#80- The Moebius Scarf!

I finished my first knit piece.  I love checking things off my 101 in 1001 list!  I made it on circular needles which made it was hard to gauge the right length (since I could never fully stretch it out).  So I went a tad bigger, starting with 170 rather than 150, than a few of the patterns I read said.  I wish it was just a TAD bigger around the shoulders, maybe a full 200.  Also seeing it on I might just take out the last row and add a few more inches.  But I like the color and pattern.  Oh, and I apologize now for my modeling "skills".  I am having a TERRIBLE hair crisis right now...  To keep growing out?  Or to cut...  Maybe on a good hair day I'll post some pictures and let you help me pick.  But for now, tired eyes and bad hair just get cropped to focus on the real fun...

There weren't any patterns that I fell in love with out there, so I kind of made up my own.  I based it on "4 knit rows, 4 purl rows, repeat" pattern.  And while I love stripes that sounded too boring.  So I did 2 knit, 4 purl, 6 knit, 6 purl, 4 knit, 2 purl, repeat.  I did that 4 times.  I'm thinking one more time ought to do it.  But for now it's done. 

I still can't believe I did it.  My first knit piece!  I actually picked up a learn to knit book a few years ago, but it was SO not helpful.  But this time I started with a book that I thought did a great job teaching.  It was the "I taught myself knitting" from boye.  I'm so proud!  It's so fun learning a new craft.  There are so many new things I want to make!  I already have a sweater picked out for #81, but I'm going to do a few other small projects before I tackle that one.  Also I need to find the right yarn for a full sweater.  Any advice?  The Moebius scar can be worn around your shoulders, around your neck OR

doubled up around your neck for especially cold days!I like all these ways.  I'm worried that with extra width I won't be able to do the neck versions, but it will make the shoulder version nicer.  Maybe I'll leave this one as is, and start longer for another version, and go super wide for that one.  I'll have to think about it. 

knitting update or #80

So I've been working on goal #80, learn to knit and make one full project.  The learning part is coming along but finding the right first project has been rough. I tired a hat, but my circular needles were WAY too long, I think I'll have to get some double sided ones.  Then I fell in LOVE with this scarf, but there weren't free directions and who know how long it will take me to get around to buying the book.  I tried to make it up myself, I got the general gist, but obviously it's not right because it was just too hard to cable the third cross over every time.  And looking at the scarf pictures on blogs all over I could tell it wasn't right.  so I'll save it for another day and I kept looking around, looking around...

I few years ago, actually more like 6 or 8 years ago, I was watching TV and fell in LOVE with this twisted cowl scarf thing I saw on one of the actresses.  I've looked everywhere trying to find a pattern for it.  I've looked up every keyword I could think of all for nothing.  And while looking for instructions for the above scarf idea I came across a Moebius scarf.  A twisted scarf!  It was perfect!  So after looking at dozens of moebius and twisted scarfs I found a pattern I really like.  So my first kniting project is officially started!!!

Learning to Knit

As if I don't have enough going on getting ready for the party this weekend....  But I like to unwind at night catching up on my favorite shows on the internet when everyone else is asleep.  But I feel so useless without something in my hands.  I'm sick of my Christmas Stockings Cross stitch again (more on that later) and have 3 unfinished crochet projects I'm just not motivated by.  SO I thought it would be fun to learn to knit...

This is after the first night, I learned to knit, purl, and even do these cool cables!  I just loved the braided look.  And yes, this is my practice sample.  I'll take it all out when I'm done, but for now it's fun to watch it grow, even though it's ugly with the miss match patterns. 

I decided to go with something a bit trickier just to see if I could follow the directions correctly.  Other than repeating row1 twice (not part of the the pattern) I like it and think it turned out well.  So any suggestions on favorite patterns for my first full (to keep, not unravel) knitting project?