I've finished several knitted swatches and can now knit and purl. Before I left for vacation, my coworker, Chaitra and I sat in from of the Knittinghelp.com website and finally, finally figured out how to purl. It's not easy to do when you're just trying to figure it out from a book. I was on the verge of throwing my needles several times while trying to figure it out on my own. But Chaitra and I figured it out (and the marketing people standing behind her cubicle thought we were nuts when we got all excited the first time it clicked and we both got through a row) and it kept me busy on the plane to and from Jamaica (3 hours) and then the 2 hour bus to and from our resort. All that time and all I finished was a freaking 7 X 9 swatch. I was knitting with worsted weight yarn on no. 7 needles though, so I suppose that explains my slow progress. Not to mention that it was the first stockingette stitch thing I've ever made. I'm probably going to make the ugliest kitty blanket in the world by attaching all my various knitted swatches and crocheted granny squares together. The kitties won't care as long as it is cozy. I love knitting with big chunky yarn. Until I get really fast, it is the only way for me to decive myself that knitting doesn't take longer than crocheting (which isn't really true, at least for me right now).
I finished my last crocheted baby blanket (until I get pregnant myself) and already gave it to the new mommy-to-be. She was estatic with it and that made me really happy, though it hasn't changed my mind about the "no-more-baby-blanket" policy.
I'm currently in the midst of knitting a Fancy Fur scarf for my mother-in-law for Chanukah. I bought the yarn last year in a yarn-and-crochet-frenzy when I was bored with the so-called "normal" yarn. This was before I realized that because the eyelash yarn also has little knubbies on it, it doesn't make for easy crocheting. I tried everything--little hooks, big hooks, using yarn markers--nothing made working with this damned yarn easy. Until now. All this time I thought I was retarded because I kept crocheting knots, but now I've realized it's easier to knit with than crochet with. I don't know who is able to crochet with the damned Fancy Fur, but it sure as hell isn't me. In any case, I'm sort of on the fence with Fancy Fur. It looks cool and it's fun to knit with, but I keep asking myself if I actually like it. The yarn fancinates everyone where ever I go (crazy amounts of people have been mesmerized on the subway by my funky purple needles knitting this yarn), but I don't know if that means I like it. I guess it comes down to this--I like knitting with it, think it looks really cool, but I don't think I'd actually wear anything made with it myself.
