Whn I first started knitting, I bought a big ball of Red Heart Super Saver Economy Size to practice with. Its a pretty colour, even if it is just an acryllic. Verigated in reds, burgundys, gray, beige... I like it, it wasn't expensive so if I waste it, it was no biggy.
I didn't think I'd ever use it all as 10,000 practice swatches, I'm just not that patient, so I decided to make something with it. A shawl. After a long search on the net I, I came to a simple stockinette shawl with a garter border. Nice and simple, I know, but its not the most exciting yarn, and that way I can pick it up and put it down whenever I get some spare time.
Its funny, because when I first started knitting, I joined a Yahoo Group for Knitting Novices and its their knitalong. Note to self: Sometimes its better to stay in your own backyard instead of wandering the neighborhood.
I've tried to include the link to the ShawlAlong so far without success, but its only technology so I know I will beat it and get eventually. I still need to post some photos of how its going...
Sunday, March 26, 2006
Monday, March 20, 2006
A New Twist On Grandmother's Favorite Dishcloth
A New Twist On Grandmother's Favorite Dishcloth
This is a another blogger link to some cool discloth patterns. Dishcloths are a great way to practice "new skills"...
Speaking of skills, I joined a Yahoo Group that does monthly knit-along-dishcloths as a group and its really turning out to be fun! I'm well on my way with the mid-month KAL (even though I've had to frog it once). I'd like to get it done today, but we'll have to see how it goes.
The Granny's favorite was my first attempt
and the checkerboard, my second.
I made this one for my co-worker. She loves knitted dishcloths and I love making them....The photo's not so hot though. I used a whole ball of Handicrafter for it.
Here's my KAL round dishcloth and the DW I made. I love the colours! I will definitely make more of these.
This is a another blogger link to some cool discloth patterns. Dishcloths are a great way to practice "new skills"...
Speaking of skills, I joined a Yahoo Group that does monthly knit-along-dishcloths as a group and its really turning out to be fun! I'm well on my way with the mid-month KAL (even though I've had to frog it once). I'd like to get it done today, but we'll have to see how it goes.
The Granny's favorite was my first attempt
and the checkerboard, my second.
I made this one for my co-worker. She loves knitted dishcloths and I love making them....The photo's not so hot though. I used a whole ball of Handicrafter for it.
Here's my KAL round dishcloth and the DW I made. I love the colours! I will definitely make more of these.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Why I Started Knitting
My New Year's Resolution was to find a hobby. Something I could do "selfishly" just for me. I remembered how I enjoyed my Aunt and Mom trying to teach my cousin & I to knit when we were 12. Why not try poking around with pointy sticks again?!
After a couple of months of practicing (for at least an hour everyday,) I honestly don't think I'll ever put the needles down again.
After a couple of months of practicing (for at least an hour everyday,) I honestly don't think I'll ever put the needles down again.
Saturday, March 04, 2006
Big BIG Oopsie
So. I'm sitting at home on a Friday night enjoying some alone time. My husband and his cousin are at a concert and our son is playing, albeit alone, in his room. I'm analyzing my 'practice scarf'. It was the first thing I ever put on my needles and consequently, full of mistakes! But that's OK. I left them in instead of frogging the whole thing as momentos of my learnin-days. Something to gauge how far (I think) I've come since I first picked up sticks, a couple of months ago. (I'll post pictures when I download them from my camera if you promise you won't laugh. wink wink)
Well, it turns out I didn't really travel far at all...
Like I said, I'm eye-balling this creation of mine wondering, 'why doesn't my combination of knit/purl look and different than my knit only?'
Back to the books I go. Its now 11 o'clock at night and I'm thumbing through my how to books, looking at the wonderful illustrations of this elusive stitch, when I realize I don't know what the heck I've been doing this whole time! I've got my yarn's fronts and backs all mixed up! What I thought was a purl stitch is actually just a regular knit stitch going the other way! No wonder all my rows looked the exact same! I am a dyslexic knitter...
I really haven't done alot of pieces to date, mostly just really bad practicing. What it all means is that the things I have made so far are all just good old plain garter stitch. I have made a couple of simple scarves;
one for our niece's birthday,
and a skinny one for me and a matching hat.
Well, by now my hubby and his cousin have returned from the concert and told me about their night. The boy is tucked in snuggly and snoring to beat the band and I'm not anywhere near tired. I bind off my practice piece (there's no way I'm wasting anymore time on 24" of chaos) and resolve to begin again.
This time I learn how to do a double cast-on, which is kinda cool but I don't know if I'll ever use it. I do a few knit rows and get into the purling. After deciphering what I did wrong and how to make it right, I am finally FINALLY purling. I made the most beautiful stockinette you have ever seen!
It's now 2:00am. Do I forego sleep to teach myself ribbing or put it all away and start fresh in the morning? Well, I actually feel asleep on the couch with my stuff on my lap. When I woke up this morning I was just glad I didn't have any needles poking me.
I'll save the ribbing for another day.
Well, it turns out I didn't really travel far at all...
Like I said, I'm eye-balling this creation of mine wondering, 'why doesn't my combination of knit/purl look and different than my knit only?'
Back to the books I go. Its now 11 o'clock at night and I'm thumbing through my how to books, looking at the wonderful illustrations of this elusive stitch, when I realize I don't know what the heck I've been doing this whole time! I've got my yarn's fronts and backs all mixed up! What I thought was a purl stitch is actually just a regular knit stitch going the other way! No wonder all my rows looked the exact same! I am a dyslexic knitter...
I really haven't done alot of pieces to date, mostly just really bad practicing. What it all means is that the things I have made so far are all just good old plain garter stitch. I have made a couple of simple scarves;
one for our niece's birthday,
and a skinny one for me and a matching hat.
Well, by now my hubby and his cousin have returned from the concert and told me about their night. The boy is tucked in snuggly and snoring to beat the band and I'm not anywhere near tired. I bind off my practice piece (there's no way I'm wasting anymore time on 24" of chaos) and resolve to begin again.
This time I learn how to do a double cast-on, which is kinda cool but I don't know if I'll ever use it. I do a few knit rows and get into the purling. After deciphering what I did wrong and how to make it right, I am finally FINALLY purling. I made the most beautiful stockinette you have ever seen!
It's now 2:00am. Do I forego sleep to teach myself ribbing or put it all away and start fresh in the morning? Well, I actually feel asleep on the couch with my stuff on my lap. When I woke up this morning I was just glad I didn't have any needles poking me.
I'll save the ribbing for another day.
