2KCBWDAY2 : Mad Skillz

Look back over your last year of projects and compare where you are in terms of skill and knowledge of your craft to this time last year.

This story dates back to my very first introduction to knitting. I'm not who exactly knit and how I learned about it, but I do remember that my great-aunt Lil used to crochet- as does my Grandma Arlene. Neither were interested in teaching me in the least bit, which is quite understandable considering I remember asking them to teach me when I was an obnoxious little kid. It also probably didn't help that they were both left handed and I most definitely am right handed. In any case, I was always a crafty kid and knitting sounded like the bees knees for me. So I conned my parents into buying me yarn and a set of size 13 Boye straight needles and a booklet.

Let's just say that it didn't go very far.

Fast forward to the summer of 2009. My friend Veronica and I were hanging out in my room. I think I was digging through my closet or investigating the dark recesses of my room and came across the yarn and needles. Upon seeing the knitting tools, Veronica squealed and asked if I knew how to knit. After I admitted that I didn't know how, she said she had always wanted to learn. That set it off. We both promptly went on the Internet and learned the knit stitch.

It took me until March of 2010 and infinite garter stitch scarves to stop knitting and learn how to purl. Veronica was more proactive. She not only finally prodding into learning to purl, she also showed me Ravelry. And that was love at first sight- although it probably took me a good three or four months to find the boards.



I began with toys. My first project on Ravelry was a tiny turtle, though I soon progressed to birds, headbands, and a RHSS linen stitch scarf. Then I started to look for more and more complicated patterns. I think I've covered a good chunk of knitting techniques in this last year. There are still certain things that elude me- like doing a decent mattress stitch and knitting socks- but those are things I fully intend to conquer relatively soon. Things I have conquered?



Entrelac. Easy as pie.



Lace. Easy, but I have yet to try a super complicated pattern. I prefer things I can easily memorize and lug around with me everywhere. This is probably the easiest lace pattern I've knit, (see the sweater picture for a slightly more complicated pattern) but I think it demonstrates it pretty well



Cables! The Knitmore Girls are right. These are definitely potato chip knitting.



A sweater. Wow this was fun and turned out beautifully. I definitely will be knitting more of these.



Colorwork. Again, easy. I've since learned to tension my yarn better, however, which is why my vinterblomster mittens are still on the needles. Well, that and the fact that they involve staring at a chart and thus, aren't very portable.

I've made all of this progress in terms of skill, yet still, what am I knitting the majority of the time? Scarves. I guess we all go back to what we know the best. That or I'm just plain obsessed. Somehow, I'm thinking it's the latter. Who actually needs a million scarves anyways?