Hello! Let me introduce myself...

In my natural habitat

Welcome! I figured I would take this opportunity to introduce myself and tell you my plans for this blog. I've been knitting since I was about 8. I grew up as an only child and we lived way out in the country, so I had to learn to entertain myself. When those inevitable moments of boredom came up, my mother would teach me to sew, embroider, cross stitch, and knit. Knitting is really the only thing that stuck (I can do everything else in a basic way, but I don't enjoy it). Fast forward to 2005. I was 21 and after what I thought was a case of the flu, my joints started becoming painful and swollen, to the point I began having difficulty walking. I was working full-time as a manager of a retail gaming store while going to college full-time. I didn't have time to spend in bed! I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and was forced to take more time to rest. I began knitting again and instantly became hooked. I found tools and learned tricks to help keep my hands working. Plus, the fine motor skills required of knitting helped keep my hands limber and strong. Win-win, right? I continued working and graduated with a Bachelor's in Political Science, and would knit things in my spare time for gifts. That changed in 2010 when the progression of my illness caused me to lose my job. I turned to knitting to fill my time. One day my mother pointed me toward Etsy, and RamsGirl Design was born. I was suddenly able to work for myself, on my own schedule! If my pain had kept me up most of the night, I could sleep in and get to work in the afternoon. And my work dress code included yoga pants and pajamas! It has allowed me to take care of myself in a way that working in an office didn't allow. Stress is bad auto-immune disease like RA, so living a less stressful life made my symptoms much easier to deal with. Plus, I was able to spend time trying new things, like yoga and meditation, to ease my pain. There are, of course, downsides to working from home. I talk to my cats more than is probably normal. I'm always in my office. But it has been a great option for me.

So why write this blog? My knitting is mostly a solitary hobby. There are some knitting groups in neighboring towns, but it is a commute, which doesn't always work with my health. Since I do business online to accommodate my limitations, I thought why not create a blog to communicate with other knitters of all levels and abilities? I hope to share not only my love of knitting, but also some things that living with a chronic illness has taught me. What can you expect? Yarn reviews, product reviews, patterns, uplifting stories, and posts of me bitching. I just wanted to warn you with the last one - I get snarky when I get frustrated! At least my tirades are funny, I promise. I hope you will subscribe and enjoy! I look forward to "meeting" you all.

-Traci