When you first learn to knit, you don’t know what kind of a knitter you are. You’re tempted by quick knits, big metal needles.

You rhapsodize over novelty yarns.

And then you grow up a little.

You find out that your favorite yarns occupy a specific range between Aran and sock yarn. You realize you love the elasticity of soft merino. You decide that if you’re going to knit at all, you’re going to have to have good wool yarn, medium-sized wooden needles, and just the right amount of challenge.

At which point you find yourself making your first pair of cabled gauntlets for a cat who wants to eat your needles.