A thought on knitting

This past weekend L and I went to a reenactment in Michigan. While there I was chatting with a woman who was knitting a scarf. When she learned that I had taught myself to knit without a teacher she was impressed, especially when she found out I made mittens first. When I started knitting I wanted to make something useful. As I'm sure I mentioned before, I didn't want or need a scarf, I wanted mittens!! Anyway, the lady knitting showed me how she was doing cabling. It looks like something I want to try next. Maybe in a few months you will see a knitted project with cabling. It will all depend on how many other projects get in the way.

Knitted Socks

My sister got me a lovely skein of fisherman's wool for this past Christmas. L asked me to use the yarn to make him a pair of knitted socks since his feet get cold in the winter. Shortly after Christmas I began knitting socks without a pattern. I figure I'd wind it under I got to the heel portion; and so I did. Our local library has a good selection of knitting books, and I was able to pick up a book called Teach Yourself Visually, Sock Knitting. The book was exactly what I need to get working on my socks to get them completed. I am happy to announce that about a month ago I completed my first pair of knitted wool socks!!!

They took forever with size 1 needles, but they are very warm and very comfortable. Since L and I have similarly sized feet, I am able to steal borrow them if I want.

First Knitting Project

Normally when people learn to knit they start with giant needles and an easy project, like a scarf. I didn't want or need a scarf so I wanted to do something else. After a trip to the library I brought home two books: Knitting for Dummies and Sock Yarn: One Skein Wonders. I leafed through the pages and found a pair of mittens that I wanted to try.

Scottish Fleet Mittens (photo from google and found in One Skein Wonders)

This pattern required size 1 double pointed knitting needles (which I already had) and is done in the round. I was up for the challenge and started right away.


Since it was my first project I didn't always have the tension right, my stitches were extremely tight. I also messed up on the cuff and took it out at least twice. On the first mitten the cuff is checkerboard because I somehow got the stitches off.


I learned a lot about knitting through my first project; tension, "reading" the stitches, becoming familiar with purling and knitting, and reading and understanding patterns.


I promised my cousin I'd post pictures of the mittens, but they are currently on the furnace vents drying as I attempt to felt them so they are a little smaller. So cousin, you'll have to wait until later to see my mittens.


I am now working on a pair of socks for my husband using fisherman's yarn that my sister gave me for Christmas.