The blog you've all been waiting for!

Well here it is. I've had so much fun, over the past couple of years, reading everyone else's blogs, hopefully it will be just as much fun to write one.

But first I thought I'd tell you a few things about me that you may or may not know.... I live in the suburbs north of Atlanta with Beth, my wife of 18 years, my 16 year old son, Andrew, and two British Shorthair cats, Monty and Fergus.

I had my first knitting lesson exactly three years ago. I knit EVERY day. Even if I just have time for a few stitches, I knit. I get up an hour early every morning just so I can knit before work. I knit in the car at red lights. (I'm the guy approaching the intersection chanting, "turn red, turn red, turn red....") I knit out in public with my friends, and I try to get a few stitches in before I go to bed. Knitting is my peace, it is my meditation, it is my calm. It's what I love to do.

I have a yarn stash so big it sometimes scares me. (I try not to think about it.) I cannot resist a yarn sale. I love natural fibers; alpaca, mohair, cashmere, cotton, linen, silk, but especially wool. I am an absolute nut for wool tweed. I have a part time job in a LYS, just to support my habit. I buy yarn because I must buy yarn. I mean, if I don't do it, somebody else will!

What sort of things do I like to knit?

Lace - Not so much, but I'm still not giving up on it.

Socks - I made a pair. (OK, I confess, I'm still one Kitchnered toe away from a complete pair, and I made two different heels, but who's going to know, they're down inside my shoes!) I will give socks another try.

Hats - I love to make hats. Simple ribbed Kureyon hats are my favorite.

Scarves - I'm still making them. What a great way to try out a new stitch pattern or technique.

Baby Stuff - There never seems to be a shortage of folks having babies! Love doing little blankets and sweaters.

Sweaters - I love to knit sweaters! I've finished 3 so far, and have a 4th one on needles. My first was a simple top-down raglan . The pattern was from Knitting Fool, and I used black and red Rowanspun Chunky. I had a little gauge problem, so I'm considering taking it in a bit, steeking the front, and turning it into a cardigan. My second sweater, I used the same pattern, same yarn, different color, correct gauge, and threw in some cables just for fun. Here's a close up of the front panel.


My third sweater was the Classic Ribbed Pullover, from Sally Melville's The Purl Stitch. In this sweater I used dark green Rowanspun Chunky, and traded some of my stash yarn, (silver Rowanspun Chunky) to have it professionally finished.
(If you haven't figured out by now, I got a great deal on some discontinued Rowanspun Chunky!)
Sweater #4 you ask? NOT Rowanspun Chunky. (It's Rowan Yorkshire Tweed Aran, and Kureyon, but more on that sweater later)

So that's all for now. I'm going to try and be a good blogger and keep you updated as much as I can. Thanks for reading, and come back real soon!