A Passion for Knitting

“Absence diminishes small loves and increases great ones, as the wind blows out the candle and blows up the bonfire.”

I've been soul searching for a long while. I always knew what I wanted to do — own my own shop, work in a studio, make stuff, be my own boss – but never knew exactly how to get there. There were so many unanswered questions. Is it just a blog or something more? What would my business be? What would I make? Who would I sell to? All of these questions have been eating away at my heart and soul for some time. I tried things, a lot of them, from photography to art to styling and many more and nothing made sense. I wanted to find something I felt in my bones. Something I couldn’t stop even if I wanted to.

For the last five or more years, I’ve admired makers and creative folks from afar and dreamed about one day having my own career. I wanted to inspire people like they inspire me. I looked and experimented over and over and then, unexpectedly, I found it. A few years ago during the holidays, my aunt and cousin were visiting. We were looking for things to do, and my aunt suggested crocheting. After a trip to the local craft store and a painful session of learning, I was hooked. I kept practicing and couldn’t stop. From there I learned how to knit. With each new project, I learned something new after many mistakes, YouTube videos and reading. I now solely knit and have an interest in fiber, natural dyeing and spinning yarn. It’s all slowly coming together.

A few months ago, I took a spinning class to learn how to create my own yarn on a spinning wheel. A wonderful, eclectic lady taught the tiny class of two in an arts center in Atlanta. We learned about different fibers, preparation, spinning on a spindle and finally on a wheel. I was sore for a week, which I was told is normal (I’m not so sure). I plan to buy my first wheel this fall and continue the evolution of this hobby.

With the many things I’ve tried, those that know me well question if this is just a phase. I question it myself. I’m hopeful that I found my thing. It’s strange that something could take so long – almost 10 years – yet the idea of knitting presented itself many years ago. When my mom was dying of cancer, she learned to knit so she had something to do while she was in the hospital during long chemo sessions. She knit my sister and I a scarf that I plan to frame at some point. I think it was a sign for things to come. We’d always joked that we would start our own business, and I hope to someday do it in her honor.

For those wondering about the items in my pictures…the yarn in the top picture is naturally dyed by the inspiring Rebekka Seale of Camellia Fiber Company. The cable knit cowl is made with her handspun yarn and pattern.