I was reading a blog post from Untangling Knots several days ago about the difference between Handmade and Homemade. I wholeheartedly agree with much of what she says and I hope you will go read her words...go...now. Are you back yet? Good.
I make things. I love making things. I get such a sense of pride when I finish a thing that I beam with happiness. Then I show it to someone...most often my husband who acknowledges the made thing with an "uh-huh, pretty". It's just not his thing really, but I so often take it to heart. That spark of pride slowly starts to fade and I start to find the flaws in my made thing. It's just not fair to myself to make everyone else's expectations so important. If I am happy with my made thing then I should just be happy with it. It doesn't matter if it can rival the store-bought item or the professional handmade artists. It's mine. I did it.
But it's been the same with this blog. I was so proud when I first started. So happy and excited to put my little voice out there among everyone else's. I had grand plans to find new and wonderful knitting people that I could converse with and learn more about my hobbies...but it didn't happen. Not because knitters are antisocial mean people, but because I never sought them out. I didn't take the time to post here or to write or to even try. I just quit. It became a sore spot. A hurt. A letdown. Like an unfinished object buried in the closet so that no one knows you didn't finish it.
I want to change that. I want to do better. I want to excel at this thing. So just like learning cables or socks or a provisional cast on, I'm just going to have to try. This blog is hand made and heart felt. It's okay if it's not the best and I don't have a ton of beautiful pictures and I don't have sponsors and as many followers and all the cool widgets that everyone else does. I definitely have run on sentences covered...I want this blog to be a testament to me learning about life, marriage, knitting, stitching and all the million other things I do. I want it to be me. That's the best anyone can ask for.
So, if you're here...I'm glad. I'm enthused! Please stay, read a while and come back often.
-Allie
