[embed]https://instagram.com/p/0SldxUHRiD/?taken-by=saramaternini[/embed]   I've had many blog since my first post in January 2006: food, photography, baby food... I have written about technology, I have been paid to write on corporate blogs, to update twitter and Facebook pages, to manage social profiles for brands. But this is the first time I have my own blog about knitting. My own knitting. Where to start? My grandma taught me to knit when I was about six. Wow, what an incredible knitting cliché!  But she taught me only to knit: no purl, no cast or cast off. Better, but still... I left the needle to take dust for decades. Boring! In 2009 I was pregnant with my first child (I now have two) and I was having a lot of troubles sleeping at night, waking up at 4.30 am (on the clock, each night), staring at the ceiling until the sun rose. A dear friend of mine told me she occupied these sleepless hours knitting. She showed me the wonderful little garments she was making and it was love! The book she was using was in French, and still up to today one of my favourite for the timeless allure of all the patterns: Tricots intemporels pour bébés, by Citronille. I was taking back knitting! Harmed with straight needles (OMG!) and a mix of wool and cotton bought at the nearest haberdashery (at least it wasn't acrylic!) I began a pair of booties. Have you checked the gauge? Gauge? Dunno: what it is? Have you at least used the same yarn and needle instructed in the pattern? I have used the yarn and needle I had at my disposal: 1 ball of red merino cotton and a pair of 4 mm needle... Disaster! Disaster! It came out a strange intersection of different shapes, asymmetrical, the size of a 4 year old foot, once you could understand how to sew it to put together... And without knowing it I was already having the second sock syndrome, on my very first project! But for once I didn't abandon my project: I was sleeping again, so I was going to knit everyday! Luckily I didn't only have the Internet (and the magnificent video of KnittingHelp!) on my side, but an heterogeneous circle of friends to help me out. Little by little I have discovered an array of friends who where knitting, really knitting, making jumpers, shawls, cowls... Justine introduced me to Ravelry and circular needles. Aurora introduced me to knit pro needles and to courage and persistence in making something. Susan introduced me to Lanar and its outlet in Milan. Alice introduced me to ALL the rest, and especially Elizabeth Zimmermann and her philosophy. Veruska tried to introduce me to crochet, but it's not really my thing... I still remember fondly the Saturday afternoons spent at the Triennale in Milan, happily knitting all together. By the time I moved to France (2011) my stash improved (in quality and, obviously, in quantity), my needle collection had only circular needles, and I was active on Ravelry, at least compiling stash, project, and favourites. And from 2011 to 2015 my technique improved, my stash became massive, I felt in love with shawls and my children became to refuse my creations, so I turned to myself, husband, and friends. In 2014 I have decided to dedicate my life to knitting, with La Cave à Laine, but that's a story for another day. Yes, ok, all very cool and "interesting": but why are you writing a blog? This blog will be my stream of knitting conscience, so do not expect much ;)