...Finish another project?

Here are some pictures of three felted coin purses I have sitting on my shelf. I knit them up, sewed the seams, even made the accompanying flowers, felted everything (in our frontloading washer no less) and then let it all sit. I need to sew the flowers on to the outside and add the zippers - seemingly easy enough tasks, but for some reason it's just not getting done. Maybe I'll work on them this weekend. While the pictures don't do them justice they are the richest colors. I picked up the kit (from Pick Up Sticks!) at a small yarn store, Knitch, in southeastern Wisconsin while husband and I were on vacation with our youngest daughter (3 mos. old) in late December. I would be remiss not to mention the lovely b&b we stayed in - The Inn at Pine Terrace - their oversized spa tub made the entire trip worth it. I also picked up the felted poinsettia wreath kit for next year - hopefully I'll get around to that after the advent calendar (which I have yet to blog about) is complete.

Lace!

After two false starts I actually have some lace going! At first I was reversing the YO and instead of creating the necessary 'holes' I was just doing increases. Once I figured out what I was doing it is has been smooth sailing.

I have modified the pattern to fit better with my skill/comfort level so I am only doing three repeats (vs. the five in the pattern). I also added a couple of rows to the bottom border so that it better matches the side border. It took me about 45 minutes to get through the patterned 16 rows so we'll see how long this scarf actually becomes (maybe I'll get faster as I get more used to it?). I am really enjoying learning lace - but it is definately NOT naptime knitting. It requires too much focus; something that is in short supply with three kiddos!

...I will learn some lace.

Since I finished up the baby booties, my knitting queue is clear and I am free to create something for myself! I can hardly believe it. Yes, the scarf is still in the wings, as is the felted bag, and there are some more stockings to be knit for the advent calendar, but I am ready for a challenge...ready to learn something new.


The other week our family attended a benefit for Aubrey Poole. As the lone bidder on the one knitting item in the silent auction, I was delighed to win it! It was a knitting basket with three skeins of yarn (used to create the booties below), two sets of knitting patterns (scarves and sweaters) and a set of three knitting classes at a local knitting store, The Knitting Tree. I am very excited by all of these things! I can't wait to use the classes to try out some new things (cables) and have decided that my new project will be to learn some lace techniques by knitting up the Fern Lace Wrap from The Little Box of Scarves, by Melissa Matthay and Sheryl Thies. Here's to trying something new!

...I will finish that baby shower gift

And, here they are - some of the cutest booties around. I figure these to be size 6-9 months - a far cry from the newborn size that I was going for. I found the (free!) pattern from Saartje Knits. They were too cute not to try. They knit up really fast and were pretty easy to make. I did both in about 6 hours. I hope the momma-to-be likes them.

I was very lucky to be sitting at my favorite coffee shop/yarn store, Lakeside Fibers, when this project was completed. My husband gave me a rare afternoon off and I was able to go there, do some reading for my class and complete this project. I can tell you that I got tons of compliments on this project from fellow knitters/coffee shop patrons.

...I will blog "the scarf."

"The scarf" has been around for quite awhile. It was actually my very first knitting project when I re-learned how to knit. My friend Sara taught me in 2003 while we were living in NYC - she gets all the credit for my current knitting craze - but it was my grandmother (may she rest in peace) that first taught me how to knit when I was a little girl. I made the scarf for my (then) boyfriend (now husband). He loved it - or at least said he did. The colors and basic design were/are great, but what I didn't understand at the time was that stockingette stitch rolls up. This design element wasn't so great. So, it has been at least four years since I first knit that scarf and I have now decided to deconstruct it and start over in a rib stitch (3 by 3). It is coming along nicely, but I worry that using the recycled yarn is impacting the "look." I have hope that once I block it it will look great. Well...maybe at least I'll get another four years out of it before he asks for a new one altogether.

There is also "the sweater" that I started for him around the same time - yes, I got pompous and thought that once I completed a scarf I could knit anything - but that one is packed away in a box upstairs. Another story for another post...

...I will start a blog!

So here I am. A novice knitter with not a lot of time, but lots to share and still more to learn about knitting. I am an advanced beginner and enjoy all that I have learned so far. I mostly stick to the basic knit, purl, and rib stitches, but I have tackled scarves, hats, sweaters, lederhosen, baby booties, baby rattles, and even (brace yourself) a 3-D uterus. I don't have many pictures of my early projects, but I have resolved to take more pictures of my craft moving forward. Much of my work is given away as gifts to family and friends, but I am also finding time to knit for myself these days. I would love to expand my stitch repertoire (cable, lace) as well as learn some fair isle techniques. Stay tuned for updates on my progress: my successes, joys and challenges.