learning to knit

In December I took a beginning knitting class with Franny at That Yarn Store. Super fun. But since I was in the middle of making a bunch of xmas gifts, I had to put the knitting aside. While I was in DC at the end of December, niece Raquel taught me how to purl. While I was there, I played around with different stitches, but didn't make anything worth while. Then I couldn't remember how to cast-on. I couldn't remember any of the three cast on methods that I learned from Franny. And I couldn't quite decipher the diagrams in the knitting books I have- Stitch 'n Bitch and Domiknitrix (Jake gave that to me for xmas-what a love). I finally figured it out. whew. I'm not sure if I'm doing them right... I knit a scarf out of the beautiful recycled sari silk yarn that my friend and reigning LA crochet queen Ellen Bloom gave me. I also knit a pair of fingerless gloves, not in the round but by sewing up the side. and I knit a hat for Jake that was too small. I had to give it to my young friend Ben. (see Amigurumi post to see a picture of him.) Now I am frantically making one for Jake that will fit by Valentine's Day. Yikes! I don't have any photos of my knit projects. But I"ll post them when I do. In between the knitting, I have been crocheting too- I made a capelet out of baby alpaca bulky weight yarn in a lovely green. It is modified from the Jolly Rancher pattern on Crochet Me .

Also, I haven't been able to go to WeHo Stitch 'n Bitch in a while due to car trouble, but this week I'll be there! I miss it terribly...





And! my niece Christina was visiting and I taught her how to crochet. I also gave her a copy of The Happy Hooker.






Christina and I crochet
























Here's a picture of my niece Raquel, my sister Vicky and Machito.

Amigurumi

Last weekend I (finally!) finished amigurumi chipmunks for my friends Sarah and Ben. I was supposed to have finished them in September. But I had some mishaps. Particularly with color.

Here is my first attempt.

Jake said that the tail is obscene and that I might traumatize 4-year old Sarah. Now it lives at the office, traveling from cubicle to cubicle. Although, without eyes, I don't know how Crochet Thing moves around.

I ditched Sarah's color choices and started again

Here they are waiting in my rocking chair until they go to Ben and Sarah's

Sarah's chipmunk made friends with Dixie

Finally, they arrive at Ben and Sarah's- with much fanfair and joy