I'm a Knitter!

So I have wanted to learn how to knit for a long time, but I've never gotten around to doing much about it. It wasn't until we visited our friends, the Goates, this last April and I saw the sweet hats that had been knitted for their baby that I was finally determined to learn.

Now, I miss living by my mom a lot, but I have been especially missing her during this whole learning-how-to-knit process. She's an amazing knitter, and I have so wanted her here to help when I have had questions; asking questions over the phone doesn't work quite as well! Luckily, she and my dad were here at the end of April to watch the kids when Chris and I took our trip to Chicago, so she showed me the basics then.

After I practiced for awhile, I checked out lots of books from the library, ready to start some projects. Unfortunately, I don't learn so well just looking at pictures - I need someone to show me how. Fortunately, Chris does learn well by looking at pictures:


Here he is trying to figure out how to cast on so he could show me how. And yes, he said he was fine with me taking this picture!
So I started with a hat, then I put that on hold to try out a teddy bear for my friend Patricia's new baby. Here's the result, my first knitting project!


This little bear was so much more work than it looks like it would be!! I think I prefer hats, especially knitting on the round (no seams to have to sew together). Anyway, I have discovered how satisfying it is to create something with my hands. During any free time I might have, I just turn on a movie or an audio book, and I knit away.

One of the books I found at the library has the cutest hats I have ever seen. If you ever want to be inspired to knit, this would definitely do the trick: