Madilyn here,
We've spent the last several months trying to get involved in various aspects of the local community in Cork, and one question comes up a lot: What am I doing here? Cody is here because he is a student, which is very easy to explain in a university town, but the fact that my best explanation is that I wasn't going to let him leave me behind seems to be a bit harder for people to accept in a country where the average age for a first marriage is between 33-35.
Usually we are able to spend our days exploring the city together since Cody's class schedule is not as hectic as we are accustomed to. But, good literary scholarship takes time, so I needed to find something to do while he works on his research, especially now that classes are ending and it is time for him to buckle down on his thesis. Recently my solution has been knitting.
We've spent the last several months trying to get involved in various aspects of the local community in Cork, and one question comes up a lot: What am I doing here? Cody is here because he is a student, which is very easy to explain in a university town, but the fact that my best explanation is that I wasn't going to let him leave me behind seems to be a bit harder for people to accept in a country where the average age for a first marriage is between 33-35.
Usually we are able to spend our days exploring the city together since Cody's class schedule is not as hectic as we are accustomed to. But, good literary scholarship takes time, so I needed to find something to do while he works on his research, especially now that classes are ending and it is time for him to buckle down on his thesis. Recently my solution has been knitting.
I actually learned to knit several years ago when one of my sorority sisters taught me (Thanks btw!). Over the next few months I started several projects and failed to finish most of them. If it is any indication, Cody asked me to make him a scarf soon after we started dating, and I did not finish it until after the wedding...more than 3 years later. Anyway, finally finishing the projects I'd had sitting around for years motivated me to bring my knitting supplies to Ireland with me in the hopes of improving my craft.
So far it has been going pretty well, especially in the last few months. My new record for a scarf, from cast-on to cast-off is two days (I'm not sure yet how that translates into hours).
So far I've only done scarves, but that has also given me the opportunity to practice reading patterns and learning new techniques before I try an item of clothing were size actually makes a difference. They also make excellent gifts, so friends get to stay warm while also preventing me from drowning in scarves.
So far it has been going pretty well, especially in the last few months. My new record for a scarf, from cast-on to cast-off is two days (I'm not sure yet how that translates into hours).
So far I've only done scarves, but that has also given me the opportunity to practice reading patterns and learning new techniques before I try an item of clothing were size actually makes a difference. They also make excellent gifts, so friends get to stay warm while also preventing me from drowning in scarves.
When I got my new pattern book over Christmas, one of the things I was most excited to learn was a technique called "cabling". Anyone familiar with the Irish tourism industry has likely encountered knitted cables, since the technique is used to create the intricate patters that give Aran sweaters and other Irish knitted crafts their distinct appearance. I've been pleased to learn that the basic technique is pretty easy to grasp even if the actual execution can be tricky at times.
My book has also given me the opportunity to start learning how to write my own patterns. My book has a huge variety, but it mostly has a basic explanation into how to produce a patterns while it is left up to the reader to translate that into an actual garment.
That took a bit of figuring out and a lot of paper, but it also means that when I figured it out I can apply the patters I learn in any combinations I want, which leads me to a giant shawl for my grandmother that I will probably be working on for the rest of the year.
My book has also given me the opportunity to start learning how to write my own patterns. My book has a huge variety, but it mostly has a basic explanation into how to produce a patterns while it is left up to the reader to translate that into an actual garment.
That took a bit of figuring out and a lot of paper, but it also means that when I figured it out I can apply the patters I learn in any combinations I want, which leads me to a giant shawl for my grandmother that I will probably be working on for the rest of the year.
I feel better about my progress with every project I finish, which motivates me to keep improving and learning new techniques. I've been looking up patterns and tutorials online to help me fill in the gaps in my knowledge (which are plentiful).
In school, I was always good at absorbing information in books and applying it to my assignments, but it feels very different taking that knowledge and turning it into an actual, physical item. It's been difficult to transition between the packed schedule I was accustomed to at school, to not even being able to look for a job.
It is gratifying to create things, which is a feeling I have desperately needed in the last few months. It is also very rewarding to learn a traditional craft in a world that is pushing us to forget the past. I feel connected to a tradition that has been going on for hundreds, if not thousands of years, which is particularly nice since it is a tradition so closely linked to the country where I am living. Knitting is a part of Irish culture that I can personally connect with more directly than much of the history I'm learning, and I can more easily bring that knowledge home to share.
In school, I was always good at absorbing information in books and applying it to my assignments, but it feels very different taking that knowledge and turning it into an actual, physical item. It's been difficult to transition between the packed schedule I was accustomed to at school, to not even being able to look for a job.
It is gratifying to create things, which is a feeling I have desperately needed in the last few months. It is also very rewarding to learn a traditional craft in a world that is pushing us to forget the past. I feel connected to a tradition that has been going on for hundreds, if not thousands of years, which is particularly nice since it is a tradition so closely linked to the country where I am living. Knitting is a part of Irish culture that I can personally connect with more directly than much of the history I'm learning, and I can more easily bring that knowledge home to share.