just one more row!

I'm a bit tired today because I was awake until just after 2 am last night. What was keeping me awake? Was I watching TV? Reading a good book? Nope. I was knitting. Sitting in bed and knitting and trying to finish my first hat. I did finish and what a feeling of satisfaction! I blame my new FINM (friend I've never met) Rachael Herron for enlightening me to the joys of yarn and knitting in her memoir - "A Life in Stitches." She wrote with such passion about knitting that I had to try it. Between YouTube videos and lessons from a friend at my volunteer workplace, I have learned how to knit.

I have started seeking out and exploring yarn stores. I'm collecting yarn and knitting needles in every size and material - I have plastic, aluminum, resin and bamboo needles. I also have started collecting circular needles of different sizes. There are all kinds of knitting gadgets as well - stitch counters, point protectors, yarn needles, cable needles....I could go on and on...and spend and spend. I really am trying to reign myself in, but it's hard not to get crazy about this new hobby. I have been given some beautiful pattern books of knitting projects, so I have to get very good at it before I can attempt more complicated  patterns.

Here are my first few modest projects...

A scarf, a hat and a cell phone sock

Mandi is modeling the hat I finished last night - she liked it so I gave it to her!

I'm getting close to being ready to start a little more ambitious project soon. I found a book of easy beginner's projects at a lovely yarn store in Los Altos called "Uncommon Threads." It should keep me busy for a while! I found another yarn store in Pleasanton called "Knit This, Purl That."

So much yarn...so little time!