Making serious progress

I had a very eventful knitting weekend this weekend and am now almost finished with 2 projects!

I’ve been knitting from Easy Baby Knits by Claire Montogomerie.  This weekend, I had a 2-hour session with Aneeta (who also teaches classes and does drop in sessions at Loop in Islington), which was really helpful.  Most helpful because I was having real problems reading Claire’s patterns.  In the baby bootee pattern, she calls for increasing where she really means knit front to back.  I’d never in a million years have figured this out.  Thanks to Aneeta for getting me on my way.

Aneeta was really great.  I can highly recommend a session with her if you live in/around London.  She had me to her lovely flat in Stepney…  She’s got a great sense of style (sumptuous pink and purple living room that I loved) and a very warm heart.  I’m definitely going to schedule another session just as soon as I get another list of questions!

So, my baby bonnet is almost finished.  I just need to pick up an knit a final side and do the finishing.  My bootees and scratch mitts are almost done too.  I need to finish the last mitt and then weave in the ends and finish the lot.

R. going on his extended trips in the coming months means loads more time for knitting, sadly.  I think I’ll have this book finished by August. 

I may skip my KU reception in Kensington tonight and go home and do this… Kensington is such a long way from Islington and I am such a lazy lady lately.  I’ve been wanting to meet more Americans, I know.  But I just can’t be bothered to go down there tonight.

Knitting Lessons

I’ve decided to take some private knitting lessons to learn about some new techniques. If I’m going to make this entire baby book, then I need to sort myself out on this front.

This weekend, I’m meeting with Aneeta at her home for two hours. Her prices are quite reasonable (£30 for 2 hours) and she seems very nice. I’m hoping she can teach me about picking up and knitting and sewing my items together so they look nice. I am also going to have her walk me through the bootie pattern in the book.

I also got an email back from Erssie about private lessons. She also does them in her home for £22 for 3 hours! Bargain! I’m going to have her teach me how to use double pointed needles. Would be great to learn cable stitches too, but I have this baby book to get through first.

I’m looking forward to this Saturday…