Knit Wit

So yesterday morning, I took my very first knitting class at Sister Arts Studio in Lincoln Park.  I had so much fun!  Over the last month and a half, I've taught myself the knitting basics by watching videos recommended to me and "Teen Cafe" on YouTube - pretty helpful once I got past the whole cast-on debacle.  So since I wasn't sure if I was doing everything right and I had no clue how to read patterns, I opted for the personal project class to get some one-on-one time with an expert.  Not only do I knit correctly (patting my back here) but I was praised for the progress of my project which I thought was entirely way too difficult for me to even think of starting at this point.  When I decided to knit, I was inspired by this blanket pattern by Patons and thought that "easy" meant easy for someone who has no clue how to knit.  BOY was I wrong!  They make beginners patterns, Meagan.  Remember this.

Ann at the studio helped me decipher the complicated pattern terms, taught me how to slip stitch and then guided me row by row until I could just repeat the pattern over and over again.  I only had one color of yarn so it didn't have the same effect but I learned new things, made good progress, was applauded by the other knitters and gained a whole lot of confidence along the way.  That's the thing about me and my mom's side of the family.  If you tell us we can't do something, we're that much more determined to do it just to prove you wrong.  Even though nobody told me I couldn't do it, I wasn't exactly too sure of my abilities so I pushed myself harder.  It may take me all winter and spring but I'm going to complete this afghan whether my fingers fall off or not!

So not only was I completely inspired to continue knitting yesterday but thanks to Stephanie from Bird on a Wire, I found an incredible Christmas craft to make that was easy and completely my kind of style.  So I immediately ran to Joanns, returned some other yarn I had bought and exchanged it for some StitchNation yarn in colors I like and I'm going to dive in to making some other stuff while I work on the blanket (thick yarn, thick needles = quick project, right?!).  I also bought pinecones and after I go get this cavity filled in an hour and a half (yikes!) I'm going to get to working on the garland ::

I don't even have a fireplace!  Hah!  

And maybe I'll do some knitting so that I can get good enough to make something like these for a special lil' baby due in February ::

or these ::

Happy Thursday!