I have a knitted FO!!

Had to type that title carefully…

Some of you may remember that last year, mostly from reading other blogs and drooling over the beautiful creations, I finally decided to pick up my knitting needles again. Well actually I had to buy a set, because I had given all of mine away in a random act of tidying up, but you know what I mean.

So far, I have started four projects, and finished one. Doesn’t sound too promising, does it? But, actually it is fine. Two of the unfinished ones (scarves) are almost completed, just a row or two to go and then working in the ends. I wish I had done that as I went along, but I just forgot.

The fourth project is one I have only just started – a blanket for Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. I found out about the project from Kick Arse Crochet (what a great name!) a little while ago. Thanks to her mentioning it on her blog there will be a few blankets heading their way as my mother has already made two, a friend’s mother is mid-knit and I have bought enough cheap (they specify it needs to be acrylic) yarn to make maybe three. Battersea is a very worthwhile cause, although it would obviously be good if there was no need for it to exist because every animal had a loving home. I like to think that a dog will look so adorable on their nice new blanket that it might help get them a new family. Even if they just chew it to shreds, I don’t mind really! There is a downloadable pattern for the blanket and cat toys, plus a list of other items they can use here. Again, thanks to Beth at Kick Arse Crochet for her original posting of this.

Anyway, the finished object is not for me, but a gift for my mum, which is why I have actually completed it. Only a scarf, and a simple free pattern which I found on Ravelry, but I enjoyed making it. Good job too because I had to start it three times. Due to still not having mastered the art of tinking (I really need to watch those YouTube clips again), every time I made a mistake, I was stuffed. I think it is the ’yarn forward’ that throws me. I kept ending up with significantly less stitches than I should have. So I just gave up, unravelled it and started again! Third time lucky. Also I got a much neater (or less hole-y) cast on edge the third time – I remembered about doing it with your thumb instead of a knitting needle. I couldn’t actually remember how, though…After many fumbled attempts I got it. I guess knitting is nothing like riding a bicycle. I have since found out when I mentioned the ‘thumb method’ to my mother and sister that we each do it differently!

And, although I had ditched my needles, for some reason I kept a bag of this yarn. Probably because it is Rowan, wool and cotton mix, and cost a bit at the time. But now, I have a nice lightweight scarf, pretty much for free! And also another project in the queue as my sister would like one too…