I generally do not consider myself to be very domestic. I mean, I sit home all day, but I’m not one of those women who keeps a spotless house, does a craft-of-the-day with the kids, or cooks gourmet meals. I’ve never touched a sewing machine. I can’t paint a wall (well) to save my life. Scrapbooking? Um…no. And I don’t even know the names of the plants in our garden.

My two claims to domestic fame are: I bake yummy things, and I can crochet a mean afghan.

I’m okay with this state of affairs. But every once in a while, I get the urge to conquer a new area of domestic ability. I buy the supplies, read about it, and give a whirl. Sometimes it works (I’ve been known to make beaded bookmarks), and sometimes it doesn’t.

Knitting has been my nemesis. I’ve tried to learn to knit multiple times. I’ve bought several “teach yourself to knit” pamphlets. I have some needles, and I have gobs of cheap yarn to practice on. But each and every attempt has resulted in failure. I understood the mechanics, and could technically create the stitches. But I couldn’t find any kind of flow, comfort, or rhythm. One short row would take me an hour, my hands would cramp up, and I never figured out how to actually hold the yarn in a way that worked.

I gave up.

Until recently, that is.

I’ve watched Sarah’s blog as she taught herself to knit and then made all kinds of adorable knitted items. I saw Bev take up the challenge and meet success. Barb followed quickly in their footsteps.

And I’m nothing if not a copycat. Maybe not a very good one, but a copycat nonetheless. I decided that if all these ladies could tackle the challenge of Learning to Knit and emerge victorious, that I could give it one more shot. (Never mind the fact that they can all clean and sew and paint, too — skills that continue to elude me.)

Determined to stack the odds in my favor, I bought the same book they used to learn: Itty Bitty Hats. I bought some circular needles and double-pointed needles (neither of which I had ever used). I grabbed some more cheap yarn — no point buying the good stuff until I knew if this was going to work. And I got to knitting.

It actually worked. I can now say, “I can knit.” Not very well, mind you, but I’ve got the basics down. And I actually feel comfortable and even — dare I say it? — downright speedy at times.

Why did it work this time? I think there are a few factors. First, Itty Bitty Hats author Susan B. Anderson teaches knitting using the Continental Method which, in my opinion, is far easier and more comfortable than the American Method (probably because it feels more like crocheting). Second, I decided that I would hold the yarn the same way I do when I’m crocheting. It might not be standard, but I’m used to maintaining tension that way, so it works for me. I’m such a rule-follower that I always tried to do it “just like the pamphlet said” but this time I improvised and am glad I did. Third, itty bitty hats are just that — itty bitty. Small projects are much more doable than gigantic afghans when learning something new.

So do you want to see the results? Okay. But don’t get your hopes up. I’m still learning.

The first hat I made was just a simple, basic, one-stitch-required kind of hat. Mechanically, I did fine. Size-wise? Not so much. Something about my gauge or my yarn was horribly off. Either that, or everyone in this house has bizarrely small heads. My 12-18 month sized hat fit…um…me.

C. has now claimed this hat for his own, though I’ve noticed he doesn’t wear it in public. I think he’s just trying to make me feel better.

Hat #2 was called Bunny Tail. I just finished it yesterday. My stitches are not perfectly even and my sewing (where necessary) left something to be desired. But I forced allowed L. to wear it to church last night and he got many compliments on his cute hat. It doesn’t hurt that he’s cute to start with, I suppose.

Notice that C.’s not even wearing a coat in that picture, since it got warm yesterday. Yet I still made L. wear a hat, because he looked cute in it.

I’m now working on my third project. This one is teaching me what “seed stitch” and “stockinette stitch” mean. I’ve now learned to purl with the Continental method. And I feel that my work is becoming more consistent and even.

Next step? I need to visit the local yarn shop and pick up some good yarn. Then maybe I’ll start a hat for the nephew or niece that will be arriving next September. I’d also like to try something besides a hat at some point. And I’d love to get to know the nitty-gritty of knitting (no pun intended). When it comes to crocheting, I know how to fix mistakes or how to make up for them in future rows. I know what every stitch looks like and exactly what happens if I miss one or add one. With knitting, I’m still very much just reading directions and hoping I don’t mess it up, but I’d like to make it mine, to feel like I really “get it.”

Poor L. will probably be forced to wear hats and sweaters all summer long as I practice my new skill. Oh well. This is a family — we all have to make sacrifices for each other, right?