Pinterest Inspired...YouTube Taught

So, as I mention in my previous post, I have found Pinterest very inspiring. One hobby that I decided to teach myself was knitting. After Christmas, I forced my family into a Hobby Lobby shopping spree where I bought my first set of knitting needles and several balls of yarn. I had no clue what I was doing or how to do it, but I was ready to learn.

That night went to youtube and learned how to cast on and do a knit and purl stitch. I stitched and stitched and stitched that night. Not long after, I began my first scarf. It was a good learning experience, but it is NOTHING that I would like to show here, but I did learn a lot about knitting.

For my second effort, I was inspired by this scarf: http://www.purlbee.com/easy-hand-knit-scarf/

I used 2 balls of Vanna's Choice yarn by Lion in Linen and 11 sized needles following this pattern:
Cast on 39 stitches.
K2, p2, repeat to last 3 stitches, k2, p1.
Repeat this row.

It turned out pretty good, for a second scarf. The first 20 rows are a little wonky as I was getting my gauge right and then a few rows after that I I had a major screw up (still not sure what) and it is visible. Overall though, I think it turned out great.

Audrey has been really excited about my knitting. She understands the difference between a knit and a purl and likes to sit and help me knit. When we were at Wal-mart, she found an eyelash yarn called Boa by Bernat and she wanted a scarf made from it. So, I made her one. I casted on 23 stitches and did a straight knit stitch all the way around.

I used just one ball of yarn (keep it mind it was for a child, an adult one would have needed 1 1/5-2). Overall, it hides a lot of flaws and is fairly easy to work with once you get the hang of it. It is so soft and I like it so much, I will be starting mine in a next few minutes.

Overall, this knitting thing is kind of fun and I am getting better each day. Can't wait to keep trying new and challenging patterns, stitches, and techniques. And to think...it all started with pinterest and a few youtube videos..oh and the desire for a challenge!

Who are the people in your neighborhood? In your neighborhood...

Remember that Sesame Street song? Last night at dinner Miss Audrey asked what a neighborhood was. We tried to explain that it is a group of houses that are on the same street/area. We told her where our neighborhood was, where g-ma and g-pa M's neighborhood was, and where g-ma and g-pa W's neighborhood was. Just to trick her, I asked her who do we know who DOESN'T live in a neighborhood (I was thinking Adam and Karen who live in the country). She thinks about it for a minute, looks up to the sky, and says, "God. He lives above us." We just about lost it in O'Charley's. After composing ourselves, we asked her if there is anyone on Earth she could think of that doesn't live near other houses. She got it right, "cause Karen and Adam live by no one."
I am just glad she is asking questions like "what is a neighborhood"? I have also noticed her using much larger vocabulary and sentence construction (can we get some refreshments? or my mom's viscous!). We're still trying to decide if we repeat kindgergarten, but I am not stressing about it.

Juice Box

So nice weather brings out the kids. The neighborhood becomes abuzz with bike riders, skateboarders, and walkers. Since we're so close to the park, pool, and levy we get a lot of kids up and down our road. The other day, the kids were all outside and some older kids (7th or 8th grade punks) were biking and skating down the road. They see the Nathan and his 2 next door buddies and they menacingly scream...DOUCHE BAGS.
Well, Audrey...who isn't afraid of anything...pipes right up and screams: "You're the JUICE BOX!!"
Needless to say, everyone was rolling on the floor laughing.