Knitting Envy

I didn't post a picture or blog last week because I was just being lazy. I had made quite some progress though. This week, I only worked on it Tuesday and tonight. I didn't work on it during "American Idol" yesterday because I was in the middle of an organizing project.

I still don't feel that it looks like a scarf. Maybe time will tell? I met up with a friend the other night and she pulled out this scarf she was working on and it looked amazing. I can't even imagine mine ending up as nice as that. I know she has a lot on her plate, but I'd love to take some lessons from her. :) I have a feeling she wouldn't overwhelm me. Not saying others would, but she does homeschooling for some of her kids, so I imagine she has a lot of patience and some good teaching skills. :) I also see the stuff my BFF is working on and am blown away each time by how perfect everything looks and how she's able to put together such neat color combinations. And finally, whenever I go into my friend's yarn store, I get this longing to be able to knit stuff as amazing as what is on display. Is this the beginning of a hobby or addiction? I don't know. All I know is that now that I enjoy knitting, I want to actually be good at it and have something to show for all my hard work that actually looks like what it's supposed to be. Is that too much to ask? I don't expect to win contests but I'd like to be as proud of my own work as I am of my friends' work. At least I know that my son will still wear my attempt at a scarf because I made it for him out of love. :) (Okay...talk amongst yourselves...)

Now that "American Idol" is on 3 nights for the next few weeks....

....I get way more knitting done! Especially with it being 2 hours each night for the first two nights. It's definitely growing but I feel that it doesn't look like a scarf. Time will tell, I guess. My older son likes when I knit in his room while he's getting ready for bed. He practically begs me to knit at that time! It's very sweet though. :)

A mix of sticks

This is my progress over the past week. Most of it was done at the hospital while waiting for my older son to go into and then come out of surgery. The rest was done during "American Idol" (the first episode this week was 2 hours long). Both episodes of "American Idol" will be 2 hours long next week, so I expect to get a lot more done!
I got new needles this week. This time they are made of bamboo. I still feel way more comfortable knitting with separate needles vs. using an attached set. I also like the longer needles better. They feel more comfortable in my hands.
Finally, I joined ravelry.com thanks to some peer pressure. I am eema2boys. Come say hi and add me as a friend. :) I don't know how active I'll be, but it's worth a try. I've been told that it's easy for new knitters to follow along.

My on-again, off-again week of knitting

I made some good progress over the snowy weekend. Then I managed to drop one of my needles Sunday night. When I went back to look for it, I found it with my foot and the crack it made underneath. I thought I could tape the needle together, but it felt wobbly. Then I tried using super glue, but that made things worse and it cracked even more. I contacted my friend who owns the yarn store to see if she could bring home a new set and I'd pay her back. In the midst of the chaotic weather situation, it slipped her mind, but she loaned me a circular set in the meantime. It's interesting to use. I don't mind borrowing it, but I don't know that I'm ready to purchase such a set for myself yet. My friend thinks I'll be spoiled by this set, but I still have a longing for the ones I've been using up till this point. My knitting has gotten a little sloppy with the circular set. I totally appreciate that she loaned it to me so I could continue on this scarf, but I'm glad it's just a loan for now. And call me crazy, but I hiked to her house in the snow last night, just so I could get going on the scarf again while watching "American Idol." That's usually my main knitting time!
I'm sure my BFF will find this blog hilarious, but that's okay. I'm happy to have picked up a new skill this year and even happier that someone wanted me to teach them before knowing how inexperienced I am. I definitely gave her the Facebook link to my friend's store. I now want to share this Facebook link with my loyal readers and anyone else who comes across this, lives in Maryland and is interested in knitting: The Yarn Spot. Even if you don't live in Maryland, definitely check it out!

Making progress

I got a lot of knitting done this week while catching up on "American Idol." I can definitely see that it has gotten bigger since a few weeks ago. I'm starting to get more comfortable in the process and not hitting snags like before. My older son is very excited that I am making this for him! I find it relaxing overall, but still feel overwhelmed about all the knitting options available these days. It makes my head spin to even think about it. So I'll just keep knitting, just keep knitting... (Think of Dori when you read this last line.)

The start of my first knitting project

This is 2 weeks worth of work (I haven't been doing it that religiously though).

Beginner's luck

I went back to the yarn store tonight and got my needle replaced. It was a manufacturing defect. Another lady there helped start me up again. I was able to successfully knit a few rows on my own when I got home. :)
My friend mentioned that I was claiming the store was only for advanced knitters. I know she was kidding, but I didn't mean to make it sound that way. It is beginner friendly there, as they advise on what type of yarn to use, which type of needles are best and they even help teach virgin knitters like myself. Initially, I meant to convey the same image to portray someone who is not athletic in a sporting goods store or someone who isn't an avid reader in a book store. All stores can be user friendly, but it also depends on the knowledge of the user. It is understandable for a beginner to look at all that yarn and panic. However, my friend and the women who work there made me feel a lot better. They were very patient and understanding. I applaud them all for their efforts to make me into a knitter. My BFF will be thankful to them for this. :)

Knitwit

I went to my friend's yarn store today and learned how to knit. It was an interesting experience. Her store is really nice, except it's meant for people with lots of knitting background and experience. I had to admit that I was a knitting "virgin." I bought inexpensive yarn and needles (until I get good enough for this to become a hobby, that's all I can really afford to get). Then my friend and some of the ladies working at her store showed me how to knit. I thought I had the hang of it. Then it all unraveled at home. So my husband sent me an online video on the basics of knitting. From that, I learned how to cast and start my first row. I was able to get through that much before one of my needles BROKE! I am not giving up though! I reminded myself of how I learned to ride a bike when I was 12 years old (yes, it took me that long not to be afraid of falling) and my determination not to give up till I got it right. I know I can do this. I just need someone who is patient enough with me to get me to a good spot where I can really take off. I don't know that I'll take it on as a future hobby, but I want to at least make one thing. I'm going for a scarf for my older son. It probably won't be ready until next winter at the rate I'm going, but that's okay! It's funny how I feel so out of my element in the knitting realm. It almost seems like discovering a new religion that everyone else gets except for me. There's a huge learning curve. Wish me luck!