Ready, Set, Knit

I can't decide whether I want to explain why I want to raise alpacas or whether I want to talk about my initiation into knitting.  Hmm.  

I think the knitting wins, since it is relevant for today.  The alpaca story will hold until a later date.    My adventure began last Tuesday 2/19 when I arrived at 9:30 a.m sharp for my first class, excited to begin.  The date however, didn't correspond with the beginning class date of 2/26.  What was I thinking?  Apparently I wasn't.

So last week instead of beginning my foray into the intricacies of knitting I instead was assisted in finding a knitting project and the proper tools to complete said project.  I was afraid it would have to be the ubiquitous scarf.  Don't all beginners have to knit a scarf?  I was assured, however, that I could knit something more interesting.  So I decided on a vest.  The first two contenders were nixed as being a little too ambitious for a beginner.  Okay, so maybe ruffles are harder to knit than I think.  I finally settled on a pattern by Berroco Karma (give a shout if you have heard of them, I haven't), the Vasya.  Doesn't that sound so Italian?  To be knitted in a soft bulky 100% cotton yarn the color of coral.  Berroco Karma 1.75 oz color 3418.  I walked out with my $80.00 worth of knitting supplies, dreaming of the stunning vest I would need to create to compete with the one I could buy in the store for that price.

What my finished Vasya vest should look like and my Karma yarn gauge rectangle.  

Over the weekend my daughter and I had attended the Michigan Historical Museum's Stitch Lab, www.michigan.gov/museum, where we were coached through the basics of casting on, knitting and purling.  At the end of the two hour lab I had completed a small two inch square and my daughter had completed an artistically airy four inch square.  Hers may have contained some strategically placed dropped stitches.  It was quite lovely.  The coach asked if I would mind if she just undid mine?  Braced with this quick course I was confident that I could start today's lesson/session ahead of the ball (or skein so to say).

So today, at last, my first knitting lesson/session.  My instructor, Lori, asked if I had knitted before?  Yes, a long time ago.  I didn't want to give away my quick weekend refresher course, in case I couldn't remember anything.  Did I remember how to cast on?  Blankness.  Lori demonstrated.  Did any of this look familiar?  Um, not so much.  Did I know how to make a slip knot?  A what knot?  Not exactly the confidant start to my first knitting project.

Two hours later, however, I am proud to say that I had achieved a a rectangular shaped piece of  knitting, to which Lori applied a ruler, announcing I had managed to knit the proper gauge.  Whatever that is.  Sounded good to me.  Now, she instructed, I just needed to undo what I had done today.  Really?  Then she gave me a set of directions to work on for the next week.  Ta-da, the start of my Vasya vest.  The book pattern instructions say cast on 48 sts. Knit 1 row on WS for Garter Ridge.  Work even in St st until piece measures 2" from beginning.  Say what?  Lori said I didn't need to worry about those instructions.  Hers were much simpler.  I'll go with simplicity any day.

D :)