Here I am!

OK so I’m new at this blog thing (translation: bear with me). Heck, I’m new at this knitting thing, quite frankly, but hey I’m up for new adventures. I am an accomplished crocheter (is that a word? Croshayer? Sounds dumb), as most of my relatives under the age of 2 can tell you. So I figured I was ready for the big girl stuff, and in my opinion, most of the crocheted stuff looks better on the kiddies (not all, I know, but most). So I tried knitting. I hated it. Couldn't figure out how to fix a mistake. I was used to just pulling the string and poof you undid what you just did. With knitting you had to have a major in engineering to figure out how to fix a slipped stitch. So I put it down and went back to baby blankets. But in the back of my head was that voice “are you going to let a little YARN and some pointy sticks beat you?? For goodness sakes you take on the good old boys of corporate America each and every day, but can’t seem to grasp a concept that even your grandmother can handle??” So I tried again. And failed, and tried again. Then one day the “Stitch and Bitch” book caught my eye in the bookstore. Hmmm…this looks interesting…oh and look, there is a section on fixing your mistakes….okay I’ll give it a shot. And THAT my friends was the turning point!! I was introduced to the wonderful world of scarves and nooses!! I get it now!! DUH!! I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn. I haven’t made any of the patterns because of all the stick figure models wearing fitted, cropped things that someone of my *ahem* curvy stature wouldn’t wear in public for fear of burning out the retinas of innocent bystanders (actually, I would probably fit in, have you seen some of these people on the NY subways??). Anyway, seems I am now addicted to knitting.

So I decided to start with the old familiar, baby stuff. Went out and got Debbie Bliss’ “Baby Knits for Beginners” which I love. Very easy indeed. Although the woman has to be kidding with the price of her yarn to make baby garments (sorry, is that sacrilege to say? Did I mention I’m new here?). In fact, that leads me to the next digression, yarn prices. Some of you people are out of your mind. I don’t get paying $7 a skein the size of a golf ball for super merino silk fabulous funky garden whatever. Of which you need 15 balls to create even the smallest size the pattern calls for. But I guess if you are an experienced knitter and you know the thing will actually come out looking like the picture and will fit, you will have it for a while and it is therefore worth it (don't mind me I'm just jealous). I am obviously just learning about sales and internet purchases etc…I found Patons wool yarn for $2.50 a skein at AC Moore and I thought I was so cool going up to the register with 8 skeins (why yes, miss cashier I AM an experienced knitter, can’t you see by the number of skeins I have purchased? Can't you just imagine the complicated and fabulous thing I am going to make?)

Guage, on the other hand, is still an annoying frustrating beast that I am trying to beat into submission. Yarn substitution causes much hand-wringing and heart palpitating. If guage is 18/20 on 8 needles, can I use a yarn that says 20/22 on 6 needles? Yes? Are you sure? Are you really sure?? I have found that Lion Brand has some pretty decent substitutes at decent prices, particularly wool-ease in their various weights. I am obviously NOT a yarn snob. I believe every yarn has it’s place. Even the poorly regarded Red Heart can make indestructible sweaters for little boys. Most of my friends and family don’t know (or give a hoot) about the time it takes to make something, so no sense spending a fortune and a month with something they just want to throw in the wash because it’s got peanut butter all over it.

So, with all that said, what am I currently knitting? I have finished the Sweater with square set in sleeves in “baby knits for beginners", but have yet to put it together. Very easy and looks impressive. I am 50% done with a Red Heart sweater for my young cousin (it is admittedly a little on the cheesy acrylic side, but trust me, his mom won’t care a bit). I also started my first cable project on the most adorable pink baby sweater (Pixie Cable sweater from a red heart booklet that I am making out of some Bernat baby yarn). Cable knitting? Check. Not so scary my friends. I am going to give it to my girlfriend who has 2 month old twins. Better start on the blue one, there's two of 'em.

I have to get started on 2 Christmas presents. The Cropped Cable Cardigan from Vogue Knitting (fall o5) is going to my brother's girlfriend. Takes 5 skeins of Lion Wool-Ease chunky so it should go quick. My first adult garment...wish me luck!! Then I have to make a thread crochet tablecloth for my MIL. She is 76 and the hardest person to buy for and she actually requested it after I made her a doily for her birthday. What? It only uses 8,000 yards of thread (seriously).

So, in the future, I hope to post pictures of the items above and the various stages of my progress, in hopes of inspiring those of you, who like me, browse the knit blogs and admire all the work of the experienced knitters. Have faith in the fact that I don't know what I'm doing, but forge enthusiastically ahead anyway. If I can do it you can do it, even if the instructions say k2ptbl2yossk2kkskyo....in the end it's still just a long piece of string....