I’m having fun, so far, with my latest WiP. I’ve finally learned to increase stitches thanks to KnittingHelp.com – the videos are an absolute gem seeing as I learn faster when I can see stitches being created rather than deciphering the diagrams in knitting books which always confuse me. I’m not going to post pictures of it, or even say what it is, until it’s finished and given to the two people it is intended for (or rather the two people whose new arrival it is intended for), then there shall be pictures galore

I missed going to the knitting group last Thursday because I wasn’t feeling very well . I’m a bit narked about that because I was looking forward to seeing everyone again – needless to say I’m hoping to be well enough to go next week. I guess that’s what I get for overworking myself. That being said, I still haven’t done anywhere near enough work so I guess my WiP might have to be put on hold for a short while .

I’m feeling quite happy with myself. I cast off the scarf on Wednesday evening, and I must say it was a wonderful feeling to _finally_ complete a knitting project fourteen years after I first learned to knit. Yesterday evening I finished my sampler of different basic stitch pattern, so that’s project two down. Now I just need to wash and block them and they’ll both be finished. I think I’ll wash and block the sampler first because it doesn’t matter so much if I mess it up. Here’s a picture of the sampler pre-blocking, pictures of the completely finished scarf and sampler will be up soon:

I’ve also been busy meeting lots of new people in the knitting sphere in the past few days. On Wednesday I went on a trip to visit Ali in London. After trying food in a Malaysian restaurant for the first time (although I’m told it’s not a signature Malaysian dish), we headed off to Stash where I met the lovely Diane and bought yarn for my next project.

Later we went back to Diane’s flat where I was taught how to spin wool into yarn using a drop spindle.

I also got to see lots of raw wool, including the super soft Wensleydale (at least I _think_ that’s the right one but then we all know what my memory’s like).Yesterday evening, having spent a day with Eric (buying baby clothes for her soon-to-be-arriving sproglet and catching up), I headed off to Borders to join in the knitting group advertised on the Stitch’n'Bitch forum. Happily ensconced in a seat at a table near the computing books, I met a group of very lovely ladies and had a great time. Needless to say I’ll be going back next week (hopefully with my new project).I was going to make the headkerchief from Debbie Stoller’s Stitch ‘N’ Bitch knitting book but I was confused by the direction to “knit into the front and back of the stitch” in order to increase one stitch. Would anyone be able to explain it to me? I’d like to get some increasing/decreasing experience before starting on my next project.