If you don't have what you need...

Use whatcha got... Just made some spaghetti sauce, contemplating doing laundry. Since I was sitting at the computer, however I decided, hey, why not see if you can find some knitting something or other. 

I had done a quick search the other day and found some printed instructions for starting out and almost decided to nix this as a project... The first thing I looked at tonight was more for the knitting officionado as opposed to the novice. Back to the search results and I found knittinghelp.com and it's just swell. I watched the Long Tail Cast on Video. It mentioned beginners so it seemed like a good place to start. I watched the video and thought ok, I can do this. I looked around my room for something I could use to simulate needles and thread. The first things I grabbed didn't work out so well, but plan b is what you see there. Thread and a rattail comb. Hey, do what you gotta do, right? Right. Well, I grabbed my makeshift needle and yarn and went to work. I tried it once before I played the video again but it wasn't working; I was missing a step. So, I played it again, and again and lo and behold - I "knitted" a row. Which according to the voice on the video is...a purl row. Yeah, no clue what that really means yet, but hey the voice on the video made it sound like a good thing.

It's Official - I'll learn to knit.

Ok, so I've committed to learning to knit for a semester long class assignment. My life being what it is, I needed to find something that would incur as little cost as possible (preferably none), would not require me to go to classes that would require me to get a babysitter, could be "practiced" on my commute to and from work, but would still manage to provide a worthwhile enough experience to satisfy the assignment. I jokingly said early on that I'd learn to knit and since time's a wastin' (yeah...semester started mid-January...) I've decided to go with it.

I already checked to see if a friend of mine knows how to knit and she does so in the event that I do need a live, up close & personal lesson, I can do so with little logistical issues. I've decided that I may actually have to go ahead and spring for needles and yarn, but it won't be the good stuff (is there "good" stuff?)... but that's ok.

I did just start seeing what I could find online and I think I see a Knitting for Dummies book in my future. I looked at the instructions on one site and decided that this was DEFINITELY going to be a a worthwile enough experience to satisfy the assignment. I also suddenly recalled that my younger sister recently taught herself how to knit. She lives in MD so I don't see too many lessons in my future, but I'll definitely be asking her how she did it, what resources she used and any tips and such she has.

And that's where I am at the moment. Will probably do a little more online this morning, get some supplies during my [hmmm, I have another friend w/ supplies, North Jersey. When I mentioned it and she told me that I hadn't committed yet, going to have to revisit that] regularly scheduled trip to Walmart this weekend.

Then there's this blog here. Figure I might as well put Web 2.0 to good use! That said, if you knit, taught yourself how to knit, know someone who knits, or even all or none of the above feel free to share. I have NO idea what I'm doing so any words of advise, wisdome, personal knitting anecdotes, what to do's, what NOT to do's, random encouragement, and (depending on who you are I might even take a bit of good natured mocking. I already had someone ask me if I was having a baby - uh NO!)... feel free to share. There'll be pics eventually which I'm sure will be amusing.

So, thanks for reading and come back sometime to see how it's going...