It was hot. Damn hot.

It WAS hot. Very damn hot, where I learned to knit. That was in Israel in fact. I was there two years ago with a youth group (Habonim Dror), and we had met up with out sister group (Hanoar Haoved Vehalomed) in one of their 'machanot' (camps) for a few days. One day, one of the Israeli 'madrichim' (counsellors) was running a 'chug' (interest group) on knitting. So I said what the heck, it beats playing soccer in this heat (this heat being...38-39?). So there were a few girls (none from my group, all Israeli, and that is something intimidating) and the single, MALE, 'madrich' (singular, male form of counsellor), and I. We didn't have knitting needles, so we sharpened some paintbrushes. And our yarn was some big mass of red synthetic stuff (which I have kicking around still). Now, this was at the very start of our few days together, so we didn't know each other very well. And the madrich had not expected any of the Canadian kids to show up to his chug. He spoke very little English and 'ani medaber me'at me'at ivrit' (I speak very little Hebrew [I think that's what I typed]). And of course all of the girls were too cool to help me (at first, they warmed up to me once I proved I wasn't some "stupid American" - their words, not mine).

A long story short: I was taught to knit in the sweltering heat in a foreign land, with virtually no verbal communication besides 'ken' (yes) and 'lo' (no). I learnt how to cast on and knit. Just knit, nothing to grand as purling.

From these humble beginnings, I have blossomed to a somewhat capable knitter, and most things since then have been self/internet taught. Except for socks.



P.S. Hopefully progress photos tomorrow. See what happens after work today. And my family is leaving (sans me) for a few days starting tomorrow. Assuming I have enough yarn, I just might finish Beowulf.