Source of Inspiration

I know it has been a long time since I did anything with this blog (10 months)! To be honest, I just haven't felt inspired to write anything. I've been crocheting, knitting, cooking, and reading still, but I didn't have the energy and wherewithal to write something witty, upload pictures about it, etc.

But I have recently been inspired by Ravelry!
This is such an amazing site! It is still in beta/testing phase, so you can't automatically sign up as a user. You put in your email address to request membership, and then they let you know when you have been added. (I was added less than 2 weeks after my request.)

The site is for all things knit and crochet. You have your own homepage (here is mine) where you can show all of the projects you are currently working on or have completed. You can link the pattern you used, the yarn, and hook size, so others know how to make it too. In your queue, you can keep track of the projects you want to make, but haven't started yet, including the materials you need. You can even print out a shopping list for your queue too! You can also keep track of all of the yarn in your stash. I started adding my yarns to this, but it will take me forever to add all of them! I love the library feature, where you can see all of the crochet/knit books, magazines, and patterns that you own. In addition to your own homepage, you can have friends and groups similar to Myspace or other networking sites. You can search all of the patterns and yarns used by others in Ravelry too.

In short, Ravelry is the coolest website out there for crochet/knit nerds like me! I squealed with delight when I first got my login and started playing with the features. I'm hoping the excitement I feel will keep inspiring me to write here!

Learn How to Knit: Check!







Two weeks ago, I finally learned how to knit. I have been saying that I need to learn how for quite a while, but never managed to schedule it in. I have picked up a couple of knitting books, but I knew that I needed a live human to teach me. I would look at those books and at online magazines like Knitty--K2, p2, BO--and I would go sort of cross-eyed. Certain things you just need to be shown how to do.





My friend Marcy signed me, Monica, and Christina up for a knitting class, and then informed us later. That's the type of gal she is. She is also the type of gal to interrupt you while you're talking and comment on your eyelashes!! We love her! Anyway, she signed us up for a class at Passion Knit, which is located in Snider Plaza here in Dallas. We arrived at Passion Knit after eating lunch and gossiping for a while. First we had to pick out our yarns. I chose the Queensland Collection Kathmandu Aran in Ruby. After we chose our yarns, we got to see how those yarn winder twirly things worked--I need one of those!

We had a lovely teacher who showed us how to do the garter stitch, or basic knitting stitch. I wasn't sure if my knowledge of crochet was going to help or hinder me in this knitting process. I think it helped in the end. It was very strange to use 2 needles, but I already had a concept of how to hold yarn and work with my hands. I kept exclaiming "This is weird to use 2 needles!" or "Oh my god, this is so weird!" I'm sure they were sick of it by the end of the class. We all had our quirks though: Marcy was planning increasingly elaborate knitting projects, Monica got angry when things weren't ABSOLUTELY PERFECT, Christina somehow kept tangling her yarn, and I kept repeating, "This is weird!" and my inner know-it-all kept rearing its ugly head. We had a great time though!! We will definitely be taking another class together.

Now that I know how to knit, I want to make these slippers, and this bear, and this Harry Potter Dark Mark bag, and basically everything from Knitty, and .... uh-oh. I probably need practice and need to learn some more stitches first!

Our teacher did show us how to purl too. For some reason, purling was a great big enigma to me--"what on earth could a purl be?" It was really bothering me! I come to find out that it's just the mirror image of knitting (Instead of putting your needle in one side of the stitch, you put it in the other side. It's the same motions though). The mystery of purling is finally solved!

In case you are wondering, the scarf I started in this class measures only 4 inches. I haven't had any time to work on it due to the long list of Christmas presents that I'm making. I will be picking it up again January 1st!

Trip to the Shabby Sheep

While visiting the Urban Bazaar a couple weekends ago, my mom, Aunt Debbie, and I decided to stop by the Shabby Sheep. This is a great yarn store in Uptown Dallas that also offers knitting classes and activities. Now the three of us are actually crocheters, but we can definitely appreciate yarn! Whenever I have some more time, I will take the beginner class at the Shabby Sheep and learn how to knit finally.



The Shabby Sheep has every kind of yarn you can think of: cashmere, wool, angora, alpaca, cotton, ribbon, chenille, blends--it's enough to hypnotize me for hours!! The shop also has lots of sample projects for you to see, including the pink scarf above. I don't know if you can tell from the picture, but those are tiny little pink beads. My mom in particular loved this scarf, and has commanded that I make her one. Okay, Mom, as soon as I make you the scotty dog.....I'll start on this scarf.














My favorite display item was this hedgehog! It has to be one of the cutest stuffed toys I've ever seen. The Shabby Sheep is going to have a class on how to make it, but in knitting!! Curses! This hedgehog will be my motivation to learn as soon as possible.

We also liked this pumpkin baby hat. Here is a free pattern for a crochet version from Bev's Country Cottage. Enjoy!







PS I will have pictures of me and Mike's Halloween costumes up soon!