Sock Class Fun, week 1

I am a mostly self-taught knitter. As with many things I've wanted to learn, I got a book and dove right in. I'm not a huge fan of public education, but somehow I did manage to come away with the useful ability to read and follow directions... I'm not sure if they're still teaching that... but I digress...

Last Thursday night was a first for me- my first knitting class!

I signed up for a class on knitting socks on 2 circulars, mostly for the fun of it- the social aspect, meeting an experienced knitter/teacher/ playing with a new yarn and a new technique, buying new needles...!!!

Like with so many other things- I bought the book, "Socks Soar on Two Circulars", and started reading. I got the basic idea, but hadn't started any new socks yet- there are so many projects on the needles these days... Anyway, I didn't feel a real need for this class, but I did feel a real desire for it!

I'm so glad I went! It was just such a fun time. Having 6 kids, I don't get out much, at least not for anything that's just for me... (field trips and violin lessons abound, but that's just not the same...) I had to bring my nursing baby with, of course, and to make the babysitting easier I also brought with my 6 year old. Since she knits and has a scarf to work on I figured she would enjoy it. She ended up being a rather restless stinker who preferred twirling the ball-winder and snacking on the Pringles, but I did strongly encorage her to knit at least one row of her scarf (or else!)

my reluctant knitter...

Baby was fairly content, though distracted enough to want to 'snack', which meant shorter nursing, which would be great if it didn't also mean more frequent nursing... she's 7 months now and is turning into quite the busy-body, she wiggles and squirms almost non-stop! And since she pretty much grabs anything she can reach, it's getting nearly impossible to knit with her on my lap (though easier when she's busy nursing...) so I only managed 1 more row while holding her that night...

Since I needed some needles (the smallest circular I owned prior to this was a 3, and only one at that) I decided to go with some new Addi Turbo Lace Needles- and oooh, are they nice, pointy and sharp, but nice. They'll make getting that back loop on the second stitch so much easier than my plastic Bry-Flex and/or bamboo double points. I started an "Anniversary Sock" (Favorite Socks) and that LC2 is a pain with the more blunt-ended needles...
For sock yarn, I went with a pretty skein of Austermann STEP, (color- 01) 75% superwash wool, 25% nylon, and am really liking it.
We got started, and in true "there is no one right way to knit" fashion, I think we had 3 or 4 different favorite cast-on methods for the 5 of us! Thora Lee was so great about it, she just looked around and watched the different ways we each preferred, and smiled. The right way is the way that works for you, the way that is the most comfortable for you, and the way you most enjoy! I love that about knitting. She noticed I do 'an English style'... I said "Of course, I learned from a Debbie Bliss book!"

The fun getting under way-

My blogless mom (right) and Traci- the Blonde Knitter (center) and Thora Lee- our instructor (left).

Well, I'm in love with the technique (who isn't?) as I knew I would be. And I knit a few more rows after getting home Thursday night, and a few more rows throughout the day Friday... which brings us here-I don't think I'll have a problem getting to my heel in time for next Thursday's class. Of course, now that I've said that...

Happy knitting-

ali