Lessons Learned

Let this be a lesson to those of you who are smarter than I: Use the tools you have on hand! This is the sad result of failing to use the swift and winder (which I had in the trunk of my car) when balling up some gorgeous Casbah sock yarn from Hand Maiden! The yarn, 81% superwash merino, 10% nylon and 9% cashmere, is so luscious I wanted the pleasure of rolling it by hand. You can see all the lovely colors and types of Hand Maiden yarns at HandMaiden.ca.

It took several hours of intense detangling to eradicate the mess I made by doing this the old-fashioned way, without using the swift. I could have had one sock half completed in the time it took to undo this mess! Ah well, I was still fondling the beautiful fiber all the while, and that’s not a bad thing at all.

What a mess I made of this beautiful yarn!

I purchased this lovely skein at Trading Post Fibers, a recently opened yarn shop located near Pendleton, Ind. You can visit a real working fiber farm and see what's new in spinning, knitting and all the rest of the fluffy stuff, or see what's up at TradingPostFiber.com. Please tell owner Susan I sent you!

When the knitting of a project is complete, it is time for the part so many knitters put off: the finishing details. With a newsletter, the details are easier: say "goodbye" and sign my name. So until next time, make the most of your knitting time. Think kind thoughts, add prayers for others, relish the peaceful flow of fiber through your fingers and know that 17 million others share your passion and pleasure! And you thought you were knitting alone!

Yours in yarn,

Barb Bettegnies
editor, Creative Knitting magazine

As a very determined 4-year-old, I convinced my mother to teach me to knit. I recall clearly my eureka moment at the age of 12, when flicking the yarn the way Mother did made sense to me, and I have been knitting ever since. The home arts of sewing, baking and cooking have always held my interest. After years of co-owning an agribusiness (grain warehouses), I began teaching knitting independently. This led to becoming the editor of Creative Knitting magazine. Perhaps my mother is the only person who was not surprised at this turn of events; she always knew I could achieve more than I had tried. I have grown sons and several grandchildren nearby and knit for them only when asked.

I continue to teach knitting in an informal manner, gathering groups of people together who become friends. The classes are less structured than the norm, with each person working at her own pace on her own project. It's unusual for two knitters to be making the same project; each learns from the successes of others, and we have a great time. I am blessed to be doing what I love!

Send feedback!
Fill out the easy feedback form and let me know your thoughts, questions and ideas. I may feature your letter in an upcoming issue of Creative Knitting newsletter.