Knitting Rules or Rules of Knitting

Who knew that knitting could have so many rules? Now I am not talking about pattern rules or holding the needles rules, I am referring to things you learn as you knit and jot down as a "Note to Self" rule.

Some I have learned during my long absence from my blog are: Do not buy books before you have borrowed them from the library to assess if they are worth taking up space on the bookshelf and do not leave your precious knitting bag in plain view on the front seat of your car.

The first rule came easily to me when I noted the price of knitting books. and the fact that most come hardbound, at the local Barnes & Noble store. Instead I wrote down the names of the ones I was interested in and ordered them from the library. Amazingly, I have only found one or two that was worth owning for all the invaluable information in them. The others I just took notes out of for future reference.

Now, to cover the next rule, here is my sad tale of woe that incapacitated me for a month after it occured. On a Friday afternoon in the parking lot at the office complex where I work my car was broken into. Some punk(s) smashed the passenger front door glass and snatched my knitting bag. Now granted it did look similar to a largish purse, however it had yarn and knitting needles sticking out of the top of it. I am certain that they thought they would find a wallet with enough beer money to get them through the weekend. Bet they looked really silly trying to sell the yarn and needles for beer money that evening. Sad to say I had about $300 worth of yarn and knitting paraphrenalia in that bag. I was half way done with my most expensive project yet, a shawl made out of Mountain Colors 4x8 yarn that goes for $20 a skein. Fortunately I only had one of the the two skeins needed with me.

I was so angry with the loss of the knitting bag that the window replacement claim to the insurance company seemed like a walk in the park. And with reacting so strongly to that event the very next Monday I came down with a stress-related illness that kept me in bed, and away from work, for a week. In fact, I am just now feeling like I am on the road to recovery. Most people that have heard this tale are not knitters and cannot understand why it made me so angry. In fact, I was so sick I couldn't even knit for well over a week.

So enough of that. I have replaced the skein of yarn and am back past the halfway mark on the shawl. It was originally going to be called the Stain Glass shawl. Now it is known as the Broken Glass shawl that "fades to bright." In the case of Mountain Color yarn, since it is handpainted, to replace a skein you run the risk of not getting a close match on the dye lot. In this case all was good except the teal was brighter, hence the fade to bright. It will still be a lovely thing when it is finished.

For the first week back in that parking lot I was very paranoid about where my car was parked and this is not even a bad neighborhood. Even now if I hear an alarm go off I am looking out the window. Of course there is nothing on the front seat, it is all hidden in the back or I carry it into the office.

Hope you are living your passion today!