This Quilter Also Knits

nitting is something I think I could really get into, but I don't dare let myself get too interested. My fabric stash needs my full attention. I could just see me growing a yarn stash to match the fabric one if I allowed myself to delve very deeply into knitting.

That said, I was wandering through my local Ben Franklin store in mid-November and saw a display of yarn with an "on sale" sign attached. My eyes landed on this incredible blue yarn and I knew it would be going home with me. I bought two skeins, and now look at what I've got.

My justification for buying this yarn and committing to this project is simple. We were going to be on the road to my father-in-law's over Thanksgiving and I needed a portable project. None of my quilting projects were in the proper stage for portability, and knitting was a simple alternative. All I needed to do was remember how to cast on, which I easily accomplished by watching a You-Tube video about 45 times. (I swear, I really am a slow learner at times.)

Speaking of learning, I need to learn a few things about knitting. First, I can only do straight things, so scarves are my specialty. If I learn how to add or reduce stitches, then I run the risk of doing exactly what I don't want to do - get really into knitting. I am happy making scarves; I don't need to be learning any advanced skills! Now, (here's the second lesson I need to learn) I make them too thick. When I cast on, I have no idea what to expect, so I just cast on a bunch of stitches until I think I've got enough. This scarf is about twice as wide as it ought to be. Too much bulk! All that knit stuffed around the neck will stifle a wearer, so it probably won't be a gift as I thought it might be. Instead, I think I will use it myself, but if I hope to make these to give to people, I need to exercise restraint when it comes to casting on.

After I got this blue scarf done so quickly, I dug out a knitting UFO from upstairs which had been taking up unnecessary space in my sewing room. It is a rough-looking thing, but it needed to be finished, so I went to work on it. Again, too wide, and this one, oh my, is a perfectly imperfect knitting project. Wonky. Uneven. Dropped stitches. Added stitches. All unintentional...what a mess, but with this bulky yarn, a lot of imperfections are masked.

After these two scarves were finished, I again found myself in Ben Franklin, and thought to myself, "If the yarn is still on sale, I'll get another couple of skeins for a skinnier scarf." I was half wanting the yarn sale to be ongoing, and half hoping it wasn't!! Alas, the sale was still on, so I bought 2 skeins of a masculine blue and beige variegated. I cast on  fewer stitches and am working a bit each evening to complete this scarf. Here's the progress:

I began with 25 stitches cast on and I still have 25 stitches! Whoo-hoo! It looks pretty good to me, but my DD says it's still too wide. Guess I really am a slow learner.

Do  I need to admit that I recently bought a crochet hook??