Knitters (and sewers) are the nicest people

I have benefited greatly from the friendship, advice, and support from fellow knitters and sewers. I smile and light up when I read the wonderful comments on things I've made. I don't know what it is about the fiber arts but most people I've met who knit and/or sew are really great. Are nice people attracted to these hobbies or do these hobbies make people nice?

I'm amazed and then again, not so surprised at the generosity of knitters lately.

Claudia rode in the Multiple Sclerosis Bike Tour 2007 in Massachusetts last weekend and raised over $40,000 - mostly from knitters! She received donations of yarn and knitting related items to give as gifts (180 of them!) and I was a lucky recipient of a skein of Irish Baby Knits yarn from woolgirl.com.

Last week Rachel's beloved cat Digit turned up after being lost for 4 months and given up for dead. He showed up at her house at half his weight and with serious health issues. The vet bills were astronomical, as one could imagine. At the urging of some visitors to her blog, she opened up a paypal donation with a raffle of three of her hand-knitted sweaters as prizes. In one day people donated enough to cover the current bill and the expense of the surgery Digit needs.

Last night I went to a going away party for Kristi at spinnity's house. I'd only just met Kristi through spinnity's spinning parties and now she was leaving to relocate to Colorado. The house was packed with knitter friends. Good food, some knitting (always!), riotous laughter at Hannah dressed in a sheep costume, and tears as we said goodbye to Kristi. I'm so glad I took up knitting again because it's through knitting that I've made some great new friends.

And the sewing friends are wonderful too. I've received so many nice comments on the orange plaid Butterick top both here and on patternreview. It's a wonderful feeling to be complimented on my creations and it really lifts me up. It's especially helpful because at work I don't get an positive feedback on the projects I spend so many hours on. There's one co-worker who is always willing to go the extra mile, gives credit where due, and is a really nice person. Oh yeah, she's a knitter!