Introduction

It's 1/1/11.  Happy New Year and welcome to Knitting in the fastlane!  The urge to blog about my passion for textiles actually came a little while ago, but I waited until this date to write my first post.  I guess that many new ventures (and resolutions) are officially beginning today.

I'm O! Jolly! a/k/a Olgalyn Jolly.  If you googled my name, you'd probably think I was a singer or performing artist, and you'd be correct -- but only partially.  I've been living a parallel life.  I am a knitter.  I started knitting many years ago.

Some pix from my past...

Though I 'm interested in all sorts of textiles, I'm only fluent in knitting at this time.  Along the way I've discovered that the part of knitting I enjoy the most is trying out new stitch combinations and then endlessly experimenting with them -- knitting swatches, in other words.  If I extend the swatch, then I can call it a scarf.  Extending it even further, it's a shawl.  Even more and it's a blanket or wall hanging.  When I get a good rhythm going, there's no need to stop.

One more thing.  I knit with up to 358 needles at the same time.  I use a knitting machine.  It's a "hand knitting" machine, not industrial, not electronic or electric, though those are cool, too.  My machine is a beautiful tool.  With it, I can see the results of my experiments much more quickly than if I were using just two needles.  As slow food, slow travel, and the whole slow movement  gain ground (in some circles), I welcome you to knitting in the fastlane.