Beginnings

As Caesar is supposed to have said when he crossed the Rubicon followed by the Roman army, "the die is cast". After months of suggestions from friends and family, I have decided to start my own blog. What seemed like such fun and adventure has suddenly turned scary, so much so that I have struggled for several days exactly what I wanted to say with my first blog. It occurred to me as I wrote paragraph after paragraph of pious sounding b.s., that perhaps the best thing to do was to tell people what to expect.

As the name suggests, the primary theme will be knitting: projects in process, knitting book reviews, ideas for making knitting life easier, and thoughts on knitting while holding a straight job, keeping house (or not, as the case may be), and staying married after hubby has used a Brittany Walnut as a computer tool, or has suggested for twelfth time that I should sell said Brittany Walnuts on E-Bay. Like most knitters, I have varied interests. Although I will at first try and succeed to keep my opinions about non-knitting things to myself, I know I will fail. So instead of waiting for the fateful day when I just burst out with a fan rave about Battlestar Gallatica, I will just say up front that I will share my thoughts about the books I am reading, the t.v. shows I watch, restaurants I visit, music and movies when the mood strikes.

Why the name The Knitting Rubicon? Because once you cross the Rubicon, things are never the same. Why cross the Rubicon at all? Because sometimes you need things to be different.

I learned to knit when I was five. Knitting first a pin cushion, then a tote bag, followed by a lovely, sky blue, Red Heart acrylic sweater in the style of the 60's. I have knit socks shamelessly in church. I have knit sweaters for suitors from the long ago and for hubby. I have knit enough socks for my family to prevent frostbite, chilblains and cold feet well into the third millennia. I have knit baby sweaters, booties and hats until I could do them in my sleep. I have knit shawls in all shapes and sizes. I have knit knowing that there wasn't anything I couldn't knit and nothing I was afraid to try. Then it happened.

I was sitting watching "Law and Order: Criminal Intent" and knitting a sock, my favorite form of after work relaxation. This wasn't just any sock, it was the first sock for myself since Christmas sock hell, out of yarn purchased for just that purpose in Asheville, NC. I stopped and stared. Instead of feeling the anticipation of a quick project with interesting bits flying off the needles, I felt fidgety. The sock was beautiful. I loved the colorway, but I really didn't feel like knitting it. I knit a few more rounds before I realized I was bored. Thinking it was just boredom with that particular project, I picked up a kiddie sweater that lacked the button band and hood. Boring. Shawl knit with hand painted, fingering weight yarn. Boring. By now panic set in. Was I like Cartman in that Southpark episode where he thinks he will never find anything funny again, but instead I would never find knitting interesting again? How was knitting boring? How do you get unbored with knitting? I have knit almost everything I have ever wanted to knit, no matter how complicated. Had I reached the point where I felt as if I had seen it all and done it all in the knitting universe? I was definitely having a Calgon moment.

I had never doubted the value of my knitting friends, but I think I had started to take them for granted. I mentioned the issue to a few and immediately they diagnosed the problem. I may be knitting, but I wasn't really KNITTING. They all suggested that I approach knitting from different perspectives, just like dating your spouse of many years rekindles the romance. After a few weeks of ruminating on that, it became clear that I needed a plan if I wanted to keep on knitting. As afraid as I was of learning to be myself without knitting, I was more afraid of the prescription. What if I couldn't do it? What if it didn't help? What about my stash? I chose the four suggestions from my friends that sounded most appealing to me: First, the knitting blog; Second, the Master Knitting program; Third, learning to design my own stuff; and Fourth, learning to spin.

Well, I have started the blog and I have a drop spindle. My friends will enjoy keeping tabs on my progress.

The sticks are crossed and the string is ready.
Kimberly