Fearless Knitting

At the beginning of the year, Knitting Daily had this in a newsletter. I finally decided to post about it.

Is there something you haven't tried because it seems Too Scary?

Knitting a sweater scares me. What if I spend all that time, energy and money and it doesn't fit... Or I don't like it... Or I don't look good in it.... Or I get bored knitting it and don't finish..... I want knitting to be fun and not seem like work.

Is there a technique you want to learn, or learn to do more skillfully?

Cables and Color Stranding. I've recently learned to do both. Cableless cable knitting isn't that hard to do. I need to practice so that the cable in front stitches(left) look tighter and identical to the cable in back stitches(right). Color stranding is an ongoing learning experience for me. I'll give it a try in few weeks when I make my lil bro a scarf. I want to do a Harry Potter type scarf with his name spelled out.

Is there something that stumps you?

I have trouble understanding patterns that aren't well written. I can pretty much understand all sock patterns well written or not, but non sock patterns.... Its seems like some patterns are the designer's notes. There's somethings I'd love to knit but I don't want to spend $10 for 15 minutes at my LYS asking the owner to deciper a pattern for me. The $10 for 15 minutes is price for "I have question..." at my LYS.

Is there something that you are dying to try, in your secret knitter's heart, but haven't dared because you think you're not a good enough knitter?

I look at pictures of the Pretty as a Peacock Shawl on Ravelry and drool. You have to be an expert lace knitter to do it. I'm a lace beginner. If the second row and all subsequent even rows aren't purl rows, I'd be up a creek.

Are you always knitting The Same Old Things, and you'd like to try something new?

I would love to make the Scarlet Woman Sleeveless Tank , Bella or Shapely Tee , but I'm afraid of spending alot of money on one of them and doing something to mess it up. I've thought doing a baby or toddler project like AllyB or Crimson Purls did to get my feet wet.


Do you always knit for others, and never for yourself? Or perhaps you only knit yourself accessories, but never a lovely cardigan or pullover to wear?

I usually knit for others, and hardly ever for myself. I don't take the time to knit for myself. That said.... I'm thinking frogging the Jacobean socks I was knitting for myself. My stubborn and tenacious nature hasn't kicked in and made me want to finish the first sock. Is there such a thing as 1st sock syndrome? I've fallen out of love and I'm bored with the pattern. I love the yarn and the color is gorgeous. I was thinking of making the Ribbed Lace Socks from SKS instead(I'm copying AllyB). I could still do the SKP but I'd do it on my own and make the 5 pairs of socks with patterns I've wanted to make for myself.

Pattern Surfing: Falling Water by Bonnie S. on Blue Peninsula
I discovered this pattern indirectly when I was reading a thread on knittinghelp about knitting 2 toe up socks using magic loop. That sent me to Bella Vita Farm & Fiber and Diane's sock tutorial makes magic looping 2 socks clear. (I've decided to blogstalk her because she 's an intricate and pretty fair isle sweater and a Mystic Light shawl.) She's knitting the Falling Water Lace Scarf too. The Falling Water looks like a cable scarf, but its not. The lace design makes it look that way. Neat! The scarf is free Bonnie's blog, Blue Peninsula. I'm thinking I'll knit it for myself with Sarah's Yarns fingering weight cashmere in Rich Blueberry colorway.