Doing New Things.....

Since turning 50 years old, I've been trying to do some things that are new, or if not new, more difficult, to exercise my brain. I read that to ward off Alzheimer's disease you should challenge your brain. I'm not really into competition, so that will be a challenge, in and of itself. Come to think of it, can the brain, the most complex of all organs, which will never be truly understood, be challenged by me??? Apparently not.

I decided to try to knit cables. It didn't really seem to be that difficult. You just slip onto a cable needle X number of stitches, knit the same X number, then slip the stitches back onto your left needle and knit them. How hard could that be?

As usual, in my zealous state one cool, autumn night, I ordered $130 in yarn off the internet. Waiting anxiously for my order to arrive, I studied both books and youtube learning how to knit the perfect cables. I mentioned, rather casually, to my daughter Julie (known as the human knitting machine from an earlier post) that I was going to try my hand at knitting cables. When my ordered arrived, I dropped everything, and began knitting a cable scarf. Perhaps I would knit one for each of my sisters for Christmas!

Either everyone conspired to fool me into the simplicity of knitting cables, or I am too far gone to learn a new skill. I would show you a pic, but I have unravelled everything I've knitted in a fit of rage. I tried both the "S" cable and the "Basket-Weave" cable. I tried four different weights of yarn and three different needle sizes. I've knitted six inches of "scarf" about a dozen times.

Julie, of course, in a few days time, knitted up a really keen cable knit blanket she will be gifting this Christmas. I love her, I really do. After all, she is my daughter.....don't her accomplishments mean I've accomplished something? Even if it is only bringing her safely into this world...to knit...and make it look easy.

I'm now trying a chevron stitch. A 2nd grader could do it, but for me it's a challenge. It's all about the challenge.... :)