It all starts here...

Ok so it all starts here...

I have been knitting now for what must be coming up to a year. I have to tell you that my mother and my grandmother have tried for many many years to get me to do so. They have both been knitters since they were little (along with my paternal grandmother) and so growing up I was never without home-made knitting ettire (from "Postman Pat," "Shoe People," and "Rainbow Brite" jumpers to that bright pink cardigan from said paternal grandmother to which my brother owned a matching bright blue that still gives me flashbacks) and I still own the Jean Greenhowe "Sam Scarecrow" somewhere in the loft. I remember back in the good old 1980's when my friends were learning to knit, asking my mum to teach me however I have never been blessed with patience and therefore found it more entertaining to play "Star Wars" with the knitting needles with my brother (the boy has always been trouble) because they made that fantastic clicking sounds that real knitters made when knitting on the t.v.

Well a year ago it all changed... I discovered John Lewis! A nice evening wandering around the Trafford Centre spending hard-earned money with my mum when she leaves me at Starbucks to buy my caffine-fix (the only coffee I drink comes in a Starbucks cup) and decides to have a wander around this large store ahead of her. So out she comes (after what was an eternity) having decided after having a wander around the wool section that she is going to take up knitting again and me in my infinate wisdom decides that I will join her! So off we trail to the haberdashery section looking for an easy pattern (oh no I could not simply start off with a scarf like normal people, I need something different) and some wool. I come out (best part of £40 lighter) with a simple cardigan pattern and some green wool (practical - I can wear it on my break and on nights) and so the obsession begins...

One year on... I can do the basics; knit, purl, cast on, cast off, increase, and decrease. The cardigan is still not completed (it is going to my gran for completion once I have located it) however, I have completed a doll (it really does not look quite right and to be honest with you it is a bit of a floozy as her skirt will not stay up but she does have a cracking pair of purple knickers on), and a scarf (a Christmas present for a friend), I have a button band to complete on a baby cardigan (I got fed-up of grown-up sized items as they took too long to complete), I have the sleeves and yoke to complete on a chunky cardigan for myself, and I am knitting premature baby hats (very simple) on the side. Lined up I have a teddy bear, a baby cardigan (I am going to learn cable stitch), a pair of socks (the sock needles came little plastic socks to hold them in place), a rabbit (a Christmas present from a friend) and as of tonight a rainbow blanket (I am going to learn to make stripes) and I am also considering making the matching bolero to the hats that I am knitting.

Just over a month ago I joined a Stitch and Bitch in Preston. I LOVE it. They are the nicest set of people you ever wish to meet. I was really nervous as I never usual do something alone (for the first week at least I normally take along a friend or family member for moral support) but as my mum works late on a Thursday and my gran goes out with her friends I decide that it is something that I must simply "man-up" to and do alone. I am so glad that I did because they are a fantastic set of people. If anyone is ever in two minds on whether to join such a group then I would tell them not to hesitate. I found out about them through Ravelry which is a fantastic little site (although I have to tell you have still not managed to rid me of my Facebook addiction).

So here we are that is an introduction to me. Not exciting I know but hey I am happy in my own little world! I am most excited this evening because I have joined Rowan International and also will be heading off to Stash in Chester with my gran and my mum this Wednesday (but before you start to judge we will be hitting Cheshire Oaks too) and today we went to a really nice little LYS in St Helens which is a bit different as we usually head to Black Sheep in Culcheth (another fantastic LYS) as John Lewis is a bit more on the expensive side.

Anyway I am off to bed...