Knitting News

Yay! I finished my mother's Christmas scarf (finally). At least I finished it in time for her to take back to PA; it would have been embarrassing to not have it done by the end of her visit here.

I love the tilting ladders pattern I used for the scarf, but it required thinking and frequent checking of the pattern. While knitting this scarf I learned that I don't like to check patterns frequently; I like to just knit along. It's pretty easy to do with things like "decrease two stitches every other round" or "work to wanted length". It's not easy to do when every row there are yarnovers or cables that are never in the same place as they were a few rows ago. But perhaps I simply need more practice. I would love to have a sweater in this pattern so I might have to make myself do it. On the other hand, it might end up as one of those projects that sits, undone, because I can't just pick it up and work a row here and there.

I think that I may have achieved "Knitter" status (as opposed to being a mere "knitter"). The other day my daughter fell asleep in the car and while I waited for her to wake up, I pulled out my knitting. I came to a cable row, and, of course, I didn't have an extra needle with me. Stop knitting? No way. Switch stitches on the needle? Tried and couldn't do it. Ended up with many dropped stitches. I searched the car desperately for something to use as a stitch holder. I was sure that the earpiece of my sunglasses would work - and it did okay - but it was slippery and I ended up with dropped stitches again (of course I didn't have a crochet hook with me either). On the next cable row, I used an extra barrette we had in the car. Bingo! It even snaps shut so there is no chance of dropping a stitch.

Also related to knitting is the fact that recently I have found myself very drawn to color. I mean, I have always liked colors, but I pretty consistently choose blues, purples, pinks, and reds. Lately I have been finding interest in unusual (for me) combinations such as turquoise and hot pink, and purple and green. I've also been unusually attracted to oranges and very bright shades of various colors; I have never been fond of orange and I tend to prefer neutrals. It's really kind of nice in a way because I am seeing so much beauty that I didn't see before. It makes me want to experiment. That and own a yarn shop just so I can look at yarn all day long.

Yesterday and today I knitted up a little ball from Knitting for Baby as a birthday gift for a friend. I just have to seam, felt, and stuff it now. It's a nice, quick little project that is good for something handmade that you don't have to spend hours and hours on; I think it took me just over an hour to knit.