After reflecting on several past challenges, I am starting to wondering how much of a non-domestic-vibe I give off. Apparently a strong one.
This challenge is definitely one I didn't see coming. But I can't say that I have any clue how to knit anything. So I suppose they read into my non-domestication status pretty well.
This challenge was sent by my Australian friends Ally and Jono. When they came to visit last summer, their parting gift was an apron and an oven mitt. (Neither of which I owned previously). Hmmm, I suppose that this challenge is pretty dead on for what they think I need to learn.
There are certain life skills that every person should know. And I am not sure if knitting is one of them. However, this week, I have in fact learned a skill that will stay with me until I am 100 (yes, I do in fact plan to live to 100:).
I have no idea if any of you have every joined a knitting club. Or a book club. Or a poker club. But I do know that all of these clubs have something in common. They all allow friends to get together and drink. (And sometimes discuss the book or play cards or knit, and sometimes not). Regardless of the activity however, I have learned that they are a great way to socialize. Because while this week's challenge may have seemed "old" to some of you (yes, I received the comments from readers about this old-lady challenge) . . . I had a BLAST at my little knitting party. Because we spent about 2 hours laughing and eating and drinking and talking and about 1 hour learning how to knit. It was so much fun. We had 'Sex in the City' playing in the background. We talked about life and boys and traveling. We drank some wine. We ate some appetizers. It turned out to be a blast of a Friday night.
However, I do have some recommendations for you if you ever decide to host your own knitting party:
1) Teach people to knit as soon as they arrive. Not after everyone has consumed a couple of glasses of wine. This is a critical piece of advice that you should follow no matter what.
2) Purchase your wool from the bargain bin at the craft store. Because your first knitting project will result in a tragically flawed item. (With large gaping holes and missing stitches . . . definitely not worth the top of the shelf wool).
3) Tell people to purchase the largest needles possible. Even though they might look like the size of drum sticks. Because the thin needles require amble time to complete a project, and no one wants to spend 20 hours knitting a scarf when they can simply purchase one at The Gap for $8.
4) My real advice based on completing this challenge is that you should make up any kind of club that will allow you some time to hang out with friends. I don't care what the topic or activity is. Because if I have learned anything from this challenge, it's that getting together regularly with friends can erase even the worst of work weeks. And sometimes, you just need a couple of hours of laughter and catching up to remember what life is all about:)
You will be impressed with the fact that I did learn to knit a scarf. (Side note: my 'scarf' currently resembles a sickly looking wool placemat, as I am not quite finished. This doesn't mean it will look any less sickly, just longer than a placemat.)
