitting. And sewing. But knitting first, then on to sewing later, once I get a sewing machine. And this will not be like the other times I tried to get crafty, when things like school got in the way. No. I will start projects and I will finish them. No ifs, ands, or buts. And I mean it.

In order for me to take up the fine art of knitting, I needed some instruction. So, I turned to the closest, and one of the only knitting experts I know, Amelia. Friday we met up at a cafe in San Rafael, she gave me some spare yarn and a set of needles and taught me casting on, a basic knit stitch, and a purl stitch. It was slow going and a little frustrating for me, but I think I got the (very) basic hang of it, just to get me started. We went to this lovely yarn store in Sausalito, Bluebird Yarn, where I purchased a fine set of bamboo knitting needles and a couple of skeins of yarn (the cheapest, because I know I'm going to be messing up a lot in the coming weeks) and now I'm all set to begin being this new, craftier version of me.

Oh, I also picked up a copy of Stitch N' Bitch, to help me because Amelia is not always around. I started reading it last night and I'm kind of getting excited to start learning and making things.

Here's all I got so far:

It's not a lot. Like at all. But I'm still really proud of myself. Starting something and seeing it take form and eventually get completed is so incredibly satisfying and makes me feel like maybe I can actually make something and I'm not entirely incapable of doing anything. Except writing art history papers. I've always known I'm really good at that. But making something crafty is entirely different. I'm going to keep practicing and maybe, one day, many years from now, I will be able to knit cool things for people. Is it strange that this is something I really aspire to? Like, I can't tell you how excited I am to hopefully get good enough to knit a blanket...ooooh or a sweater! Oh, this is about to get real exciting!