Fiscally Responsible Indulgences
So last week my husband and I were at the bookstore and I browsed across this book of knitting patterns.
“That dress is great,” my husband said. “Why don’t you get the book?”
“Maybe,” I said, but I left without it. Later, I got a lecture about not denying myself things that I want, because I need some treats in my life.
“You can afford that book,” he said. “It’s all about fiscally responsible indulgences.”
I went back and bought the book because I know he’s right. But it wasn’t just about denying myself things; another part of the reason I didn’t initially get the book is I am such a beginning knitter, and most if not all of the patterns are beyond my current abilities. But now that I have it I really want to make these clothes, so I’ve spent most of the day knitting--not something from the book yet, but something harder than I’ve done before. I’m making my husband a hat, charcoal grey with a knit/purl pattern, the first pattern I’ve attempted.
It took two or three tries to get the round knitted and joined together. It took a couple tries to figure out how to go from knit to purl and back in one row. And then my circular knitting needle broke, and so I lost all my work (four rows, but still.) I went and got a new needle and am ready to start again, although other things need to be attended to so it will have to be tomorrow.
Bottom line: I learn a lot, and am a heck of a lot closer to fabulous vintage-looking knitwear than I was when I started. A good Saturday.
