Knitted Goods

All About Me

Hi, my name is Elanor. Nice to see you here! I'm the Head Knitter of the Knitting Department. It's as high a position as you can go, as long as you have made up the hierarchy. 

I am kind of a mutt. My mom comes from Taiwan, a tiny island nation off the coast of China that is famous for its semiconductors and bubble tea (my personal favorite drink). My dad comes from Texas, but his mom's parents were immigrant Polish Jews. Another one of my great-great-great-grandmothers was a Cherokee Indian (true story!). I love all of the places I have come from and I hope I get to visit them some day.

If you looked for me, you would probably find me in a rocking chair at home, knitting and/or reading. You’re probably thinking, Is this person born in the 1700’s or what? I do love knitting, reading (my favorite is The Green Ember series), and writing. But I can’t stand (off topic) grocery shopping. Except in the snack aisle. 

A unique talent I have is my ability to sprain my fingers and other things. For example, I’ve sprained my neck pushing a doll stroller and my thumb trying to ride a bike one-handed. But I have completed 30+ 1000 piece puzzles in the past 2 years injury-free. I love to spend time with my family by going on hikes and playing board games. 

I’m currently beginning 6th grade, and my goal for this year is to write a longer piece of fiction.

Here Come the Grannies!  (click on the title)

Many people think that knitting is an activity done solely by little old ladies. That’s mostly true. But in some places, like Prince Edward Island, knitting is esteemed and appears everywhere, from gift shops to art galleries. There are even two knitting shops on the Island: Knit Pickers and Fleece and Harmony. 

Now, if you know me at all, or if you read the name of my blog, you will know that I am an avid knitter. (On Gimkits, my favorite name is AvidKnitter). In my neighborhood, I am known for walking around with knitting needles in my hands and a bag filled with an explosion of yarn and whatever Frankenstein I’m working on at the moment. You won’t believe how much I aspire to be a little old lady. 

“Aww, it’s not fair! I knew I wouldn’t get to be a granny!” -Muffin Heeler, from Bluey

Knitting is endlessly useful. You can make anything from a scarf to a hat to a tea cozy. And it’s still used by clothing companies today! My favorite striped shirt is knitted with the stockinette stitch. Currently, I am working on my fourth scarf, but boy, does knitting a scarf take a long time. Since I like to make long scarves (4 feet 8 inches or longer), it takes me forever to finish one. My personal record is knitting a scarf in 15 days, but that was only because we were on a road trip and I had 5+ hours of knitting per day. After you do it for a while, you can basically knit on autopilot, the needles clacking like the engine of an old motorcar (minus the fumes) and the piece growing longer with every passing minute. 

One of my favorite things about knitting (there are so many) is that you can do it anywhere and everywhere. This past summer, while we were on a family trip to the Maritimes (the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island) we were heading into a Costco to buy some much-needed snacks, and it was about -40 degrees in the colossal store. I wrapped my half-completed scarf around my neck and sat down on a navy blue L.L.Bean lawn chair that was 30% off. Nearby shoppers gave me peculiar looks, but for all those knitters out there, just because everyone thinks you’re bonkers doesn’t mean you have to stop doing what you love. 

This is an excerpt from a longer piece posted on my blog, Needle Little Help.