How Mary-Kate: My New Knitted Armwarmers

Since my return to New York, I have been knitting like crazy. My first project was a pair of knitted arm warmers so that most of my hand could stay warm on my way to the train, but I could still use my iPhone (yes, I'm a bit that obsessive).

I had two screw-up armwarmers before I ended up perfecting it. The first, was too big for my hand (I was following a really standard pattern, with no gauge or anything, so I'm not too surprised), and the second armwarmer ended up unravelling due to my dropping a stitch on the last row. But alas, I have done it, two semi-matching armwarmers. Sure, one feels a bit loser then the other, but hey, underneath my mittens that will hardly matter.

My super cool new armwarmers, and my badass manicure which has chipped while I typed this

The yarn was given to me a while ago by my mom's friend Erica.  I've been trying to figure out what to do with it forever, and I think my armwarmers were a perfect project.  The yarn is made from strips of recycled sari's from India.  I used size 8 bamboo needles, and the combo of the yarn and needles made me feel like a total knitting hippie.  These make me feel a bit like Mary-Kate Olsen, a bit raw and ragged, super colorful, and somewhat imperfect.

A little bit blurry, but here's a close up of my knit job

My next project?  An ice cream pint cozy.  My current detox means that I've traded in the vice of alcohol for the vice of sweets, and there has been a lot more Ben & Jerry's in my freezer then usual.  Gotta get knitting that cozy to keep my fingers from freezing off...

Hip To Be Square?

A few years ago, when I was in university, knitting was all the rage. It was featured in every fashion magazine out there, celebrities were spotted bringing their knitting with them, and I, too, desperately wanted to learn to make my own scarves, hats, mittens, and sweaters.

Luckily for me, my university actually had free knitting lessons around the lunch hour every Tuesday. Arming myself with thick, wooden needles, and a chunky skein of wool and embarked on creating my very first knit creation. Upon the completion of that first scarf, I was hooked. I spent all my free time knitting, and before I knew it, I had Christmas presents for all my friends and family members.

Flash forward six years. I have since given up the knitting, but am now home in Montana with those same giant wood needles and a new skein of yarn. But the question is, is knitting still cool? None of my friends now do it, chunky knit scarves have given way to pretty ethnic patterned scarves, and I'm wondering if I'm wasting my time.

Knitting is relaxing, meditative, and it gives me something positive to do with my hands. It allows me to put down my iPhone for a few minutes and knit a row or two.

Knitting is creative-- I get the opportunity to pick out textures, colors, patterns, and put them together in a unique, and one of a kind way.

Knitting is productive--there is something so positive about having a product that you have made with your own hands. Even if it is while I'm sitting in front of the TV watching The Breakfast Club for the millionth time, I like that after a week or two, I have something warm to wear in the New York winters.

So I may be a 23 year old granny, but I think my compelling arguments to the benefits of knitting win. So if you'll excuse me, it's time to put my computer away for the night and knit two, purl one.