Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Yarn Along: I can Increase!

Today I'm joining Ginny at Small Things for her weekly Yarn Along.


Little hat


Something for me.


It's a ball again!


 My mom taught me to knit when I was young- less than 10 I think. And for years I never progressed pass the scarf stage. I dabbled a bit, even bought a pair of circular needles, but never tried to learn to use them. Then when pregnant with my youngest boy I started knitting more, I even was able to knit him a little pair of pants and leg warmers.

This last fall, having been here a year, I knew I need something to keep me busier than the year before. So I dug out my needles and picked up again. I got adventurous and experimented with my circular needles even. My biggest hold up there was not knowing if I should be increasing (which I did know how to do) or decreasing (something I knew how to do). But I did it and knit my first hat. Then another and another, one for everyone (but me) in the house. From there doors opened! I knit bowls, dolls, pants and more.

But I've never tried anything too hard. Because I was missing a simple skill- how to increase. I read many books, and blogs but just couldn't figure it out. Yesterday I finally broke down and watched a YouTube video, and tried it out. I can now increase! Oh and am I excited!

The first thing I want to try with this new skill- a shawl for myself! I never knit for me and have this skein of yarn my husband got for me for the holidays. Now to find just the right pattern, and decipher it (still can't read a pattern, but each new skill I learn is a step forward!).

On my needles- the same cowl from last week, I haven't touched it the whole time, it's a bit daunting, seems so big! A little purple hat that I'll probably be taking off, I don't love how it's turning out. And my gift yarn, practicing my increasing! And waiting in the wings is the ball of yarn I finally got sorted out after the dogs got a hold of it. Waiting to be made into little A's newest pair of pants.

As for reading, I'm not doing much. I read a few pages from the ebooks I downloaded over the last few weeks, but I have a hard time getting into them. That's why I prefer paper books. Feels less like a waste of time when reading a real book. But I just found out today a favorite author's newest book is coming out in May! I should pick up his last and get to reading it, especially since I actually have it.

What are you knitting? Reading?

(And sorry about the photo quality. They're taken with my phone.)

4 comments:

  1. I have learned that knitting takes time and a lot of practice! I can't wait to see what you make for yourself....

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  2. yeah! on the increases! youtube is great for that, in my opinion. just think of all the awesomeness you can knit now!

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  3. Good Job! I'm just learning to knit and sometimes my enthusiasm gets the best of me and I want to knit lace or some such silliness... but I still have miles to knit before I am there I think!

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  4. I am also new to knitting and I use Youtube all the time. Any pattern I really like that has anything I don't recognize I look it up there. It's been the most helpful knitting teacher (besides my sister who taught me the basic knit/purl).

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