Foreword:
Dear Reader,
The idea for this book was born at
the beginning of a creative writing class named “The Book”. We received the syllabus
and learned that we would attempt to write four chapters of an actual book we
might want to publish. I was frantically searching for ideas to write an entire
book. I knew that my favorite subject, children’s books would not be long
enough to fulfill the required pages for this class. Furthermore, I did not
want to write something that would end up on my piles of home work assignments
and other useless creative endeavourers that have accumulated in the past
years. In a moment of clarity I remembered my husband’s words, “You should
write a book about your knitting patterns.” In my research on the subject I
came across publishing houses that are actively seeking authors to submit ideas
for knitting books and other craft books and I approached my professor with the
idea. He was not thrilled at first, citing that I had to write a certain number
of pages to fulfill the requirements for the class, but he changed his mind and
let me be creative.
Creativity is something I really
enjoy. It goes back to my childhood when I started to write books, as soon as I
learned how to write. I also liked to watch my grandmother when she was knitting,
crocheting, and embroidering whenever we would visit. It was about the same
time that she began to teach me how to knit, crochet and embroider, and
thankfully she was patient enough to continue with the slow and long process of
teaching me how to wrap yarn around my fingers and hold the needles at the same
time without loosing the stitches, or the yarn, or the needles. I am very
grateful to my grandmother and her patience, because she gave me a gift that
lasts even after she was gone, and every time I pick up the needles I think of
her and the time we had together.
Another one of my creative outlets
is photography. I did not learn to appreciate photography until my teenage
years. I have seen my grandfather, an avid photographer, carrying cameras
everywhere and taking pictures of mundane objects, people, and documenting
life’s changes around him. Inspired by the men of the past who captured human’s
history in their writings; he worked on several chronicles and documented the
life around him through photographs. It was his devotion to capture the essence
of everyday life and its effect on people that helped me discover the art of
photography. Because of him, I learned to carry a camera and capture the
fleeting moments in life that pass by too easily and are forgotten in the
hassle of our busy lives.
I hope to pass the gift of
observing and appreciating small things to anyone willing to open their heart
and mind.
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