One of my knitting goals that was brewing last year was to try fair isle knitting. I then proceeded to not try it, knitting two sweaters instead, and then turning back to cross-stitch at the end of the summer. I recently got all excited about trying a Lopi sweater and knew it would be unwise to try color work the first time on a sweater project. So, while I wait and plot my sweater, I am working on this hat—the pattern is from the excellent class over at Creativebug.They reduced their monthly fee for unlimited classes, very cool and very affordable!
So, the hat is going well. Except that I totally messed up the pattern, but more on that in a second.
My knitting history: I tried to get serious about knitting a few times, the first when I was about 18, and then again at about 20. I knit a few hats. In my late 20s in Seattle I took a real knitting class and the wise teacher (seeing I hadn't really clocked many hours knitting) taught me to pick and told me to knit that way. I was throwing until then, but because I was never serious about knitting, switching to picking wasn't a big deal. She told me one day, I'd be happy I knew both. Especially for color work. Thank you wise knitting teacher!
So, holding two colors in two different hands is not a big deal. My tension needs work, as does my concentration, because I have since totally screwed up this color work pattern, but you know what? I'm not taking it out. Because it's still pretty and I am proud of it and I just think it will still be a great hat, just not a perfect hat, and that's just fine. It's a practice project that happens to keep a head warm, it's a win-win as I see it.
I am very tired because last night I went down a knitting rabbit hole and have still not come out the other side. I found The Fringe Association, by Karen Templer. I am sure I am the last knitter to know of this site, right? But wow. I love it so much. She has a shop, and interviews, and wonderful taste, and a ton of info and some free patterns. This Beginning to Knit series had me up all night.
