Knit begins

I have decided to start up a blog for my knitting adventures. I have been having so much fun learning new things, and just knitting, and I wanted an outlet for talking about it and sharing my thoughts and projects with others. So if you have found your way here, welcome! I am not a brand new knitter, but I am also not a veteran, either. I started out as a crochetter, very minimal. My mother taught me, repeatedly, how to crochet a granny square, and I would promptly forget. In the summer of 1991, off on a mission intern assignment and far from family and friends, I picked up some yarn and hooks again and decided to really learn it, and re-taught myself crochet. I made a small throw afghan for one of my sisters, and then I merely dabbled in crochet off and on for a while. In 1994, I decided to make some slippers as Christmas gifts, and while most were crochet, one pattern I wanted to try was knit. So I set about teaching myself to knit, and managed to make a sad looking not-quite-the-same-size pair of boot style slippers for a friend. I started on a cable knit afghan a few months later (ambitious, yes). That was in 1995, and to this day that afghan is not completed! I figure I'll finish it sometime before I die, and they can bury me with it. hehe
So after all that, I had a basic knowledge of knitting, a completed pair of boot slippers, and an ongoing afghan project that I knitted 5 rows on every year or two. I still hadn't discovered a true love of knitting. Forward 10 years, add a husband, add two children, subtract a husband, add a new husband, and add a baby on the way in 2005, and suddenly I had discovered the world of cloth diapering (yes, cloth diapers!) and the old fashioned and yet new fangled custom of using knitted wool soakers as covers. I had a couple commercial-made soakers, but the world of hand-knit soakers was starting to take off, and in 2005, I decided to try my hand at knitting yet again, and try to make some soakers for the new baby. I picked up some double point needles, some wool yarn, and a free basic pattern, and I got started. Unfortunately for me, everything I knit in those first few months always ended up too small for the baby by the time I got it done! So I was still learning, but loving knitting more each time. It still hadn't completely set in for me yet, though...until last year, when I picked out some fun acrylic self-striping, self-patterning yarn (Red Heart Strata) and some double point needles (DPNs) in order to make some mittens for my children and nephews, and I fell in love with knitting. Who knew that learning to knit in the round with DPNs would be what sparked my love of knitting? This year, 2007, a 4th baby joined our growing family (a beautiful, sweet, joyful surprise blessing!) and I became determined to make something that would actually *fit* the baby before she outgrew it! I found my local yarn shops (LYS) and got some nice wool yarn (Malabrigo) and some bamboo DPNs, and bought a great looking pattern (Sheepy Pants)...and I am having so much fun! I'm nearly finished with a pair of longies (knit pants, diaper soaker), and I can't wait to put them on the baby! (she's nearly 6 months now)
I've ordered some more wool yarn (100purewool) to make a pair of longies for my son (he's 25 months now) and to make some more soakers, and I have a few more projects in mind. I need to make some more mittens (the final pair from last year, that didn't get finished in time, plus 3 toddler pair of thumbless mitts, and a pair of thumbless baby mitts!), I have a bonnet I want to make to match the baby's mitts, and I want to try to make some simple headbands for my older daughters (ages 8 and 5).
So...that's just the basic start. I decided I needed to start blogging when I could see my family's eyes glaze over every time I started talking about my knitting adventures and new discoveries! :) I plan to blog about my progress on my projects, as well as blogging about the new techniques I learn along the way, and give any thoughts and help for learning knitters like me as I am able. Advice, tips, and comments are welcome! I'd love to hear from fellow knitaholics, veteran, intermediate, and newbie alike!