Knitting

The sweater has officially begun! (I finished the baby blanket that I volunteered to make for a local charity. I felt I had to get that done first.) I took all of the yarn I ordered and made the skeins into balls. I made a gauge patch, and thank goodness I did! I needed to use a size larger needle than the pattern requires.

I've begun a notebook/scrapbook type of keepsake where I take a sample of the yarn, the label from the skein, and glue it on a notebook page. I then write the date, description of the project, etc. on the page. No only will it make a nice list of yarns used and projects completed, but will be a good reference for any future projects.

It is so exciting to begin a new project and see it take shape in your hands. The joy I find in knitting is twofold. I enjoy the serenity that the actual knitting brings. When I bring out my knitting basket, the dogs all find a good spot to snooze. They know we're in for a quiet time. The other joy in knitting is the process of making something, learning from mistakes, feeling creative, and--the best part--the enjoyment of giving something you made to someone.

I'm no artist like Kathy Stoltzfus, but I can appreciate how she feels about the creative process.