My First Circulars

They are Clovers size 9 with a 16" cord. I really like them! I like that I don't have to worry about losing a needle. The only thing is the cord is stiff. I am going to try dipping it in hot water to soften the cord. I realized I have to cast on and knit looser otherwise I can't get the stitches over the join and onto the needle. I do like that I only have to knit to get stockinette stitch. That makes it easier-you don't have to think.

It's done! But uh oh.....

I finished the scarf! It curled badly but I decided to try to iron it and hit it with steam. It worked! It's flat. But I noticed my knitting got really bad at a point. I am embarrassed. Very raggety edges and at one point you can see I increased some stitches somehow. I'm thinking it might look better curled so you can't see the mistakes. The hole is supposed to be there as it is a scarf with a slit. I learned many lessons on this scarf. COUNT YOUR STITCHES every 2-3 rows. Use a lifeline. This yarn was hard to work with as getting good tension was difficult. I also learned that binding off on the purl side looks much better than the knit side. Plus I need to learn a tighter cast on. I will do that from now on. I will wear this scarf but see If I can hide the mistakes. Hopefully no one will look at it too close or touch it.

My knitting list

Here are the things I want to knit in the near future and not in any order:

1. A hat for me
2. A hat for husband
3. My Rowan shawl
4. MP3 holder
5. Socks on circulars
6. Packer scarf
7. Mittens for me and family-Rowan purelife
8. A bag to carry 1-2 projects in

This will take me all year or more to do all of this.

Knitting my own bag????

I was looking online and found these neat project bags. They were $20 and under depending on who made them. Then I got to thinking that I could make my own! I have a bunch of yarn that I don't want and I could use this to make my bag. The picture is from this pattern: http://chrisknit.blogspot.com/2008/05/simple-color-patterned-pouch.html. I don't want to make anything fancy but it also might be a way to learn stranded knitting-using more than 1 color. I was thinking stripes, maybe 1-3 rows of the other color every 5-10 rows. Will have to do research on stranded knitting before I start. I decided to use one strand of green and one strand of white and knit with both together. That way I use up some of both yarns. I figure, the only thing I would have to buy would be circular needles. I want them anyway....

First Knitting show

Last Saturday I went to a knitting show in Milwaukee called Sheep in the City. It's a small show but it was interesting to see what was there. I bought these two skeins of yarn. The blue skein is sock yarn. The other one is Packer colors and I'm not sure what to make with this. Both are lace weight yarn so that limits what I can do.

Baby Hat

I have this friend who I really wanted to knit something for. She's having her 5th baby! They don't know the sex so it's hard to make something. I decided I wanted to make the baby a hat it can wear right away. Yes, it's almost March but baby's wear hats a lot. I have a dead line of March 14th to have it done and given to her. I hope I can do it. Otherwise it will have to wait till she comes home. I am using size 5 needles and the yarn is a thicker kind. I hope this works.

Mega Shawl project

I have decided to knit a shawl. But I have made sooooo many mistakes that I'm not sure I want to give it to anyone. I am on the 3rd skein and I think I will stop and not do 4. This is taking way to long. I want this done.