Knit One, Times A Thousand

In 2004, I found myself with a lot of time on my hands.  This time led to boredom.  Which then led to curiosity and then to research and then finally knitting.  If at that stage you could call it that.  In the beginning there was a pair of needles, a lot of yarn, and patience.  Lots and lots of patience.  I had started out watching a lot of D.I.Y. network.  I found myself glued to the tv watching Edith Eig on Knit One, Purl Two and Vickie Howell on Knitty Gritty.  During one of our trips to L.A. I took a detour and went way out of my way to visit Edith's shop, La Knitterie Parisienne.  It was a very cute shop.  Her husband helped check me out and guided me over to have my book signed.  Of course I clammed up like a lil kid and didn't say much.  I was too busy geeking out over having my book signed.  The ladies at the round table were a bit snobby though.  They didn't like the fact that Edith stopped to sign my book.  That kind of put a damper on things.  But I had new needles, yarn and a book to thumb through while on vacation.

I dabbled here and there and found online videos of the knit stitch and the purl.  I practiced those over and over and over again.  Really when you first start, just hold the needles and figure out how to get them comfortable in your hands.  It took me about a year before I figured out that my purl stitch was backwards.  I guess that's the downside to teaching yourself.  I didn't know anyone who could teach me and I didn't know that yarn stores have people built in to teach you.  I thought that since I lived in a smallish town that there wasn't any yarn stores nearby.  I now know that this is false and we have a couple in town.  It's one of those "If I knew then, what I know now" kind of situations.  I could have saved myself the heartache of the twisted stitch.  I also could have stopped myself from buying the chenille yarn (it worms y'all, don't buy it).      

In the beginning there was a lot of scarves.  A lot!  Pretty much everyone I have known has gotten a scarf.  I eventually worked my way up and found that I really love making baby blankies.        

 The first completed baby blanket.

"The Shelby"

 I got a little more daring with the borders.

 

Pattern and color

 Go Idaho!

My new favorite, the Mitered Square.

The mitered square has become my go to square.  Knitting a blanket row by row can seem tedious sometimes.  I know that when I sit down and knit I can kick out a square in an hour so I feel like I get more accomplished with my time when I can see my progress.  The latest one I completed was patchwork of blues.  I know I need to get better at taking pictures because I have made so many more than these I just get so excited to send them out that I forget to snap a picture.  I'm not sure what it is but the repetitive motion is really relaxing for me.  I admit that I do get carried away with purchasing yarn and I know that I need to start getting through the stash in the garage. 

Writing or knitting can sometimes be a tough choice.  I wonder which one will win out tonight?