Learning Something New

The colder weather around here has reignited my excitement for knitting. A few extra goodies from Christmas didn't hurt either. I have always enjoyed working with yarn and I fondly remember the days when I sat with my Grandma as she taught me, with the patience of a saint, how to crochet. I cherish those memories made while we created something. I always watched her so closely as she crocheted. She moved the hook and yarn with such speed and ease that it amazed me. Maybe one day I would get that skilled, but that day hasn't come yet. I still suck at reading patterns and counting stitches, but I still enjoy it and always think of her when I crochet. But I've always had the itch to try knitting.

I envied the pretty stitch patterns that simply could not be replicated through crochet. Cables were something I dreamed of being able to do someday but I always imagined that they were impossibly difficult to pull off. Thanks to the modern conveniences of YouTube and the internet and the infinite books on knitting, I was able to teach myself. I never progressed past flat knitting, which basically means scarves and only scarves. Then sometime in the last year or so I challenged myself to buck up and try out cables once and for all. The worst thing that could happen was that I messed up and tried again. Lucky for me, it turns out cables are ridiculously easy. I had a hard time understanding why I held off for so long when something with such an amazing end result requires very little skill other than basic knitting knowledge. I made a pillow covered in cables with my newly discovered skill.

Fast forward to Christmas where I find myself opening presents that include double pointed knitting needles and a book on how to knit socks. Those are two things I knew absolutely nothing about. I figured that if I received them as gifts then certainly I would figure something out.

Over the past weekend I decided to give it a go. I found a cute pattern on Ravelry that included one of my beloved cables and even a thumb gusset. Not only was I completely clueless as to how to knit in the round (something you do on double pointed needles) but I was even more clueless about how to make a hole for a finger and knitting to go around it. A handful of YouTube videos and an hour or so of scouring message boards looking for helpful hints and tricks I set out to make my first real project on DPNs.

Amazingly, they are working up very quickly and I am in LOVE with the results. I finished the first mitt tonight and have been tickled with the results. I've been pretty goofy all night being completely full of myself and proud for learning a handful of new skills. In fact, I finished 5 hours ago and I am still wearing the single mitt. Obviously, I am proud. I won't share a picture until I have the other one finished, but I expect that to be within the week. I just needed an outlet to share my excitement. After all, Glenn and Jeff can only get so excited over a knitted fingerless glove.

Love to all!