I love books. I love to read novels, but even more so, I like to read books to learn. I have taught myself a few different things from books. When they opened a Barnes and Noble store near me, I was thrilled. I would hang out there as much as possible and check out books on all sorts of topics. One day, I found a book on Fair Isle knitting by Eugene and Ann Bourgeois called Fair Isle Sweaters Simplified. I loved the sweaters in the book and decided I had to make one. I purchased the book and later a sweater kit from their website. I wasn’t very good at finishing off sweaters. I had actually never finished one, so this was perfect because the Philosopher’s Wool Fair Isle Sweaters are knit in the round. I used the Fall Colorway and knit a Color Your Own Sweater. It was so easy and fun. It took me only 3 months to finish!
Here I am wearing the Philosopher Wool sweater in the Fall colorway
I ordered another kit in the Night Sky colorway, but never managed to start it until just recently. I have one sleeve done so far. It is the picture in the banner of my page.
Another project I have started as a result of a trip to the 2004 Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival. I had just started dating my husband and had not yet met his Mom. I thought going to the fair together would be a great idea! Besides I wanted to make something for my new love and what better place to get some wool? I ended up buying some rather bulky, fuzzy wool and deciding I would make my own pattern. I started knitting in the round a simple cable pattern. It is now going to be a blanket because it is coming out WAY too big, not to mention fuzzy. Every time I worked on it there would be fuzz all over everything! I don’t know what to do about that.
I worked on this sporadically over the past few years. Usually only if it were colder weather due to the size of it.
This year I went to the Rhinebeck fair again. I had gone last year, but didn’t purchase much. It was fun to walk around and check everything out, but I really couldn’t afford to spend much. I ended up buying a skein of alpacka yarn to make some fingerless gloves for my daughter. Still haven’t started those. So, this year my Aunt and Uncle were coming up to visit and when talking to my Uncle about what we could do while they were up, he mentioned the idea of maybe going to a local fair. Well what do you know. It was the same weekend as the Sheep and Wool! I really didn’t think he would care too much for a Sheep and Wool Festival, but they thought it was a great idea! Cool! My sister Kim knits too and is interested in buying some Alpachas for a farm and my sister Lisa is a little crafty too. We ended up having a great time. I purchased some mohair yarn for a shawl that I am whizzing through.
The Shawl from this years Sheep and Wool Festival
I also picked up the itch to knit again. I started up on the Philosopher wool sweater that has been sitting in my closet for years and started this shawl. Oh no, we can’t stop there! I have bought about 6 different knitting books from Amazon and wool for 2 more projects and downloaded tons of knitting podcasts to listen to and get ideas from. I am loving it!
Some beautiful Lopi Wool for a sweater and some more for a shawl
So here we go! I don’t think this is just a phase. I have gone to a couple of knitting meetups at the local coffee shop and have signed up for an invite to Ravelry so I can share with others. Looking forward to tracking and writing about my knitting projects here as well!
