Melissa Leapman Converts Chart Hater

I am a self taught knitter. My Mom's best friend gave me size 2, bent aluminum needles and yellow fingering yarn. She showed me the garter stitch and I began knitting headbands. I designed my first item of clothing by knitting a bathing suit for my Barbie doll with those needles and same yarn. My mom gave me "The Complete Book of Knitting". Published in 1947 and written by Elizabeth Mathieson, I began to knit all that I could understand. She had attempted to knit socks for soldiers during WWII and hated it. She was an accomplished seamstress, but all thumbs with the knitting needles.

There is not one chart in that book. Every instruction is written out; line, by line. That is my training. As charts became more popular, I resisted learning. I tried a few times over the years with little success. I found charts to be an exercise in frustration. I refused to knit charted patterns.I was a self avowed "chart hater"!

Do you know one? Are you one? Well, let me introduce you to Melissa Leapman. She has such a great story to tell. She is a gentle and quiet teacher. Very intelligent and able to make sense of the senseless. She has wonderful books and patterns available, many discounted at Amazon.com.
I took 2 classes with her on Thursday, back to back. That was my day of enlightenment. I am fully converted and on fire for charts. She gave me the answer to the burning questions I had. It makes sense. I can now read and knit from charts with ease. I may even like charts for cables and lace. I plan to seek them out from now on. Wow!

She is a tiny little missionary. I called her a coat hanger with the greatest affection. She is an effective teacher. I learned so much and had fun. The time flew. I anxiously await the arrival of her books. I knit until midnight last night to keep practicing some of my new moves.

Another knitting rock star. Thank you North Coast Knitters Guild for bringing this caliber of talent to our group. It is a pleasure to sit with so many fine knitters of all skill levels in the great equlizer. The classroom...