I have crocheted my first sweater, and I feel like Tom Hanks’ character in _Castaway_ after he successfully made fire: “I — *I* — have — made — a — SWEATER!”
Maybe it’s because I’m a Cold War kid, growing up expecting thermonuclear war to wipe out 90% of the world population such that we’ll all be nuked back to the Stone Age (or, at least pre-Industrialization Age), that I’m interested in survivalist stuff — being as self-sufficient as possible when civilization breaks down, when urban infrastructure gets blown away, and all that’s left is one individual with one individual’s skills. Part of that is the ability to make my own clothes, from yarn to garment, which is why crocheting fits in all of this.
Now, I’ve been crocheting for quite a few years now (Mom taught me back in the day, but I didn’t see it as a real hobby until nine years ago), and what I’ve been crocheting all of those years have been mostly variations on blankets — bedspreads, throws, pillowcases. Then I branched out to tube-sock footies, scarves, and hats. So, after making clothing accessories, I decided to try my hand on actual clothing, that is, a sweater.
I bought a pattern that was rated “intermediate beginner”. It was supposed to be for me, but my mom saw the photo of it and, she being my mom, said, “I don’t like that wide neckhole, you’d have to make it narrow,” which is her way of saying, “You’re going to crochet this for me, right?” So, this first sweater’s turned out to be my mom’s early birthday gift, and — surprise surprise — it turned out looking pretty good, so good that I’d really prefer to have it for *myself*.
As the Hubby says, “All that’s left is for you to make crocheted pants” which makes me go, “Uh… ewww? No. Maybe a skirt. Or another sweater. Not pants. NOT pants.”
But anyways — it’s good to know that I can make bona-fide clothing. It makes the survivalist in me go, “Squeeeee!” Now, if only I can make yarn from raw wool (since I can’t go all the way to the source and raise sheep and shear one myself) — but that’s another project down the pike.
lizardqueen