LYSs, FOs, and a new knitter!!!

To start off I wanted to show you my CAP's Magic Scarf FO.. :) I like it but it's pretty short so I'm probably going to give it to Lil L who showed interest. :)


So...Saturday, as I have for the last three Saturday's, I headed over to a LYS, Stitchworm for some free instructions. Lil L came with me and she was again the superstar. :)

She actually started a pattern for a shaw/half sweater thing...not sure what it's called right now. Anyway, I got her some new needles and 3 skeins of some pretty yarn. She made her first swatch...I don't think she really understood what gauge was but she did good. We both learned how to make holes and I learned how to increase and decrease because I want to make a hat for Special K.

My friend D came along this time too. We went to see the Simpson Movie with her on friday night and another friend C which doesn't seem to want to learn to knit but her loss right?? I was talking all about knitting and how much fun I've been having and D thought it would be fun to come with. She is super creative and does all kinds of fun mosaic stuff. D did good...she needed a bit of help getting started but after that she had fun. They got her started with some yarn and needles so she can work on it for the next couple weeks until she can return. (She is a jet-setter for the next couple weekends. )
I was having a bit of a moment this saturday. I showed up with no pattern but I knew I wanted to knit it in the round... :) I know very specific but I really want to learn. I mentioned this to Ricky, knitting instructor, who tried to find a pattern in the store to help me out but we couldn't find one for knitting a hat in the round. I thought about just getting some circular needles and just making up as a go but for some reason they weren't having it and I needed to get Lil L back home because she was heading to Orlando with a friend and her family. I was a little disappointed when I got home so I searched the internet and found a pattern at Mind's Eye Yarns that Special K liked so I had DIRECTION!!! We headed out to the beach to meet up with some friends and I slyly mentioned...we'd be passing by the other LYS Needles and Knobs.. :) Special K agreed since the hat is for him and we went in...Yes...let me repeat Special K entered a yarn store with me. :) I was happy. He just sat on the couch and said yes that one for the yarn...but it was great. He was there with me. The lady there was so great...she's super nice and energetic. I really like her...I again forgot to ask her name...ugh. Anyway she got me set up with some Addi Turbo's size 7 circular needles, double points size 7, and some black feathered yarn...I also grabbed some sale yarn that I had eyed last time I was in. :) When I got home after the beach I decided not to start the hat yet but to knit up some of the dishcloth yarn I got last week for my sister. She had surgery yesterday and I wanted to bring a gift with me today when I visited her at home. I forgot to take a picture before I wrapped it up but its a pattern I made up with stockinette and garter stitch. I like it and she seemed pleased with it even through her pain today. I made a little card with one of my staps to go with it. ;)
Well...Special K is out watching the Cubs game and I'm going to go hang with him a bit. I think I'll cast on the hat tomorrow so I can give him the quality time I think he's asking for. He's being as supportive as he can with my knitting and I know he loves that I'm creating things but I think sometimes he just wants me to pay attention to him....so I'm off to give him that time. I know this has been a long post...but I hope you've enjoyed the pictures. :)

Stitchworm

So...yesterday, Lil L and I went to Stitchworm. We had planned on going for about an hour....we stayed for three hours... Lil L did so good knitting and purling away and learning new stuff. She had a great time and enjoyed herself a lot. I didn't bring my camera this time so I don't have any photo documentation. :) We got her new needles and some new yarn to work on. I stuck to only getting new needles, a crotchet hook, and a reference book(not exactly the one I want yet but it was cheap and will help for now).

When I showed up and proudly displayed my "homework" scarf, Ricky said it looked great now frog it and let's work on some new stuff... I balked for a second but wanting to stick to a budget and not buy new yarn...I said ok. So, I frogged my "homework" scarf and I learned how to pick up dropped stitches, bind off some more, and how to pick up stitches. I had fun just playing around with my yarn. I'm not really creating anything with it but a mess but having fun doing it. I figured I'd work on different patterns and just create whatever comes to me.

Here's what I got so far.

I also showed her my CAP's Magic Scarf. I think it's looking great. Thursday I cast on and started the pattern and I'm really liking it. I worked on it more this morning after church while Special K was changing his tires.

It's just SO pretty...

Well, I plan on working on these two project for awhile but I've already figured out what kind of pattern I'm going to use for my first dishcloth so I'll show you when I get started. :)

Have a great Sunday afternoon... Special K and I are off to a movie...I'm not at the point where I can knit in movies so...I'll just pay attention to Special K and the movie. :) hehehe

Finished!!! YEAH!!!

Ok...so last night while Special K was playing guitar hero...I finished my "homework" scarf. :) I'm so excited that it's done. I took it with me and showed almost everyone I ran into today. :) I'm crazy remember this. :)

I even took it to another one of my LYS today, Needles and Knobs. She even said for my first knit it looks great. She said the stitches were loose a bit but very even. :) YEAH!!! I was excited. I really liked this LYS, she was really nice and the selection was beautiful..(more on this in a bit)

Ok, you knew this was coming.. :)

Abbs modeling the "homework" scarf...

Jackjack...reluctantly modeling the "homework" scarf...

Ok...so Needles and Knobs....of course I went by to just check it out but started talking to the lady about wanting to start doing some dishcloths after I finish my next scarf. She showed me some pretty yarn that of course she said was on sale and I caved. :) I got two skeins and I needed smaller needles and I was out the door.. :) Isn't it pretty....

So...before I start with the dishcloths I want to do Crazy Aunt Purl's Magic Scarf. I've liked it and figured I'd like to do one more scarf before I move on to other things...socks are not too far off. :) hehehe....one of my secret collection is socks. I've slowed way down and gotten rid of old ones and holey ones...because lets face it I live in florida and in flip flops but LOVE socks. :) So, I'd like to make them.

Tomorrow Lil L and I are heading to Stitchworm to learn some more. I'll let you know how it goes. :)

busy....knittin.

So...I've been working away at my "homework" scarf for Saturday at Stitchworm. I've messed up the pattern(that I kind of made up and switched and really don't have) and I feel like the needles are too big for the yarn...but otherwise it's going great. :) I'm enjoying it....despite my boyfriend's comments on how could I possibly be knitting in FLORIDA!!! It's hot out and I'm knitting. I try to explain that my plans are to make some dishcloths and these cute curtains I saw and a bath mat for a new house but I think it's falling on deaf ears. I also think he's just a bit jealous of the time I'm spending knitting(or reading knitting blogs) and not having my full attention on him.

Pic of my "homework" knit a couple days ago...it's longer now. :)

I kind of feel bad for the poor guy because I've been SUPER stressed over our move next month and getting ready for the new school year. I'm a teacher and I have to get my classroom in order, lesson plans started, and on top of that...I'm the tech person and we just got a new software to install and teach people how to use BEFORE school starts. :) So, you can understand why sitting and knitting and keeping my mind occupied can really help my stress levels. I sat down today and wrote out a list of things to be done at school and home. I also got boxes to start boxing up stuff. Special K and I have plans to rearrange my tech lab on saturday and I feel MUCH better.

Today to help me relax before cleaning, I took the pups to the dog park and read some of my first knitting book...Yarn Harlot's Knitting Rules. Which I've really enjoyed and love her wit.

I also asked to be a part of knitting bloggers and purling puppies web ring, so a couple new folks other than my boyfriend, sisters, brother, maybe my dad, and my boyfriend's mom might actually read some of this. If you are new WELCOME...forgive me now for my insanity.

My homework.

Ricky at Stitchworm gave us homework of working on a scarf with whatever pattern we wanted. I started out three times and frogged two of them and then decided to just keep going. I'm learning and slowly getting better. So, here is a pic of what it's looking like so far. I've messed up my own made up pattern a couple times and I dropped a stitch or two but I think it looks great for my second real knitting piece ever. :) I've been knitting for a couple hundred rows so I just thought I got to the middle so now I'm going to purl the rest until I start the pattern again. That will give me some time to practice purling since I think I purl too tight. I'm working on size 10 1/2 needles on yarn that's for 8 but oh well. For now my homework is coming along great. I'll put up pics tomorrow. It's kind of late and I'm too lazy to upload pics right now.

Thanks.

Oh yeah. I went to Barnes and Noble today with Lil L while we were waiting for Nao and we looked at a bunch of knitting books. They were so much fun to read. I found that I really want Yarn Harlots Knitting Rules book. I think that will be my first Knitting read. We'll see. My fun purchases has to wait til friday. :) Lil L has gained some progress on her knitting too. :) She's working hard but seems to get distracted too. :)

Stitchworm!!!!

So...this morning I started my day at the dog park with the pups. They ran, played ball and had a great time. :) Here's a picture of us the other day at the grassy knoll by the water.
THEN!!!! As we were heading home I got a text from Fleas saying that her and Sammy would like to go with me to Stitchworm to learn how to knit.. YEAH!! So, we showed up and every one is so nice and they sat us down at the table and this nice woman Ricky showed us how to cast on and knit. Since I already knew how to she had me just work on my own and help Sammy a bit. Fleas and Sammy had a bit of trouble at first but then they slowly picked it up.

Fleas knitting.

Ricky and Sammy.

When they got going, Ricky started to show me how to purl...yes purl. I was excited. So..she had me cast on again and knit one row and purl a row and do the stockinette pattern. We continued to knit and purl as she showed Fleas and Sammy how to purl as well. While we were there Ricky also showed me how to bind off my first knitting project. ;)

My first piece...not sure what it is but hey it's knitted. :)

Me knitting.

Then when we were done Ricky showed us what kind of yarn to get... I did better with some help. :) Then they got some needles and we headed home. I couldn't even wait to get home to start and I started to try to find the center of my yarn and made a mess in the car so I had to start to wind it in a ball. :) The following pictures if of the yarn and needles we got. The pink is Sammy's, the blue is Fleas, and the maroon is mine. They got two sets of size 8 needles, one bamboo and one metal.


Our homework for next week is to make a scarf with any pattern of knit and purl rows we want. I wanted to blog here first but I'm off to start my new practice project. :)

Stitchworm

I found a local yarn store that guess what....has a free instructor there from 10am to 1pm on wed and sat. I haven't had time with my busy week to frequent any of the local yarn shops and was planning on it next week but with a free instructor there, I'll be there tomorrow...which happens to be saturday. YEAH!!!

She/he can hopefully help me with my stitches which I feel are too lose in some places and too tight in others. I'll take a picture of my pre-instruction piece I'm working on right now for reference for my later years. :)

(that may be my 3rd post today on this blog if I put a pic up) hehehehe

I emailed my sister's to see if anyone wants to join me. I asked my niece, Sammy, who showed interest last night but we'll see. I hope she joins in the fun.. :)