KNIT HAPPENS...

I taught myself to knit this summer. It wasn't hard, it wasn't time consuming, and it was fun to learn. Really, thinking back on it, I have no idea why I decided this would be a good hobby for me.
I am a crafty person to a certain extent. I stink at sewing, so any sort of project like that is out. I used to scrapbook, then I ran out of patience, and space. I used to create things with polymer clay. Yeah, other than the nativity scene I made out of that clay, there were very few useful things I actually made. They were all cute and lovely, but sort of silly and not of any worth or value. Then, I moved on to jewelry making. That was the cool kid craft at the time and I loved picking out really pretty glass beads and things. Problem was, I never officially learned how to make jewelry, and sort of made it up as I went along, so my bracelets always seemed to fall apart at the most inopportune times... in the middle of a friend's wedding for instance. So, I sucked at jewelry making, pretty much.
Then I got a new computer and realized that I could make movies! Oh, fun! I took all of the old movies of our annual New Years Eve events, edited out all of the stupid things I did, accentuated all the crazy things my college friends did, and created our own little "Best of" movies. Those were pretty cool. I still watch the trailer I made for them when I am in need of a hearty laugh. I still like making movies and already have two more movies to work on this year.
But, it is not something a person could do everyday as a hobby.
So, I needed to find a good use for my ADD and my hands. So, I picked knitting.
The funny thing is, it turned out to be less of a hobby and more of a study in people once I got into it.
I realized that there is an unspoken knitter's club. We have a secret handshake and password.
Once, I was staring at the needles in the middle of Hobby Lobby one day when I noticed a lady, in her 50s or so walking down the isle. I don't know what in the world compelled me to stop her and ask questions, but I did.
She was so nice and so helpful. I was instantly joined into the fold of knitters. She told me secrets and plans for taking over the world with knitting... I would tell you but ...
No really, she taught me all kinds of things! And by the end of the time, this once perfect stranger had given me her phone number and hugged me as she walked away. That was when I knew I was IN, baby!

Once you say, "I'm a knitter. I can purl and everything," you are an official card carrying member of the club. So, I thought I was pretty cool. I became a knitter... the hipster of the crafting world. :)
Then I made the mistake of telling my friends. I should have known that those you love would take things the hardest...

"Hey, when we go to the lake for the fourth, I am going to take some knitting. Want me to knit you a beer koozie? I just learned how to make them! What color you want me to bring?"
My friends were dumbfounded...
I might as well have told them I was putting myself in an old-folks home. Suddenly, in their eyes, I became like a million years old, the grandma from Loony Toons sitting in her rocker knitting. And I guess they thought I was kidding... because when I showed up at the lake with my little knitting bag and a blue knitted beer koozie just for them, they were all freaked out.
"OH, you really DO knit. You weren't kidding about that." Those were actual words from a few people.
I wanted to say, "NO, I really don't knit. I was just kidding. This bag, these needles, they are all a big plot to trick you...I guess it worked... ha ha to you!"
Ugh.
I have learned from that, that I need to not spring the news of my knitting all at once, but do it gradually. I have begun sneaking my knitting out of my bag during several occasions just to "feel the waters". You never know how people will take the news... but a big part of me wants to announce to the world... KNIT HAPPENS... Deal with it....you might get a nice scarf out of the deal.