About Me

Kusum is not my name, just an alias because I'm paranoid about privacy!

I started crocheting when I found out I was pregnant in 2000. I've been crocheting ever since and love it. My first crochet was a custom design baby blanket for my Son. He still uses it and constantly asks me to knit him stuff. He got the first knitted scarf and sweater I ever made. Hubby is jealous, but picky and so it's hard to make him stuff.

I never understood why people wanted to knit until I saw a friend who had a ladder yarn scarf that her step-mother had made her. It was beautiful, lightweight and a unigue fabric, so I got 14 inch needles and made myself one. My son loved the girly scarf, promptly stole it from me, still plays with it, and has pretty much destroyed it. Though I hated knitting with those needles, uncomfortable and painful. I gave them to my aunt who used to knit in India. But I kept looking at other stuff to make, I'd buy yarn and knit, finish, and frog cause I didn't like how it looked. I didn't have a single finished knitted piece for my efforts.

Then I won some Blue sky yarn in black and bought the Faina's scarf pattern from Fibertrends. I was in heaven. A beautiful design, easy to make, and great directions. That pattern made me appreciate the value of good published single patterns. I have books and magazines, but none that I really wanted to make. I worship that scarf, it made me really appreciate how beautiful a handmade item can be.

My stash is too big and I'm probably going to donate some of it to retirement homes or something. I like both acrylics and the elite knitting yarns. I am definitely not a yarn snob, though I don't like fun fur. I've tried knitting with it and just don't like how it comes out, I prefer more traditional yarns. Even Mohair like Artful Yarns Portrait is too much for me. The knitting does not flow.

My other hobbies are

1. PS2 games. I start playing a game and won't stop until I finish. Can't knit or anything else until I finish the game.
2. Reading. I like Sci Fi, Mystery, JD Robb, Nora Roberts, Romance books. Though most of my usual authors are disappointing in there writing.
3. Cooking. I like to learn how to make new stuff. I'm a vegetarian so finding new stuff to make in the US is difficult. Especially something the whole extended family will like.
4. Shopping. I like buying all kinds of stuff. I sometime need to just take a day for myself from morning till late afternoon and go to the mall. I may not buy stuff, but visiting the stores and looking around makes me feel better and more relaxed.
5. Computers. I am a programmer for a big corporate world so I have to like computers, though I hate the new processes. "Dammit Jim I'm a programmer, not a bureaucrat!" said Kusum in Dr. McCoy voice.
6. TV. I like TV. I didn't for a while. I HATE reality TV. I will not watch any of those shows. I like CSI, House, Medium, Bones, etc. Crime shows, but not Law and Order.