Saturday, September 16, 2006

If at first you don't succeed...

...try, try again! In spite of my best efforts and the pleasure in the process, my first attempt at knitting after 25 years was a failure. What was supposed to be a 4"x42" scarf ended up roughly one foot wide and two feet long -- with an odd narrowing at the end where I tried to alter the course of fate. Sigh...


So I unraveled the whole thing and started over. This time, I made SURE I maintained 18 stitches per row as specified in the pattern (how DID I manage to vary that number so much?) after clarifying another question I had by a more careful reading of the "How to Knit" instructions I downloaded. Well, the scarf turned out better, but it's still too wide and too short for an ideal scarf. Brian, however, says he likes it and wants it to be his. How could I say no to a cute little boy in camo PJs?

Third time's a charm, they say. I took another skein of the Moonlight Mohair I'd bought (Rainbow Falls this time) and decided to deviate from the instructions in hopes of producing a decently sized scarf. I cast on only 12 stitches, and a few short days later, voila! A real, useable scarf! Brian took this photo himself, his first experience with my digital camera.

I'm going to have to learn how to knit more than scarves if I'm going to do justice to Shetland wool, but it's a start and I'm pleased. I enjoy knitting, and will soon get to learn if I enjoy spinning, too!

That's it for now at . . .

2 comments:

Kathy said...

Kudos to you! Great start! I, too, am trying to learn how to knit. My mother was the knitter - she did beautiful argyle socks, mittens, everything!
I am trying via The Sweater Workshop, by Jacqueline Fee. So far, so good.
Now you need cooler weather to wear your beautiful scarf! :)

Nancy K. said...

EXCELLENT job Michelle!! I'm so proud of you. And your son has GOT to be the most adorable little soldier I've ever seen! Give him a hug for me!

;-)