Walk right in, sit right down...

Why would an essentially private person decide to invite an untold number of strangers into her world? Because you're knitters, that's why! And even though I might not yet know your name or recognize your face, I already feel a connection to you because you, like me, have a passion for transforming yarn into something useful, something memorable, something fabulous.

I've followed a number of blogs for quite some time now but never found the urge to write my own...until recently. Percolating in the back of my mind these past few weeks has been the notion that perhaps some people might be interested in my knitterly and not-so-knitterly experiences, the way that I am drawn to others'. So, here I am, opening my door to you. Come in and make yourself at home.

Now that you've made yourself comfortable, let me introduce myself...
My name is Carol and I'm a knitoholic. At other times I have been a sewaholic or a cross-stitchaholic or a genealogyoholic. See a pattern here? I'm an all or nothing kind of girl, throwing myself into one hobby--for days, weeks, or months at a time--then abruptly shifting to another.

I have been interested in the needlearts ever since I knit a square in Brownies circa 1972. An avid Barbie lover, I knit and sewed doll clothes long before I ever attempted making something for a human being. In high school I took all the sewing and textile classes I could and also enjoyed thread and crewel embroidery. After I graduated I worked at a fabric store until just before my first child was born in 1985. Soon after that I learned counted cross stitch and never did any other type of stitchery again.

Once my three children were in school, I returned to university and pursued a degree in history, and later completed a certificate in genealogy. Throughout this time, needlework in all its forms was my retreat, my reward. Unsure of how to parlay my interests in history and genealogy into a viable income, I returned to what was familiar and took a job in a craft store, where I worked until it closed less than two years later. Now I work part time in a yarn shop, where I am continually surrounded by inspiration. Not surprisingly, knitting has become more important to me than ever and during the past four years I have become completely immersed in the world of knits and purls.

I often remark to our customers that it's a great time to be a knitter, with the incredible variety of yarns, patterns, and books that are available. Even more special is the vast online knitting community, with its blogs, podcasts, and magazines, not to mention the recent addition of Ravelry. With this blog, I look forward to becoming a more active member of this knitting community, sharing with other knitters the ups and downs of my knitting life. I hope you enjoy your visit.