I do some knitting

Needle ninja and all round good fun pal, Nic.

Bright and early (well 10am) yesterday, my lovely friend Nic arrived to help me embark on my hobbying hobby. ‘We’re off to get some wool and inspiration.’ Great. That’s my kind of getting cracking – you know the type where you fanny about for a bit first.So off to Andover we went to visit a craft village – if you’re interested, it’s this place.

Pausing only for tea, cake, looking in every craft hut and one toilet emergency*, we emerged triumphant with some rather tasty looking wool. Now at this point, I realise, it’s customary to take a picture of such things, but as I’m a rookie, I didn’t.

Back to the homestead to do some knitting, after calling in for some fresh bread for lunch. Then actually, by the time we got back we needed to eat before starting. But then we were ready.

All apparently essential if I am to succeed.

Nic produced a knitter’s bag for me, a gift bundle of all the things that I could possibly need for a happy and fruitful hobby career on the needles.

Finally, ready, I get to see the pattern. Oh my word. I am not starting with 2 needle knitting. Oh no, I’m more hardcore than that. I am creating my very own pair of wrist warmers** with four fricking needles. Yes, you read that right, FOUR. So, after a shaky start, I soon got into the rhythm of knit 2, pearl 2 (who is Pearl anyway? I bet that stitch was named after a lady who pushed the limits of plain knitting), and actually, apart from changing over on to new needles, which made my knickers go twisty, I seemed fine.

Here’s how pleased / surprised I was to have mastered a single row:

Yes, I’ve made a ‘tache

So with that, Nic departed, and I promptly cocked it up a bit, did a bit more, and actually the thing is going to be pretty ‘unique’, but it’s not that hard once you find your thing. What I am struggling with is remembering to count rows and being able to tell what stitch comes next, once I pick it up again. But, I will post progress reports, if you care, to see how things are coming along.

If you want to see how things should be done, head over to Nic’s blog, where she will show you what competent knitting should look like.

Thanks, Nic.

* 3 year old child + locked toilet = potential disaster

** I know. I never knew they existed either, but come to think of it, I often have chilly wrists.