Socks are waiting

I was going to start socks, but I realized I need to start whatever Christmas presents that are going to be knit now. I"m making my mother a shawl with a cable border. I got the pattern from knitty.com. It is a great site with wonderful free patterns. Then I'm making my one sister a scarf and my father a scarf. My brother in law will probably end up with a scarf too. I might make my best friend a shawl too if I have the time. I'm not sure what to make my other sister and her fiance.

So socks will probably have to wait until after Christmas. Which sucks because I already have the yarn. But I definitely have more than enough projects to keep me perfectly occupied between classes and studying.

First knitted piece of clothing and next project

I just finished knitting a tank top. I think it turned out rather well. I used a cotton / acrylic blend yarn in blue. And I worked it on a size 8 circular needle. I had never used a circular before though I found it much easier on the wrists than straight needles.

I intend to start socks next, I just need to buy size three double pointed needles. I'm a little nervous about it since I will have to use stockinette stitch and when making short rows I'll have to do the purling. Which sucks because the stockinette stitch is my worst.

Long time

I have been knitting, though nothing significant. I still haven't started the throw because my mother and I have not been to the yarn store. She wanted me to knit a throw, but hasn't taken me to get her the yarn and hasn't told me what color she wants.

Haven't written in awhile

I have been busy so I haven't had time to post. And I haven't had time to knit. Though I will be knitting a throw this summer. I'm just hoping it will turn out okay.

Knitting With Wooden Needles

Knitting with wooden needles is a little different than with aluminum. The stitches don't slide along the needles as easily, but it is easier to have a loose tension. I want to try out bamboo needles, I have read some rave reviews about them. I'll have to look out from them in yarn stores and price them. There is a yarn store around here, I'll probably check it out next week. Though in a few weeks I'll be going home for the summer.

Needles and Stores

I bought the 10 1/2 double points in a yarn store. I splurged a little and bought wooden needles. I wanted to have some needles that were not aluminum. I have some chunky yarn that I'm going to knit a hat with. I'll probably start tomorrow because I won't have enough time today. I'm just glad that I found the needles I wanted.

I do wish that hobby lobby had a better needle selection though. Especially since there is one very close to school. I am looking into whether or not there is a yarn store here. Though finding a yarn store is not the end of it. I have to find one that is not run by snobs as some of them are.

Weekend

I'll be working on papers most of the weekend. Except for some time that I set aside to spend with a friend and Easter brunch. I'm going home for Easter. I'm leaving my knitting stuff here since I won't have time and I don't need the distraction. If I bring it with me I'll be tempted to knit instead of working on my papers. Though until I buy my 10 1/2 double points I don't have a new project anyway. But I have left over acrylic for a kerchief. Which I should just save for a later time.

I'm sick of school. And it just gets harder. I like being here and I want an education so I can get a good job. I just wish there were more days off. But that is the trade off when you go to a private school with an academic focus. Which I'm glad that they do. But when I'm exhausted I wish I went to a slacker school.

Socks

I have been looking at sock patterns. Even though knitting socks is along way off for me. Socks look harder to knit (and probably are) than sweaters. My goal is to attempt to knit a pair of sock by the end of the year. Though who knows if that will happen.

You have to use really tiny needles, in the patterns I have seen US size 3 and under because you use fingering or sport weight yarn. So far I have not used needles smaller than 8. Making the leg part does not look to bad but having to shape the foot will be difficult.

I changed my blog title. I might change it again. Who knows, I'm terrible with titles. This title will serve for the duration.

I'm still looking for the needles I wanted. I am either going to go to a yarn store or buy them online. I'm not sure if there are yarn stores around here, I know there are some at home but I know that sometimes they cost more at yarn stores because of the overhead. I guess I will price some in the yarn store and compare it to what I see online. Though with online purchases you have to keep shipping and handling in mind. Though since I have so many papers to write at the moment I won't be doing much knitting. Though when school gets out in a month and a half I will hopefully be working. But even then I might not be. Though I won't have work to take home so I might have some time to knit.

I'm not really knitting anything at the moment. I'll probably only make small things until the semester is over. Kerchiefs and cozies for the most part. When the semester ends I'll probably make a tank top.

I decided to wait until the weekend to buy needles. Hopefully I'll have time. I might just do it right after I arrive home tomorrow. Mainly because I should spend the weekend working on papers and hopefully I will finish the drafts while I'm home. The main reason I'm going home is that I get tired of being at school all the time. There is this bag that I want to make in my knitting book, I want to make it for my mom. It actually involves fairly simple knitting skills and is made in stockinette stitch. Though for some reason my stockinette stitch doesn't have the right tension at least not when I knit flat pieces. When I knit in the round the stockinette stitch is fine. My garter stitch is also not having the proper tension however it is much better than it was when I started. My best stitch so far is the seed stitch.

I am debating whether or not to go and buy 10 1/2 inch double pointed needles today or wait till the weekend. The problem is the store that I usually buy my needles from doesn't have them in stock. So I have to go someplace else. All of my needles are aluminum at the moment though granted I only have three sets of needles. I figured I would rather have cheaper needles for awhile though I might spurge on some bamboo ones soon. Saving money on needles allows me to buy nicer yarn. Though I'm just starting to do that since I figured it was better to learn using cheap yarn that way if I made a lot of mistakes it would not be a big loss.

I'll probably end up waiting till this weekend because I'm going to go home and the supply is better at home than it is here.

Well this is my first post. I have been knitting for a couple months now. I am slowly building up my needle and tool collection. Everything I have made so far has been simple. Scarves, hats, and kerchiefs. I'm hoping to make something to wear though in the coming months. Something I can wear or use in the summer since the hats and scarves are about to be away till fall.

I have mostly used acrylic yarn. Though I recently bought some 100% merino wool yarn and then today I bought a wool acrylic blend.