Is it just me or does there seem to be an overpowering sense of apathy going around? It's been "cool" for teenagers to not feel excited about anything for a while now, but this vibe of too-cool-to-care is floating around and really getting me down. As a result, I love when people have a passion. I don't care if it's saving endangered salamanders in India or knowing everything there is to know about sandpaper- just be excited about something.

Me, I'm excited about yarn. And writing. And, to a certain extent, comics. Therefore, I got giddy excited when I saw this image:

You read that right- "Handknit Heroes," It's a new comic written by Stephanie Bryant and illustrated by Marc Olivent.

Their site has a nice summary:

"Imagine you’re a teenager, and you have some… special powers. Maybe even super powers. And one day, at a sleepover, your best friend in the whole world tells you—you’re not alone. So begins the adventure for a couple of teenagers, a single mom and yarn shop owner, and a whole bunch of hand knitted fun."

Each comic will have a story and a pattern. I'm in! Unfortunately, the closest shop that sells "Handknit Heroes" is in Maine, which is strange because I thought Boston's pairing of yarn stores, comic shops, and college students would warrant a local distributor. I'll be signing up for a mail subscription until I can convince someone in my area to start carrying it.

Developing and publishing an independent comic certainly takes passion these days- especially those that are choosing to forgo e-subscriptions and stick to the beloved print copies. To show my support (and rabid excitement) I'll be placing my order for a subscription shortly. Don't you just love when your usually divergent interests collide in a ball of awesome?

From an early age, I wanted to knit. My grandmothers often knit hats, sweaters, or scarves for family members and I remember admiring their work. I understood that knitting was an interesting and worthwhile activity and wanted in on the fun. Unfortunately, my hands didn't quite get the memo on fine motor skills and appropriate tension. 

My mother and I tried in vain to learn to knit, wanting to conquer it like many other crafts we easily picked up- clay, beads, candles- you name it, we did it. But without fail, our cast on stitches would strangle the needle and within a few rows I couldn't squeeze my acrylic needle through the deathgrip of acrylic craft store yarn. Processed plastic on processed plastic is not an encouraging sound.

Foiled, I gave up on knitting, and its equally disastrous cohort crocheting. I busied myself with books and other crafts for many years, but none really held my interest for more than a few projects. Then, like a doctor in a telephone box, came yarn.