Sunday, July 21, 2013

Adventures in Knitting: The Beginning

One of my goals for the summer was to learn how to knit. My mom tried to teach me when I was little and I never really picked up on it so it just fell to the way side. For the last couple of years I have wanted to learn but didn't have much time and didn't feel very good. So I decided that this summer would be the summer. My mom is a really good knitter so I asked her if she would teach me and she said she would help but she wouldn't teach me completely herself because she knits weird (she's right handed but learned from a left handed person so apparently she knits weird). So we found a couple YouTube videos and she helped supplement what I learned from the video (an easier way to cast on). My goal was to get up to the level of the hat pattern on the wrapper of the the yarn a bought shown here. So we found a pair of needles (there are a ton, we have the ones my mom bought as well and a ton that my grandma gave us) and a ball of peach yarn (light colors work best for seeing what you are doing when your learning a new stitch), and sat if our basement hooked my computer up to the TV so the picture was bigger and I learned how to knit. 

 This is my first little swatch of knitting. It is just straight knitting also called the garter stitch. 

Then I got a pair of circular needles which I bought so I had the right length for my hat (my mom said I would be happier with them especially because I plan on doing more than one hat). I practiced with the circular needles for a bit before I started my hat. At this point I also learned how to purl. This can be seen on my next swatch. 

 The swatch I did on my circular needles. The is knitting, purling, and a combination of the two to practice ribbing before I did my hat. 

Then I started my hat! I was really excited to start my hat. I used Red Heart yarn from their Gumdrop collection in the colors Cherry and Orange. I followed the directions the hat on the wrapper of the yarn and I LOVE how it turned out. It turned out great despite my problem with knitting on the inside of the circular needles (my mom is going the help me fix this problem so I learn to knit on the right side of the needles). This turn out not to be a supper big deal because I was knitting a hat not socks when I finished I just had to flip the hat inside out and it was fine. It fits perfectly and covers my ears. I am supper happy with it. 

 My hat! I am supper proud of it. I may even make a matching scarf eventually. 

When I told the lady that I am babysitting for this summer that I learned how to knit she told me she had all of this yarn that she had that she didn't want anymore and asked if I wanted it so I said sure. So she gave me all of this funky yarn pictured below. I don't know what I am going to do with all of it but I'm sure I'll find a use. (I already have for the green). 

 Funky Yarn. 

The green funky yarn is Moda-Dea Lazy Daisy by Coats. There were three balls of this yarn so I decided I would try to make a scarf out of it. I started with US10 bamboo needles and was having a rough time so I decided to try some metal needles to I went to the needle stash and found a pair of metal US10. This is working MUCH better. I plan of finishing this scarf by crocheting a daisy or two for it. Hopefully it turns out cute (I'll keep you updated). 

 A picture of the yarn and what I have knit up already. 
 A close up picture of the scarf in progress. 

So then on Thursday my mom and I went to the Alpaca place (Rainbow Gifts and Yarn). I bought some food pellets and went and fed the alpacas and pet them and then we went and bought yarn (and needles). I bought a set of double ended US8 needles to finish my hat. And the YARN. I bought some Little Flowers Yarn in 2232, some Cascade Yarns Cascade Kid Seta in Shade 10 to make a scarf like my mom made for my aunt shown here. I also bought some Premier Yarns Starbella to make a ruffle scarf that is shown on the wrapper. 
A picture of my yarn and needle purchases which I will also keep you updated on. 

So I have found a new hobby. I still love my beads dearly but I am also having fun knitting. Knitting is nice for me at the end of the night when I get home from work and don't have the energy to think about beading. I am having a lot of fun knitting and may be knitting Christmas presents for people this year. I am planning and really going to try to keep my word on keeping you updated on my knitting. Wish me Luck! 

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Under the Dome

  Recently I started watch the show Under the Dome with my parents. It is a relatively new show on CBS, this fifth episode should be airing on Monday at 10/9c. A couple weeks ago I had a sinus infection and was home from work when my mom decided that they were going to start watch it, so I watched the first couple episodes with them. We caught up on episodes that we missed and watch the third one which was airing for the first time that night. I got addicted to Under the Dome. I watched the first three episodes a couple times each while it waited (rather impatiently) for episode four which aired this past Monday. I had to work on Monday night so I had my mom DVR the new episode for me which I've watched twice. The only other TV shows that I'm this in to are the American Horror Stories (and I wasn't as into the last season of that as I was the first).   

So basically the show is about a relatively small town that all of the sudden is surrounded by a dome. No one knows why or how it got there. When the dome appears it cuts a cow in half and shows the inside which I thought was the coolest thing being the science nerd that I am. After the residents find out there is a dome basically all hell breaks loose. Things are rapidly starting to deteriorate on the inside, while the people on the outside appear to have given up. People are also starting to realize that everyone has a secret. 

I am really really REALLY excited to see what happens next. I am really enjoying Under the Dome.