Alternative perspective the voice of youth.

Well today's theme is supposed to be an alternative perspective so I thought I would get the perspective of one of the two younger knitters in the family on my and their knitting habits. So I am pleased to present a post from Ry who just might make it to 17 years of age in June.

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To most people my age, being in that strange age between childhood and adulthood when you hate everything, and I do mean everything, Knitting is not the most fashionable thing to do.

No, let me rephrase that it is not only one of the least fashionable things to do, it's also considered to be old, odd and something that grandmothers do to give to their children, who they dote on, but their labour of love is soon forgotten and thrown into a pile in the black-holes we call our rooms.

However, being the daughter of a knitter has given me a much different perspective, not that I'm denying that some of my mother's creations have sucked into the perpetual black-hole in my room; along with other things such as odd socks and various pieces of maths homework. While I admit this, I do not have the same perspective that most teenagers do, though this may be because of my naturally 'different' personality anyway.

Knitting is, I believe, something that is rewarding and an amazing thing to do, and in fact I am quite envious when I'm sitting and reading, something which I do a lot, and I see my mother start a project and then by the time I put the book down, only a few hours later, the project is finished.

The fact that I can see my mother start with balls of ordinary looking wool, even though it maybe a beautiful green, and then makes something that I could wear and something that I in fact would be proud to wear is one of the miracles in the world - along with sliced bread and the creation of mass printed books.

And when I wear my mother's creations, which I do often ... especially when they're green, and people comment on how nice it is and asking me where I got it from, I always get that stupid grin on my face and a proud feeling when I say "My Mum made it" and I know that no one else in the world has the same clothes as me, or the nicest mother either.

So while most people my age would probably denounce knitting as something that old people do, I think it is something that everyone could do - I can, if i had the patience to drag myself away from my precious books, and I think that if more teenagers knew the joy, and pride, that came with knitting something, or even just making something for themselves they would not be so disparaging to knitters.

Live Long and Prosper,
Ry