Thursday, March 16, 2006

Throwing up the Bat Signal

*** This is a long and rambling post. If you're a skimmer and uninterested in my ramblings, skip to the end for the good stuff.**


I am fortunate enough to live in a major metropolitan area that is overrun with knitters. Even more fortunate to know and love some of these girls/woman/crazy people. They have become my community. And I love it.

I moved to Boston about four and a half years ago. I had graduated from a M.S. program at UGA and moved to New England for a job with a small environmental non-profit. Originally from the northeast this move was not too scary for me. I was happy to be leaving the south and anxious to get back "home". Unfortunately this move was my forth in three years and the third that brought me to a place where I didn't really know anyone. For real. This sucked. I didn't have any friends for a very very long time. I knew people and I had all of my best friends from my youth a phone call away but there was not anyone here for me. The kinds of people that you can open up to and be real. It was hard. I was depressed. My boyfriend (now my ex-boyfriend and husband) was still in Georgia and I had no friends. I did love my job - so not all was lost. I also loved loved loved living in Boston, a childhood dream of mine fulfilled.

To curb my loneliness I decided to take classes at a local adult education program. The first class I took was pottery. Lots of fun but a pretty solitary experience. I decided to take kickboxing (sport of the future). Didn't quite fit in with the "pony-tail black pants I spent more on my underwear than you ever dreamt was possible" crowd in the class. This brought me to the knitting class.

By this point in time Rob had moved up to Boston and we were living in our new condo, engaged and living the good life. Rob may be my husband, the love of my life and the person that I would want to head off to a desert island with, but he is unable to fill the part of me that craves a loving welcoming community. Something that I still did not have even after living in this fair city for a year and a half.

My knitting class was great. The participants were interesting, the teacher was phenomenal and I really truly enjoyed the craft. I took a second class and after that attended my instructor's weekly meetings at her home. The group was lively but not one I clicked with on a deeper level. About this time our wedding plans got ramped up and we were on the go a lot. Attending the knitting group fell to the back seat.

This was about the time I discovered the online knitting community. Being unable to make it to my knitting group I was a new knitter without a resource to answer my knitting questions. Google brought me to a few web logs. I slowly became enchanted with the people, the community, the inspiration, and the form of communication. I choose to start my blog as a way to work on my writing, to feel more connected to a community, and to learn html. I have accomplished all of this and more.

In the end, I have met and gained an incredible in person, real deal, group of friends. I see these girls quite often, love to be with them and seek their comfort and companionship as a matter of choice and necessity. I often do not blog about our get togethers. Mostly because they are just a normal part of my everyday existence. There are a lot of things about this existence that do not find their way here. Not for any reason really, just lack of time and some sense that it is not extradoridinary. But it is extraordinary. As Rob and I contemplate our next life moves, where we are going and what our goals are, these people make it more complicated. In the best possible way.

I can now say, after four and a half years in Boston, that I have a community. A group that I love and one that I would hate to loose. Pretty freaking cool.

All of this to say -

The other day I called for a meeting with some of these girls. Just needed to see them, having not been around most of them much the last month or so I was iching for my girls. I sent out an email to see who was around and up for a get-together. As I was composing an email I thought, "Hmm, this is a lot like Commissioner Gordon putting up the bat signal for Batman."



I thought it would be fun to put together a "Knitters Signal". For crime fighting and general clean hearted fun. You can use this to call on your posse. So. Fun.

32 Comments:

Blogger EvaLux said...

Girl, you sure have a way with words!!! You always know who to say what I feel inside (isn't that corny LOL). I totally agree about feeling this "thing" with the knitting community, even though for me it is and will stay a virtual community, but still... It is good to know that y'all are out there :)

Cheers Eva

3/16/2006 12:10 PM  
Blogger Vicki Knitorious said...

I may be well known in skimmers' circles, but I'll have you know I read every single word -- and with bated breath, even!!! What a treasure you are, my dear Wendy.

Love the Knitters Signal. Spectacular!!! I may have used it with every single post the past 2+ weeks -- with all that yellow and black, one might think of a different movie... maybe "Bees."

; )

3/16/2006 12:25 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Very Cool Knitsignal. Neat idea!

3/16/2006 12:33 PM  
Blogger Stitchy McYarnpants said...

I'm loving the bat signal! I'm so bummed I was wasn't able to respond to it last night. :(

I am so with you on the amazing kntting community we have. I was just thinking about it the other day. I realized that if I ever needed to move (no, I'm not planning anything, but the mind, she wanders) I could probably find a community of knitters to hang with. It's not that we're all interchangeable, but there's a commonality among knitters and they way they relate that just makes you feel welcome and comfortable.

Knitters rule!

3/16/2006 12:35 PM  
Blogger Carole Knits said...

Love the bat signal! So cool.

3/16/2006 12:40 PM  
Blogger Martha said...

So love the bat signal!

I work only with men, and live with one at home, so I am incredibly grateful for my new knitting girlfriends. Men are fine and all, but sometimes you just need to talk to a woman.

3/16/2006 12:44 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Per. Fect. I'd thought the same thing; I always imagined single life full of girlfriends, a la Sex and the City, but it wasn't until I was a married knitter that I finally found my group - I even refer to them jokingly as "my posse." So, nicely said!

3/16/2006 1:08 PM  
Blogger Sanders said...

If I were more experienced with colorwork, I'd chart that baby and wear it on a sweater!

ditto ditto ditto to the girlfriends, connections and knitters in general.

Thanks for the batsignal!

p.s. did you know batgirl was a librarian? very cool.

3/16/2006 1:34 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love the knit signal!! More than that, I loved your post.

3/16/2006 2:28 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

So if I flash the signal, will you come down and keep me company? ;-) You Beantown girls ROCK!!! I miss you all!

3/16/2006 4:40 PM  
Blogger Sheri said...

What a great post! I couldn't agree with the whole thing more! Long story short - from Rhode Island (34 years), moved to Georgia and been here 14 1/2 and haven't met a knitting buddy yet. I miss having buddies PERIOD! Thanks for a great post and the batman emblem is perfect.
Sheri in GA
PS Our daughter is patiently awaiting the "word" from UGA for her acceptance - we're all on pins and needles.

3/16/2006 5:08 PM  
Blogger maryse said...

to the knit cave!

3/16/2006 7:28 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Love the knitsignal- wish I still lived in boston so I could answer the call :-)

3/16/2006 8:27 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh that is SOOOO perfect! Kinda like Mulder with the masking tape on the X files. Put the tape on the window, and all the weirdos show up.

3/16/2006 9:34 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Amen! I felt compelled to join this virtual knitting world because I could not find that community locally. I've had my blog for less than a year and through it I've met so many wonderful women including some in my city! We now get together every two weeks for knitting (and talking and drinking and eating). It's great to have these women locally that I can get together with regularly. But it's also great that the internet can make someone thousands of miles away feel just as close.

3/16/2006 10:18 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Holy circulars Batman! Love it!

3/16/2006 10:34 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love that! I've heard that New Englanders (or should I say we New Englanders since I'm a native) can be hard to get to know; but, once you make a friend, it's a true friend.

3/16/2006 11:54 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love your story, LOVE the signal (Cafe Press - please!!). I wish I could find a community like yours!!!

3/17/2006 7:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hee Hee, AWESOME. Definitely cafe press that bad boy!

3/17/2006 7:24 AM  
Blogger Nik said...

A while ago I created a similar signal...although i created it to tell knitters about yarn sales in the area. Cool!

3/17/2006 9:15 AM  
Blogger Darcy said...

LOL - I definately hear you. I second (or third or forth) the vote for tee shirts!

3/17/2006 9:34 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dude - we love you too.

xoxo

3/17/2006 9:37 AM  
Blogger Micky said...

Cool signal! Hopefully someday I will live close to great knitters. Then once I do, I will send it to them all.
:)

3/17/2006 10:43 AM  
Blogger Jes said...

Very cool signal! Love the idea.

I went to UGA too. I was really excited to see another northerner had gone south for a little while ;) I was there from 96-99 in the theatre department.
Just cool to see another bulldawg.

3/17/2006 11:27 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You know, as I've been contemplating some life changes myself, I've been quietly overwhelmed (in a good way) by the ever-present support, encouragement and inspiration of the knitters I've been lucky enough to call friend. Just by knowing they're there - I feel really lucky to be a part of it, and I'm disappointed I didn't pull through on Wednesday.

Now, I'm going to give you the full scoop offline.... ;)

3/17/2006 11:53 AM  
Blogger Lorette said...

I love the Batsignal! I also loved your post! This just mirrors my experience with blogging and the online knitting community, except that I wouldn't have written it as well as you did. I've made online (and real-life) friends doing this that I never would have found otherwise.
We seriously need batsignal t-shirts.

3/17/2006 2:25 PM  
Blogger Chris said...

Thanks for a great post that also summarized my experience with the online knitting community. :)

3/17/2006 7:24 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It was great reading your story. I know what you mean about moving some place new and not really knowing people. That's what it was like for me when I moved to Dallas in '03, didn't really have friends or a community, but knitting helped me to make some friends while I was there. It's been cool in Denver b/c there are so many more knitters around, that when I moved back, I had great friends that already knitted and then found more through blog-reading and surfing and met a great group of girls that I love to hang out with!

3/19/2006 10:26 AM  
Blogger RheLynn said...

cute signal ;o) and great story - I am still wondering how to contact people in my new area -- especially being a 'northern transplant'

So far I've failed at recruiting anybody where I work to try knitting. They've mentioned they want to learn - but then when offered 'a lesson, anytime you want' - they don't have any time.

3/19/2006 4:11 PM  
Blogger wenders said...

I think the time has come, Other Wendy...we should meet! Especially since you sent out the 'bat signal'...! Do you have a regular SnB? I could CRASH it. ;) Let me know!

3/21/2006 8:50 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Everyone's been telling me to come over here and get your Knitter's Signal. Now I understand. *mmmwaaahhh*

3/25/2006 10:35 AM  
Anonymous Kathy said...

Hey, found your blog from the Yarn Harlot's post today. Very creative and I like the rest of your blog as well.

1/14/2010 1:10 AM  

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