Getting into my new Creative Cave is going to take a lot longer than I first envisioned. We ordered the door last week. Not here yet. Met with the contractor a few times and he is ready to do the work. But, he has a full-time job and we have to work around his schedule. And you might think, “find a different contractor”. Nope. He has always done a great job for us and he is reliable. So I will wait.

Meanwhile, I needed something to keep my hands busy when I’m not unpacking. I could have finished some crochet projects that are in my UFO basket. But nope. Let’s start something completely new.

I am learning to knit. Something I never wanted to do. I have had a few knitting friends that encouraged me to take it up but my response was, “Do I need another hobby?” Well. Yes. Yes. I do. Since I can’t set up my sewing machine. I will learn something new.

So, with my daughter’s encouragement, I ordered a “Learn to Knit Kit” from Purl Soho. I have been following their blog for many years because they used to have sewing ideas. But now it’s just about knitting.

Anyhow. The kit came. With directions for every step. With the end goal of a knitted scarf.

This kit is not cheap. But I figured that it would be worth it. I would be a fantastic knitter, just like my great aunt who knitted me a pair of skunk gloves every year. (I was just a little kid but I would wear skunk gloves now if I had them!) I remember them so well. They were black with white stripes and little button eyes.

There are several lessons in the kit. Starting with winding a skein into a ball! Pretty basic.

Athena, the cat, has never shown any interest in yarn, or thread, or most toys. But she was quite impressed with this yarn. Perhaps she has expensive taste. I cut some off for her and she played with it but got bored! She doesn’t have a long attention span. She went on her merry way. Probably to watch turkeys.

I got to the casting on part and I just couldn’t get it with the tutorial. Then I noticed that they had videos for each step. And after watching the video a few times, I was casting like a pro.

I think my great-aunt must have attempted to teach me how to knit because when it got to the knitting tutorial I had no problem. Caught on to the Knit stitch right away! But she must not have taught me how to purl because I watched that video at least twenty times and still am at a loss!

Anyhow, I decided to just go ahead and make the scarf by winning by knitting and not failing by purling. The scarf is supposed to be 6″ wide by 53″ long. And I thought, what is a 6″ wide scarf going to do for me? I live in North Dakota. I need at least 8″! So I cast on enough stitches for a little larger size.

I had probably about 12″ finished. Mistakes were made but not bad for my first real attempt. And I took a nap. (Because I am retired and can take a nap anytime I want to!)

While I was sleeping, Athena decided to play with the ball of yarn.

And somehow broke it.

Which I didn’t realize until I got this far in the knitting….

There is a lesson to add new yarn. But I’m supposed to leave 8″ of the old yarn. At this point, that wasn’t there. So I thought, I’ll just undo some of these stitches and work in the new yarn just like the tutorial says! Which I did but when I did a few more rows, it was obvious I should have watched that video a few more times! It really looked bad.

But this is a learning experience! It’s okay! I can start over! And it will be better! (how many times can you unravel yarn before all the strands unravel?)

And now, I have two balls to play with! (slightly frizzy!)

And now, I will learn to Purl!