I have a long list of things I want to try to do. For now, though, I am trying to limit my list of current projects to 2-3 at a time. I think I will feel a little more validated about my abilities if I have actually finished a couple of legitimate projects. So I am doing the Pin-Up queen pattern from Stitch ‘n Bitch designed by Annie Modesitt. I started it awhile back in Andean Silk from knit picks but I only had one skein and didn’t really want to order enough for the sweater right now. So I started over in a yarn that I think I have enough of to finish the project in. It sounds really gross since it’s a synthetic blend of Nylon and Acrylic but it works up really soft. I think it will be really nice finished if it washes and wears well. Time will tell. It was really inexpensive($1.25/ball from Smiley’s)

Here is my progress as of tonight.

I have about 2 more inches before I start sh aping the arm holes. This piece is for the back. The front has a cool Empire waist. I hope it turns out as nice as it looks in the book.

My other current challenge is mostly for the experience and to say that I’ve done it. I’m trying socks using Wendy Johnson’s Generic Toe Up pattern. I’m using Knit Picks Dancing sock yarn. It is an interesting color combination. They will be pretty light weight socks. I started them for myself but I think I’ll cheat and finish them to fit my son instead. He says he wants them so why shouldn’t a 5 year old wear colorful socks, right? It fits ok around his foot, maybe just a tiny big, but I can start the heel turn a lot sooner for his shorter foot. I have about 2 inches left to go before starting the heel shaping. I started this last night. And here is where I am at now.
 

I think my next challenge will be to do some work on the look and feel of this blog. I’m definately not a graphic artist so I need to find an image to put at the top that I will like and get some other little things that my geeky techno brain finds necessary.

All in all I think I’m doing pretty well since I taught myself to knit less than two months ago.

Well I have tons of ideas for knit designs, I just don’t quite have the skills to bring them into reality! So I’m making myself slow down a bit. I’m going to see if I can finish a project or two from patterns and swatch a bunch of different fibers so that I can get a feel for how they work up. I’m doing some Knit Picks Wool of the Andes right now and I’m not sure what I think of working with wool. Most of the books I have read sing the praises of wool as a fiber. I have never been a fan of wool sweaters, they feel like sandpaper to me. I almost always buy cotton sweaters. I think that I will probably end up liking blends best.

My speed in increasing my skills and experience is severely limited by the fact that I don’t know one single person that knits. In fact, I don’t think I have ever actually watched anyone else knit! I come from a crocheting family. My Mom and Grandmother are big crafters but neither of them knit. Now that I think of it I have only seen a couple of people besides my Mom and Grandma crochet! For all I know the way I do it is completely screwy.

One of my priorities is to find a way to hook in with some kind of local knitting group. One LYS has a Stitch ‘n Bitch group but I havn’t been able to work it out to make it there when it’s happening’. I’m not sure how many people around here actually knit. I know there are a ton in NYC but I’m out of range of getting in there to connect with some people really serious about it.

Anyway I will keep on plugging away and hopefully work in some new techniques. A few that I would like to explore:

• Norwegian Lusekufte (Fair Isle)
• Lace
• Socks

That is a pretty general list and it may be awhile before I get that far but I’m looking forward to experiencing something beyond st. stitch swatches.

By Annie Modesitt. Found in the Stitch ‘N Bitch: The Knitter’s Handbook. Found on Page 207. Using Knit Picks Andean Silk in Sangria.This is my progress at the end of skein one.

 Well It’s knitting, I guess, but it does feel a bit like cheating.

My In-Laws were having a Golden Wedding party and I had a great dress but it was going to be air conditioned and I needed something to put over my shoulders. I had seen round knitting looms and was intrigued. After playing around with it a bit I found that 3 strands of Lion Brand MicroSpun made a cool really bulky knit. I used the round loom to make a flat piece and then stitched up some sleeves and added a crochet border around the edges. I wore it to the party and it was warm and soft. I’d probably make some changes to the fit if I had to do it over again. One thing I am finding now is that, since the microspun has so many individual strands, it tends to snag really easily. But moving on to bigger and better things seems like more fun!

 Well one day I sat down with a pair of Single Point Aluminum knitting needles, some really cheap mill end acrylic yarn, and a Learn to Knit book. About 30 minutes later I had my first swatch. I think it was pretty good for a first try.

I’m going to be doing some back tracking for the first several posts while I post about things that have I’ve been doing over the past month or so. My very first project after deciding that my destiny is in yarn was a shrug. I used Peaches & Crem 4 ply Cotton. It was a super cheap 1 Lb cone. It worked up to drape about as well as a piece of cardboard but I guess I get what I ask for when I buy yarn at Walmart! In my defence I didn’t really know any better. I am just now learning how nice good quality fibers are to work with. I am not quite up to spending $25 on a single hank but I’m moving forward. So anyway back to the shrug. I used a simple pattern from the Craft Yarn Council. It turned out pretty well considering what I had to work with.

Hello there blog readers! My name is Daisy and after a long time of contemplation I am going to take the dive into the blogosphere. For the first time I think I have a hobby that I think would make a good blog topic. I’m not really sure what prompted it but for the last month I have become extremely excited about crocheting and knitting. I have known crochet for years, but knit is pretty new for me. Crochet was forced upon me by my Mom and Grandmother as a kid. Somehow I managed to retain the skill through the years. Around the time I graduated from High school I made some stuff for my boyfriend(now Husband). An afghan out of really horrid acrylic yarn and a dumb looking Puppy Dog Christmas stocking. If I can manage to unbury them I’ll post pictures sometime. So 12 years passed pretty much yarn free and suddenly the bug bit. So now I will see if I can keep my enthusiasm up long enough to get all the ideas out of my head and into reality. I tend to be a bit chaotic when it comes to starting new things, and I always go completely and totally overboard. I think obsessive is probably a good term. My hope is that this blog will help me stay focused and grounded even if nobody else ever sees it. So wish me luck on keeping this blog up to date and sticking with the new hobby!