it's a bird ... it's a plane ...

... it's my knitting hero! When it comes to the person who has had the most influence on my knitting and crafting career, it really is a no-brainer. This person ...

• Put needle and thread into my hands at an early age, teaching me my first crafts--needlepoint and cross-stitch ...
• Encouraged me to bring my crafts along and work on them during long road trips as a child, instilling a lifelong need to keep my hands busy as a passenger ...
• Stood in line, filled out endless forms, and paid my entry fees so that I could enter my fledgling crafts in the state fair ...
• Then endured packed crowds and long lines attending said state fair so that we could admire the ribbons our entries won ...
• Surrounded me with tons of inspiration, as I grew up in a house filled with her own knitting, sewing, and crafting projects ... 
• Taught me to appreciate the beauty and art of the handmade ...
• Fixed my mistakes countless times when I fumbled as a beginner ... 
• Repeatedly showed me how to cast-on (and cast-off) when I forgot how ...
• Untangled countless balls of yarn ...
• Bought me way too many books, kits, and supplies to count ...
• Never said "no" when I wanted to learn something new or try a new craft ...
• Drove me to the craft store over and over and over...
• Was always willing to answer my crafting questions over the phone, no matter how many time zones away I lived ...
• Now is a constant crafting "consultant," serving as my sounding board for color ideas and technique advice ...
• Will happily join me on any adventure to seek out a hidden local yarn store or fabric shop ...

But perhaps most importantly of all, this person role-modeled an "of course you can make that" attitude that I count as one of my biggest crafting assets today ... she has no idea how much growing up in a "we can make that" household has cultivated my creativity and brought so much joy to my life. For me, making and creating is not a want, it's a must. Knitting, sewing, beading ... making ... creating ... it's what makes my heart happy and makes my soul sing. She was the first person to introduce this to my life, and I can't imagine what my life would be like without it ...
Thanks so much, Mom. You are my knitting hero.

Check out the other posts on the third day of Knitting and Crochet Blog Week! Enter 3KCBWDAY3 as your search term in a Google search to find more participants!