Knitting update....

Ok...I've been knitting off and on for about the past 6hrs (have to stop occasionally because I've been holding the needles too tight and fingers are getting sore)

I've finally gotten a small swatch knitted long enough that I can see my stitches. So far, so good. I've got the same amount of loops on the needle as I started out with (10) and as far as I can tell, I havent purled when I wanted to knit.

My dad was a big help on that part. The first swatch I tried, I had mistakenly purled the first 3 or 4 rows. (still, not bad for someone who had never gotten past the casting on stage before today) Dad took it and knitted several more rows to show me what the difference is. Then he watched to see what I was doing. Said that so far, it looks like I'm doing pretty good.

As far as I know, I havent dropped a stitch...no clue as to what to do if that happens...but I'm only making swatches right now to get the feel of knitting and purling. I'll ask my dad tomorrow what to do if I drop a stitch.

He's gonna have to do the bind off for me. No idea what to do with that, altho I suspect it's probably similar to something I've done with Tunisian crochet. (am I right?)

I now understand the disdain that knitters have for Red Heart yarn. I never could figure it out before. Red Heart yarn splits like crazy when worked with knitting needles.

At least now I know what to do with the leftover skein of blue Rainbow Boucle' yarn I got from Joann's Crafts. (I'm gonna knit myself a scarf with it!!) I can only crochet with boucle' yarn if I'm making a granny square with it. (just made a really neat shawl with some Rainbow Boucle'...it's a giant half granny square) It's just so difficult for me to see where to put my crochet hook. I think I'll probably have better luck knitting with it. I'm just going to do a lot of practicing with the knitting needles before I attempt the boucle' scarf....and I'm going to get smaller, circular knitting needles. The ones I have are size 11's, and they're so long I keep jabbing myself in the ribs with them. I'm guessing circulars will be easier for me and my crochet-wired brain to hold onto.

I think I'll get my circulars at String of Purls yarn store...that way I can take my swatch in and possibly take a lesson (for $20/hr...or is it $30?)