So-Called Progress

At last, there is knitting related FO content for the blog. I've been feeling a little blah lately about my knitting, despite the stash enhancement, and I think it is a function of not having anything done.

The Specs:

Pattern: My So-Called Scarf courtesy of Sheep in the City
Yarn: Malabrigo 100% merino wool
Amount: About 1 and a quarter skeins (which unfortunately are noticeably different in color, but probably enough left over to make a matching hat)
Colorway: Oro y Vino, except that one skein has more orange oro and the other skein has more coral oro
Needles: Boye US10.5 metal straights (funny story: These are the first needles I ever bought, and the first time I've ever used them.)
Time: about a week and a half
Width: 4-3/4 to 5 inches
Length: 76 inches

Unfortunately, it rolls a little on the edges, so if I made this pattern again, I would probably put a flat border around it to keep it from curling. The pattern stitch is beautiful, and I'm worried that it won't be seen as much since it's bunched up.

I made it extra long to accommodate my extra belly. Since it came out narrower than I wanted, I wanted to be sure I had enough to wrap around my neck twice and still hang low. Since I waddle to and fro. (That song in your head now?)

Today is officially my first knitaversary, and this is the first thing I've finished for myself. The sweater and a pair of socks are still on the needles (cross your fingers both will be done soon), but everything else has been gifted.

Knitting first bit me at Target, of all places. One day after first moving here to D.C., I was out shopping with Slim and spotted one of those "Learn to Knit" kits with some blue and green fun fur type yarn for a scarf, the Boye needles and a DVD that was supposed to teach you everything you needed to know. I was able to figure out the slipknot, but that was the extent of it. I got so frustrated, I told the Cap'n, "I'm going to have to take a class." And he said I should...so it began.

I first cast on in a beginning knit class at Stitch DC. I've blanked on my teacher's name, but maybe she wasn't the greatest. Didn't matter. I still fell in love with the challenge of it. I've spent most of my life living up in my head, and it was so wild to create something with my hands.

The class project was a scarf out of Manos del Uruguay and two strands of Kidsilk Haze held together. I didn't like how thin it was, so it ended up being frogged and restarted as a scarf for my Safta. Now my anniversary scarf is out of another kettle-dyed Uruguayan yarn, and just as lovely as the first.

I'm disappointed I don't have my first sweater done by my first knitaversary, but I hope to have it done soon. I'm going to try blocking it tomorrow or Thursday. Then just the collar and seaming to go.

I'm going to treasure this scarf as a reminder of my first year knitting. It has been such a fulfilling creative release during that first year of motherhood, which carries its own share of frustration. I enjoy the challenge, and I enjoy the learning process. There's so much more for me to learn and so many more projects I want to take on.

Here's to many more knitting years ahead!

P.S. I think I may be raising another knitter, too!