People often ask me questions about learning how to knit or crochet so I've come up with this list.

A few Tips for Easier & Faster Learning:

1. pick an easy yarn to work with for learning. (Preferably with at least 45% wool for forgiving stitch eveness, springiness, and easy stitches. Non-splitty and no furry or stretchy, such as elastic or lyra in it.)

2. practice every day for about a month (no re-learning and fingers will have memory)

3. find others that can help you in person, preferable a professional. (that you can meet with at least 2+ times a week. check local yarn shops or online for meet-ups)

4. pick an easy to do pattern for your learning (This way you have something at the end to show for your work. You might want to ask for help on picking out this item. It should also be something that you want to make.)

5. take advantage of all the free resources online. Videos, patterns, & people to learn from. (ravelry.com, YouTube, knittinghelp.com, KnitPicks, & more.) Theses will keep you motivated, excited, & supported.

Gabriel turns 2 Years Old!

Alexis

It's about time I posted about my Granddaughter, Alexis. I believe this photo was taken at 5 1/2 months. She is currently just a week shy of 8 months now.

She has the most beautiful head of hair!

New Gabey photo

Here he is at 5 1/2 months. He is wearing a bib that I made without a pattern. I started at the neck with ribbing and then bind-off half of the stitches and knit the rest in blocks of stitch patterns that I wanted. Garter, seed, then stockingnet. Not too bad for just winging it, I think. He is the happiest little babe!

Update on Gabriel!

I got to see Baby Gabe last night! Unfortunately, he was too sleepy to see us! :-O

He is growing & changing already! He is now 2 weeks old!

Grandpa Mike is holding him.

International Breastfeeding Symbol Washcloth

International Breastfeeding Symbol

I began this washcloth on Friday night and didn't get to work on it again until Sunday, but I finished it! Yes, on Sunday!
I just used my aluminum size 7 straight needles. I had orginally began the washcloth on my new Knit Lite needles that my friend, Amie gave me for my birthday, but they melted in my car. :-( So, I took all this time taking off the stitches and putting them on different needles, only to decide to rip it and start over. LOL
Anyway, very easy, although I messed up in the middle. This Peaches & Creme Cotton yarn is very soft. I will have to make a few of these for friends.

Diaper Soaker Class

I took a diaper soaker class on Monday. The day before Baby Gabe was born.

So, I had lots of time to work on it while waiting for him to be born.




This is the Work In Progress. The next class is tomorrow, Monday, night at Nancy's Quilt Shop.

It is made out of 100% Peruvian Highland Wool (whatever that means) by Cascade Called "220" because it's 220 yds. I was planning on Kool-aid dying it, but it is realy pretty in white, too.
I think I'll let Jasmine decide.
I love working with the wool! I've only knitted with cotton, acrylic, and a wool/silk blend (but that feels closer to silk than wool) before now. I really like the feel of it and how easy it is to stitch!

You can see in this photo (I hope) that I am knitting this on a circular needle in what is called the 'magic loop' method. It's where you use a very long cable needles (this one is 40") and pull out two loops so that it allows the project circumference to be smaller (pretty much any size!). This has been easier that I thought! Although, you do have to do a Ketchner stitch to close up the crotch. This pattern is based on the Curly Purly pattern by Marnie Ann Joyce, but edited by my knitting instructor, Barbara Tolleson, for Magic Loop.

P.S. Soakers are pants used on the outside of cloth diapers. They repel moisture (that is why fishermen wore wool) and still allow the baby's skin to breathe. Nope. They don't have to be felted to do this either. Although 'lanolizing', to replace the lanolin helps even more.