Not only is it strangely mesmerising - addiction levels approach those of that angry birds game on the iPhone - but its also productive and cheap too! At least, it is if approached in my typically thrifty fashion.
I had a vague recollection of knitting a poorly proportioned scarf in primary school. I figured once I had the right tools, I would simply jump back on the bike and harness the power of muscle memory.
So I set off to my local opshop where I remembered seeing a stash of knitting paraphenalia shoved away in a box. After some rummaging I walked away beaming with pride and excitement. I'd pulled together a Premium Knitting 101 starter kit, for just $40. It contains what might be considered an excessive amount of beginner materials: about 20 pairs of different sized needles in a lovingly hand sewn case, 40 or so balls of coloured wool, a stack of retro knitting patterns, and a whole bunch of nifty looking gadgets that I can't even imagine how to use.
Of course, unlike riding a bike, knitting requires you to do fancy pre-activity things like slipknots and "casting on". After many failed attempts to call my mum for advice, YouTube came through with the goods. Boy, there are so many people who blog about knitting! After much sifting, I found one really helpful lady: Judy. Judy has been knitting for over 50 years and has had her custom knits worn by the likes of Barbara Streisand and Tom Hanks - so shes not only generous with her super-useful website and videos, she's also got WOW factor. Thanks to my opshop, and my celebrity knitter, I am now well and truly on my way!
