Finally, more pictures

So far my spring break hasn't been all that much knitting. I went to a knitting thing on Saturday, but then I left for DC that evening and spent three fun-filled days with no knitting. I did see a lot of art at the National Gallery and spent time with one of my best friends, though.

Before I left I attempted to felt the fuzzy feet (as I said before) but they're not quite done. Here's a picture of the current state, though:



Today I went to my Wednesday knitting group (at school) and got a lot done on the baby blanket, which I finished tonight at home:



It's very plain, so I may add a knitted lace border, or a crochet one. Also I think I'll be giving it to my cousin who's having a baby instead of the original intended recipient. I'm making a sweater for my friends baby, and since she crochets I think she's probably set on blankets.

Questions from Betsy:

1. Who taught you to knit? Did you ever think you would be so into it?

My mom taught me to knit when I was 6 years old (and when she was pregnant with my lil sis, and thus knitting for her). My mom has never knit anything except baby clothes, and after my sister was born she didn't knit again until I was a teenager and my step-nephew was on tje way.

I never thought I would be so into knitting, but I guess looking back I kept going back to it. I remember knitting little swatches when I was 6, attempting to knit a scarf for one of my toys when I was 9 or 10, knitting a couple of hats when I was 14 or 15, knitting in Norway when I was 20, and the got into it a lot when I moved to Boston (22).

2. What's the softest yarn you've ever felt? Do you own any of it?

Poof - and yes I do have some and will make a scarf from it - maybe a hat too.

3. What's your favorite thing to knit as a gift?

I guess scarves (by number made). I've made scarves for both my sisters, my mom, and a friend. Future gifts include a baby blanket and baby sweater, and hopefully some Broad Street Mittens for a friend.

4. You crochet as well as knit. How do you feel about each craft? Is one "better" than the other?

I think knitting and crochet both have their uses. Crochet is faster, and is great for square or rectangular things like scarves, afghans, etc. Hats are about equal for crochet and knitting. I don't think I would ever try to crochet a sweater or other item that requires a lot of shaping.

I feel that crochet is easier, in a way. I got good at it very fast. I learned from a friend in Norway when I was there a couple of years ago, and I loved it from the start. That could also be because I was 20 and not 6, though. ;)

5. What's the next big knitting challenge you will tackle? A certain technique? A big project? Using up your stash?

I want to learn mitered squares, and I think I'll be doing the Cut Your Teeth socks from knitty. Using up my stash is also a good goal. :)

Now, to everyone else:
If you'd like me to interview you, just post a comment and I'll post 5 questions for you here, and you can answer them on your blog!

Fuzzy feet and baby blanket

I tried felting my fuzzy feet, but one run through the wash on hot didn't do it. Since I can't control the washer cycle, I'll just have to wait until the next time I have laundry that can be washed on hot.

I decided to scrap my previous work on the baby blanket because it just wasn't doing it for me. :( So today I found a better pattern and am well on the way. I'll have to finish it soon cuz the baby is due in a couple of weeks - just in time for my B-day on April 11! We might even have the same birthday! And I'm going to make a little lavendar sweater. I have the pattern but haven't gotten yarn yet - gotta do that soon.

Fuzzy Feet picture (pre-felted)

Here, finally, is a picture of my fuzzy feet before felting. The awesome background is the quilt on my bed. I don't know when I'm going to felt them. I'd love to be wearing them, but the washer at my house is a coin one and I can't turn back a knob for extra agitation. I might just run a hot load this weekend with a few pairs of jeans I need to shrink and see if they get to be the right size.

Well... my WIPs have decreased dramatically recently. I usually have many projects going on, Rouge, a bunch of little things, the few rows of the baby blanket I cast on months ago and haven't touched since...

Well at the moment I have only 3 WIPs. Rogue (I just have the hood and sleeves to go), aforementioned baby blanket (which I am finally working on), and the socks for Saturday's sock workshop ready to go. I'm impressing myself, and am strangely unhappy not to have a million things to work on. I have knitting ADD, I think, which is why I need so many things going at once. And as I start completing my current WIPs I don't know what I shall do.

I think I'm going to start another sweater, a more stereotypical sweater that one wears much like a shirt and not a hoodie. I have a couple of patterns I'm trying to decide between, and I'll have to get the yarn too. I'm sure I'll also soon have another pair of socks going because they're just so great for a take-along project.