Ode to the Yarn Harlot...

"If we see you smoking we will assume you are on fire and take appropriate action. -Douglas Admas


People knit for their own reasons, but some of the most intense knitters I know are ones who used it to help them quit smoking. It's a perfect plan, really; knitting keeps your hands busy, and its relaxing and repetitive enough to hold off most of the urges to smoke. you get to spend your cigarette money on yarn, a powerful motivator, and two weeks after you quit you have four sweaters, three hats, and several really big afghans.  


Knitting can be a useful tool for self-improvement."


The above is an exerpt from At Knits End: Meditation for Women Who Knit Too Much (link from amazon for conveince purposes) Page 280, written by my personal knitting hero, The Yarn Harlot, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. (If you see this Ms. Harlot, please note I hope I have made all the appropriate linkage back to you and where your most worthy credit is do :) ) I stumbled across this book while at the library looking for (yes you guessed it) knitting books I haven't read yet. I have a profile over at GoodReads and when I enetered this book into my read shelf I discovered a clip of The Yarn Harlot having been here in NW Oregon and since I was hooked I followed links provided and stumbled (again) across her most esteemed blog (link provided above) I have been to the library again for what ever they have of hers available and am diligently working my way through her past arcives to catch up to her most recent adventures.

Besides spreading the word of the Great Yarn Harlot, the reason for which I share this with you is that of all the wonderful quotes, observations and amusing stories in that fun little book, the one above struck me the most as it hit VERY close to home for me. (Also I really love that line from Hitchhiker's Guide)

It was a typical, mid November night in AZ, 2002. I was visiting my folks for 2 weeks and while there I got the bright idea I would quit smoking. Yeah I know, stuck with the rents for 2 weeks over the holidays in the middle of the freaking desert a hundred miles from nowhere ain't bad enough. Bring on the misery. I had come prepared with a bag of watermelon jolly ranchers but a few days in with no cigarettes and I was ready to crawl the walls. But I was committed, I wanted to quit! I went to my mom and said, "I need something for my hands to do!" My mouth was busy working through the bag of hard candy but my hands were empty and fidgeting. She was working on a crochet blanket for my brother so she suggested that I give that a try. Crochet? Really? There isn't anything I hate more than crochet! I am a tight knitter so imagine how taught my crochet comes out. Very bad stuff. She handed my some yarn, a pair of size 11 boye knitting needles and proceeded to teach me the very simple ripple pattern. After only a few rows I was hooked and at the end of the two weeks I was smoke free!

I didn't quite finish that balnket (partly since my mom wouldn't let me have the needles) so I bought my own yarn and notions and while still able to remember the pattern I knit up my own ripple afghan. Needless to say I fell in love with knitting and find now that I am completely obsessed with it. While I am still learning (everything it seems like) I find I can't get enough info, patterns, tips, techniques, magazines, books, ect. Thank you Yarn Harlot for being who you are and reminding me I am not the only one! I promise once I catch up in the archives I will post a comment/email on your wonderful and most helpful blog!