Another Year Another Hobby or otherwise titled Addicted to Knitting!

Having been amazed by how fast and how proficient the children at our Craft Club are learning to knit I was spurred on to try and keep one step ahead of them. So I decided that I needed to learn the extras - you know that whole new language that means nothing to the non-knitter! But I didn't want it to be boring so I invested in Donna Wilsons book the Knitted Odd-Bod Bunch ! It says on the front cover that the projects are unique and quirky and you can't say fairer than that! They really are totally unique and gorgeously quirky!

The instruction in the book are fabulous. Even as a total beginner I could follow all sorts of instructions that I never thought I would get the hang of! I can now M1R and M1L!!! P2tog was fairly self explanatory but I now know all about P2togtbl - I am impressed with myself for that one. I then went on to skpo and ... wait for it because this was my crowning moment ... I can short-row-wrap!!!! Boy am I pleased with myself right now! So I hear you say what did you produce with all this woolly magic??? I knitted Rill Raccoon-Fox and here is the little fella - admittedly eyeless so far but knitted all the same!

And just look and admire that incredible tail!

Then having enjoyed knitting him so much and having half the wool left over I decided to knit a reverse-raccoon-fox. Again I am afraid eyeless.....

Twins!!!

So my next step needs to be embroidering some eyes on these little guys! But did I do that??? No I picked my needles straight back up and started on Cyril Squirrel-Fox!!! He will be making his appearance here shortly as I have already finished both the front and back bodies and the nose and am currently working on the tail which involves working a colour pattern from a chart stranding the wool loosely across the back! I am in total heaven with this.

As if that alone was not enough I stumbled across a very talented lady called Julie Arkell, whilst shopping for wool and bought her amazing book from Loop.

All of a sudden my eyes were opened to how knitting can be used in conjunction with my other loves, modelling, patchwork, embroidery and collage. Now my head is buzzing with the possibilities and my hands are itching to feel all the different wools out there. Knitting is such a touchy feely craft - both the texture and the colours of the wool are just great to experience and I am sure that this is why the children at Craft Club are getting so stuck in.