I made something

A good friend at our home school co-op recently taught a group of us to knit.  Boy do I love it.  I only have knit and purl under my belt so far, but this knitting has been so wonderful.  Not just because I can make pretty-ish things, but because it is making our homeschooling, more specifically our math, much, much better.

You know how you sit down to do math with your small child and they have suddenly forgotten every single thing they ever knew?  Then you have to explain and re-explain, and talk, and show, and pull your hair out, and the whole time your head is about to explode?  All you can think about is the four thousand other things you need to do today and holy cow!why must this be so hard? fifteen minus eight equals what? what is wrong with you child? why don't you know anything? aaaaaaaarrrrrrr!

Well, I never have days like that, but if I did, knitting would totally make it better.  Now I can sit at the table and explain all day long.  You don't get it?  That's ok, another row knit.  Can I help you figure out fifteen minus eight for the twentieth time?  No problem, another row purled.  Still can't remember how to count to ten, my sweet third grader?  Fine with me, I'd like to finish this scarf today.

Knitting is awesome.

For my niece's 15th birthday, I knit a cowl, my first ever!  Happy Birthday Raquel, and I hope you don't mind your Aunt's wonky knitting!  Just what all 15 year olds want to hear, right?

I'm still not decided on the buttons, but they can be removed fairly easily.  If she doesn't like them they can be snipped right off without affecting anything.  I would wear it, which I'm sure makes it even more super cool for all 15 year old girls out there.  No matter what this cowl looks like on, my lovely niece will outshine it for sure.  

Knitting is awesome.  It saves my sanity, makes me slightly less yelly at the kids, and keeps those I love stocked with strange handmade presents.  What's not to love?