Well, I’m finally letting the cat out of the bag. Or letting the needles out of the…cherry red PVC backpack? Anyway, welcome to my shame! I’ve been secretly teaching myself to knit for a couple of weeks and I wouldn’t say it’s going well.

You may remember me as the resident spirited/mediocre crocheter with questionable tastes; don’t worry, I’m definitely retaining that title as well. However, I’ve surprised myself with an ever-inching desire to knit, even though I’d been resolute on these matters in the past. I’m keen on blaming my coworkers, who constantly parade beautiful knit projects around the office. But in total honesty, the turning point came when my own harassing curiosity met with a pair of Harmony needles in the office free-box. GAME OVER. Not even a lack of tools could be my excuse.

Now, you would think that having an amazing, professional knitwear designer sitting a few feet away from me (oh hey, Kerin!) would preclude disaster, but we all have different learning styles; mine just happens to resemble a hungry animal readying itself for winter (hoard resources for a long period of time, then solitarily burrow into the earth for a few months). Essentially, I need to try something on my own for a while and just be guided by books and the internet and sheer determination. I like to stumble around alone before I let anyone help. And TRUST ME, that’s a huge kindness to my coworkers, because I’ve done straight-up ridiculous things with those needles thus far.

In time, I’ll show you the fruits (I laugh!) of my labor. For now, got any words of wisdom for a very new knitter? Tips and tricks to keep in mind? Most vitally, can I exclusively single cast-on FOREVER AND EVER?