My first knitting attempt!

[Larissa]

I think he felt really bad after everyone witnessed pregnant crocodile tears.    Luckily he hasn't said anything embarrassing since, so I guess we can call that a lesson learned 

Haha, awesome!

[MakinTheBestOfIt]

Next up after I do those slipper socks, I think, will be a scarf for Eric.  He's been bugging me since I started this that he wants a scarf, a blanket, and a sweater.  He'll wait for the blanket and sweater, but I think I can swing a scarf.  I found some allegedly easy patterns on the same website from whence this mouse pattern came.

I made Andrew a sweater once...it was really funny; the arms are WAY too long, but it was my first attempt and what did I know!  The funniest part is he wore it many times and proudly told everyone that I made it for him.  I finally made him stop wearing it and showing off the extra long sleeves.  Guess this winter I will try to make him one that actually fits.

[Larissa]

Oh god, that'll be me.  Or else 3/4 sleeves.

[Larissa]

Finished all 4 mice!

[dahlish]

love them!  Great job!

[MakinTheBestOfIt]

Adorable!  If I know E, he will wear the sweater proudly just like Andrew even if it has 3/4 sleeves. 

[trusk4u]

The mice are adorable!
I've knitted plenty of scarves, and few hats, and spa sets (washcloth, hairband, soap sack). I haven't tried anything that requires any shaping. I'll stick with my nice, basic stuff.

[Colette]

I think the mice are adorable. You did a great job.

[Larissa]

Thanks, peeps!  So... now while I figure out how to coordinate time for another lesson to be able to do socks... I'm working on an afghan for the nephew. 

I'm doing it by "common sense," no pattern... basically 153 4" squares in stockinette in 2 different yarns that I'll sew  together.  Anything I should be taking into account or considering that I might not be as a newbie?  Any pointers?

[dahlish]

Are your edges going to be in stockinette?  If so they will curl under so you might want to do a ribbed border or maybe sew on some fabric to keep them flat.    Also I found that it took me a bazillion goes to get my seaming to be flawless   Good luck!

[Larissa]

Thanks, Gina, that's exactly the sort of thing I need!  This is what I'm planning:



Only I planned that dark blue border in the same stockinette squares as the rest.  I'm not so worried about seamless joining.  But I'd prefer not to have really curly edges.  It looks like the squares curl on the sides and not so much on the top & bottom.  Could I avoid the curling if I turn every other square sideways?  So one would be "V" and the next would be ">" all the way around the outside... whatcha think?  I don't know how to do a ribbed edge yet, and I'd love to have it all just be squares.

[MakinTheBestOfIt]

A ribbed edge is simply a knit then a purl pattern...I used a 5 knit then 5 purl and so one for the edge of my son's blanket and it stops the curling.  The great thing about knitting is that by knowing just those two stitches you can do a lot of different patterns!

[Larissa]

A ribbed edge is simply a knit then a purl pattern...I used a 5 knit then 5 purl and so one for the edge of my son's blanket and it stops the curling.  The great thing about knitting is that by knowing just those two stitches you can do a lot of different patterns!

But then I'd need a.strip about 4' long... and not like 5 stitches wide, but like 5 stitches deep and 4' wide.  It's the 4' wide that confuses me.  That's why I'm doing it in squares.  How do I make that edge?  For the record, I did buy one circular needle bit have no idea how to use it or if it's lone enough.

[dahlish]

Am I understanding you correctly in that you want to do the borders in squares as well?  If so then you can still do ribbed squares that line up with each other.  Or if you were feeling adventurous you could learn to pick up stitches and then knit your ribbing that way.

Or even you could simply knit every row so you end up with a garter stitch border and that lays pretty flat.

[Larissa]

Pick up stitches?  Now you're just getting advanced.    

I like the idea of ribbed or garter stitch squares at the ends.  Or half/half, I guess... go halfway up the square in stockinette then halfway in ribbed?  Do they come out the same width so they wouldn't buckle?

I like this idea!