I never learned to knit as a child. I'm left handed and at school it was considered impossible for a left handed child to knit! I never complained - I was put at the back of the classroom during knitting lessons with books to read instead and I love reading. My Mom and Gran both tried teaching me but in a mirror so that I could learn to go the opposite way to right handed people; since I wasn't actually that keen (having seen the matinee jackets my friends were knitting) I never learnt.
When I was 15, my boyfriend (now my husband) got a motor bike. He wanted a scarf to wear when riding but couldn't find anything suitable so he bought some yarn (for 2 scarves) and needles and asked me to knit him one. I was too embarrassed to admit I couldn't knit and my Mom and Gran were both busy with projects so I went to his Nan and explained my predicament. She said that if after spending a day with her I still couldn't knit then she would knit 1 scarf - not what I wanted but if I didn't learn to knit I would have to admit to him that I couldn't!
Reluctantly I went over for the day and was surprised to find no mirror. Nan didn't know I was left handed. She taught me to knit like she did. I struggled to hold the needles and throw the yarn, so the right hand needle was tucked under my arm, by the end of the day not only was I knitting, I was a knitter and in no time at all 2 extra soft garter stitch scarves were produced.
And the rest as they say - is history!
To visit other blogs taking part - google "knitcroblo1"
