Knitting Zoo

A Secret Pal exchange is much like a zoo. We're all confined by the same rules, arbitrarily matched with a caregiver and hoping for food. Yet, when you look beyond the bars, each of our personalities gleam with an individual glow that is solely our own. Now that Secret Pal 7 is over, I've had some time to reflect on what a diverse group we knitters are.

Part of my duties as hostess involved reading 80+ blogs on a regular basis. There were knitters, crocheters, general crafters and those who I never could quite figure out what they did. There were stories of marriages, divorces, babies, and the occasional nervous breakdown. Pictures depicted knitted sweaters, scarves, socks, and lots and lots and LOTS of Booga bags. Folks defined themselves as students, housewives (and husbands!), writers, artists, and business women. Some participants blogged with enthusiasm, while others tried their best to catalog their days into occasional words. Gifts aside, most everyone simply hoped their spoiler would reach out to them every so often with a kind word.

I learned a lot as a hostess. Organization, attention to detail, and more than a little patience come to mind. Mostly though, I learned about people. How to manage conflicting expectations, differing tastes, and methods of communication. How to reassure folks who are waiting, how to encourage folks who are trying, and how to gently admonish folks who have faltered. All in all, it was quite a gig. Best of luck to the zookeepers of SP8!!