A couple of weeks ago I took a ride with my mom to Newyago, MI to do a little antique shopping. We were in a store that had lots of cute, but very fragile items and Brodey started to get a little antsy. I can't imagine why a 3 year old boy was not entertained with the antique store, but nonetheless, I needed to act fast before something ended up broken and I ended up buying that broken something. I had noticed a little quilt shop around the corner earlier so I decided to take him in there. I know what your thinking, "Your solution to this problem was to take him to a quilt shop? Wasn't there a park around?" I didn't see a park, and fabric stores (good ones anyway) usually have a kids corner with toys and books. This shop was no exception and Brodey went straight for them. It was a good thing too because the minute I walked in the door my jaw hit the floor (the authentic hickory wood floor). To say that this store is amazing would be an understatement. I couldn't believe that this perfect little store was located in Newyago, MI. I mean Newyago is a charming little town, but this store seemed like it belonged somewhere else. I'm not really sure where, but not there.
This is the quilt shop of quilt shops! Hard wood floors, a beautiful waterfall, a sewing room, a fireplace, and lots and lots of fabric! Good fabric too. Not your plain old, this-will-do, kind of fabric. Whoever owns this store has great taste. But amidst the sea of fabric and smell of hickory, I noticed something that just drew me in like a magnet: Yarn! Rows and rows, and shelves from floor to ceiling full of yarn! I had no idea that there were so many different types of yarn! And all the things that you can do with it! They had the cutest items displayed throughout the store of things that women had knitted together (and not your granny's sweater type of knitting). I was inspired.
I have been thinking about learning how to knit since I bought some really cute head warmers this summer (that I can not wait to wear). These warmers or so cute that I bought one in three different colors. I wanted to buy more but I thought "They can't be that hard to make, I'll just learn how to do it myself" (that thought often gets my in trouble). Since then, I have gone back and forth on weather or not to knit or crochet, but I hadn't done anything about learning how to do either of them. Until I found myself smack dab in the middle of this store. I just wanted to start buying yarn immediately but reasoned with myself that I might want to learn what to do with the yarn first.
So I signed up for "Knitting 101". This two-day, four hour class would be just what I needed to learn how to make my cute head warmers, Right? WRONG! I think you could categorize knitting into a lot of different areas like: relaxing, nostalgic, quirky, and fun just to name a few. But, you can put it into another category: HARD! Knitting has literally thrown me for a loop! The first Saturday we learned how to cast on and do what is called the "Knit stitch" which didn't seem to bad (so long as I didn't mess up on one loop). But then yesterday we learned the "Pearl stitch" which is the same as the knit stitch, but backwards. Is this making your head spin? Mine too. The most frustrating thing about knitting is that I don't completely understand how the yarn loops together with each stitch, so when I mess up I can't fix it. And the shop is an hour from my house so I can't run up there for help. I got about 6 inches into a scarf (which took me a week) and had to take it out last night. Grrrrrrrr. But it's okay, I am going to stick with it. I am determined. I will not be had by yarn. So wish me luck on my new adventure in knitting. And don't cringe if you get a scarf from me for Christmas.
