I originally intended to write a bit more on my history with knitting and fibre and how I got to where I am today.

Looking at my notes and ideas, I found a large common thread was the importance of women in my life, and especially in my fibre life.

There have been many influential women, from my earliest days till now.

I’ve always tended to be more comfortable around women then with men. When I was small there were only a couple other boys my age in the neighbourhood, the others were much older than me. I spent a lot of time with my sister and her girl friends. During summer vacations we spent a lot of time visiting my dad’s family, where I spent most of my time with aunts and my grandmother. It wasn’t until highschool that I started having more male friends, but I was still most comfortable with my female friends.

I learned to knit when I was 6 or 7 years old. My mother taught my sister and I at the same time. It was mostly to give us something to do and, hopefully, keep us out of her hair for short periods of time!

My mom only made fairly simple things – slippers and scarves. I think I got bored with it after a while as I didn’t really learn how to do anything more than simple knit and purl things with some decreases. My mom taught me to knit English style – yarn in the right hand – and I found that awkward.

My grandmother also knit, but I didn’t get many lessons from her. I mostly remember the fun slippers and tea cosies she made and liking the quiet times being with her while she knit.

My aunt taught me how to crochet when I was 8 or 9. I took to this more than knitting. My aunt had a few pattern books and I learned a lot from them. One of the first things I ever crocheted was a baby sweater and booties from some of her left over yarn.

It was about this time that a craft store opened up in the mall in my home town. I was run by a German or Dutch woman. She didn’t mind my sister and I hanging around, and I found myself straightening up the yarns sometimes just so I could stay there longer. She carried pattern booklets and magazines for crocheting and knitting. It was with these and others from the library that I taught myself a lot more on about crocheting.

My piano teacher was also a very important influence on me. She taught me the value of practicing to get better at things. She was also a knitter. She could also be quite strict. She sometimes used a metal knitting needle as a baton to keep time and also to rap you on the knuckles if you didn’t keep good hand position! It only took a couple whacks to get the point.

I mostly crocheted during my teens and early twenties, making a lot of doilies and lace.

I took up knitting again in my mid-twenties when I decided I wanted to make my first partner a sweater as a present. I figured I knew enough knitting that I could make a simple sweater. I found yarn and an easy pattern at The Bay and a couple months later it was done.
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And I was hooked and have knitted ever since!

Since then I have learned much more about knitting and have branched out into spinning, dyeing and weaving.

One thing I learned in knitting is that I prefer to knit with the yarn in my left hand and I throw the yarn, rather than pick it as Continental knitters do. This is partially from all my years doing crochet. I learned to crochet with the yarn in my left hand and to throw the yarn rather than hook it with the hook. This motion is so engrained in my hands that it’s what I do most naturally while knitting. I’ve also been told that this method of knitting is a German style of knitting. My mother comes from a German background, so it’s possible I have it in my genes from her side of the family!

I’ve tried to pick as for normal Continental knitting, but my hands just won’t do it for regular knitting. The only time I can do it is for knitting fairisle pieces, where I hold both yarns in my left hand and pick the yarn colour I need to work with.

I have belonged to several knitting, spinning and weaving guilds, in Toronto, Guelph and one for Ontario, and I have attended many workshops, classes, retreats and seminars.

For the most part, it is women who make up these groups and lead these classes. I have learned many things from them, both in fibre and in life. I’m lucky enough to call several of them friends and enjoy the company of many of them.

I’ve also found I’ve been welcomed and accepted into all of these groups. I’ve never been made to feel like the odd one out, even when I’ve been one of the only males there.

I think that’s enough for now. There will be more entries about my other influences later in the month, and also some more dedicated to the boys, just so they don’t feel left out!

For now I have to get back to some Shetland fleece that is washing in the kitchen sink. We are about half way through a 2ish pound white Shetland fleece. I’m doing it in small batches in mesh bags. More on that and other fleeces later, with pictures. I promise!

For now, here is a link to a pic that Van took of myself and his daughter Marian skirting and picking out the biggest veg mater from the fleece.

Fleece Skirting!