I have recently become enamored of knitting.  I’m not an advanced knitter, but I’m doing better than I did some years ago.  I found a yarn shop a block away from where I work, so I think I will get adventurous and take a class.  They have classes in knitting socks and an unusual design of neck scarves.

Actually, I learned to knit years ago, when I was about 11 or 12 years old, during a very stormy spring in Indiana.  I had a favorite aunt & uncle who were living with us at the time, they had moved into my grandparents’ house while they were building a house.  It was a year of fun for all 6 of us grandchildren living there at the time, plus my aunt was pregnant and we anxiously awaited the arrival of our new cousin.  Imagine 4 giggly little girls and 2 sweet little boys playing on the farm.  I was wanting to learn how to knit and so my aunt sat me down one afternoon to show me how to knit slippers.  A few weeks later, during a really bad storm, we jumped up to go outside to see the clouds forming and somehow, I dropped that slipper and never did find it.  My knitting efforts were sporadic after that for years.

Last autumn, I was trying to find the hat I had knitted last winter (see my post here https://serendipitouscookery.com/2014/02/14/knit-1-purl-1/ ), and looking everywhere to no avail, I decided to knit another hat.  I found a free pattern on this blog        http://florriemarie.com/2014/10/11/free-pattern-morel-hat/        and decided to try it.

The yarn recommended was Miss Babs Northumbria DK, Candied Pecan, but when I checked the website for the yarn, it was sold out.   The pattern was called Morel (as in the color of morel mushrooms) and I think I ended up buying yarn called Mushroom at Joanne Fabrics.  It turned out a lovey shade of, well, mushroom and was very similar to the Candied Pecan color.  While knitting it, I actually found the hat I was missing – it was in my car, so I decided to finish this one and sent it to my daughter for Christmas.  It turned out so beautiful, I may knit another one.

Not to be outdone, I’ve started another little knitting project, using up yarn I have in my stash, nothing expensive here.  I’ve seen knitting emails come through with patterns for wash cloths.  Here is one that I’ve started ….

I love having the random stripes of color on a white background.  Here is the link to this pattern ….  http://www.allfreeknitting.com/Dish/Tried-and-True-Dishcloth-Knitting-Pattern   It’s really easy, you just knit each stitch until you’re finished.  A little instruction is needed in order to add in the colored yarns, but it’s not difficult.  Someone asked me why I was working on dinky old wash cloths, my reply was that I could experiment in a small space and still use the thing.

In the midst of all this, I also started knitting a scarf for myself to match the hat that I thought I had lost.  It’s a variation of a cable stitch and I’m trying to use up old yarn I’ve had in my stash for several years.  I have several skeins of this yarn and some matching green, so I’ll just keep knitting until I run out, I suppose.

Also, about the first of December last year, I was at a discount store and came across an unusual yarn in the knitting aisle.  It’s called Starbella Luxe Yarn (follow this link to learn more about this product ….   http://www.premieryarns.com/searchpage.aspx?k=starbella&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&keyword=g+generic+b&ne_ppc_id=1821&ne_key_id=105118039&ne_sadid=12732157239#1&profile=Premier    I can’t really say it’s a yarn, but rather a mesh or net like fiber that, when the instructions are followed, creates a lovely scarf.  It was very easy and fast to knit and I had it done in time to give it to my children’s grandmother for Christmas. She was delighted with it!