Catching up

I've been upset with myself for not blogging in weeks and weeks, but there have been good reasons, too many, and too personal to number. So instead I'm going to focus on the good news. I've been doing LOTS of knitting. I have also been doing a lot of thinking about my reasons for deciding to blog at all. My goal was really to focus on my knitting, and improve my skills by trying new yarns, and new techniques, and to do my best to really do things right, by swatching, and blocking, and not powering on even when I know a mistake is going to drive me crazy. And so far, I think it's working! With each finished project I feel like my skills as a knitter are growing. My repertoire of techniques that no longer intimidate me is growing!

My most recently acquired skill is that I am now, officially, a continental knitter! I have tried, in vain, for several years to master this, and have never had any luck. One night, I sat down with my Boxy, determined to try again

I thought surely all that stockinette would work in my favor, and it did! Purling took some patience, but I finally got the hang of that too! I have to say, I really do think its making a huge difference in my speed. I thought it might also make a difference in my gauge, because I tend to be a pretty loose knitter, and typically don't even swatch with anything bigger that two needles sizes under what a pattern calls for. I'm hoping that practice will help with that as well.