Obsession #583: Knitting

I've already touched on my love for crocheting, but I also love to knit. I first learned about 2 years ago from my co-worker, Kim (who has mad knitting skills). I made a lovely yellow and red Chiefs scarf (you know...the Chiefs....obsession #407). I made it from very basic Red Heart yarn and learned a lesson all knitters do.....stockinette stitch rolls.

I blocked. I washed. I dried under cinder blocks. I ironed (verrrrrrrry carefully). Still rolls. Oh well.

Up until a few months ago, I mostly crocheted. Crocheting is faster. I have self-diagnosed ADD. We ADDers love fast. But watching all the knitsters at my knitting group made me give knitting another try. I've gotten a little faster after taking up the continental method (learned from Amy on knittinghelp.com.....she's fabulous!!)

I am also working on a project now that gives me LOTS of practice.....I'm making a case to carry my needles in....and it's going to be felted! This is my first voyage into the felting world and I really hope it turns out the way I want. The thing about felting projects is you have to make things really big because they will shrink in the wash. This case has to be 36" long! That doesn't sound like much, but this is the case at a little over 23":




My yarn obsession has led to some nice new strange habits (knitter know of what I speak). I am already a part of a knitting group through Hands On Nashville (we make hats, scarves and blankets for the homeless, hospitals, nursing homes, etc.) and now I want to join the local Stitch n' Bitch group so I can work on personal projects with knitsters as well. I read one knitters blog....Crazy Aunt Purl. The girl is a RIOT and writes ten times better than I ever could. I can now spend hours at Hobby Lobby and JoAnn's Fabrics just looking at yarn and dreaming up possible projects. I Tivo the show Knitty Gritty on HGTV everyday. Oh, and I've become a no-bad-place-to-knit knitter. Of course I knit on my couch, during my lunch hour at work, and on airplanes......but I've graduated to knitting in my car in traffic (don't worry....no knitting is done while the vehicle is in motion!) I haven't become quite good enough, or brave enough, to knit in movie theaters or at church....but I aspire to those heights! (I also aspire to knit while not constantly looking at my work.....I know it can be done because I've seen others do it!)

I will post my knitting (and crocheting) adventures as they come along. Though I didn't too well on posting my finished sweater.....whoops. Guess I need to try adding "photography" and "posting to my blog" as obsessions...ya think?