Two things happened to prompt me to pick up my knitting needles again.
First, my sewing machine had to go in for service. It took a week to get back!
And second, with the kidlets out of the house for a couple of days last weekend, I felt it safe to pull out and set down long, pointy things. You see, the older boys are going through a huge, all-consuming, Star Wars phase. And I use the term phase very loosely because I fully expect it to last years. Even the two-year-old can make pretty impressive light saber sound effects as he swooshes about whatever he's gripping.
In search of a quick, one skien project, I headed to the library to check out several knitting books. Two immediately made it to my 'must buy next time I'm allowed to buy books' list (I have a wee problem buying craft books).
My word--these two books have filled my head with ideas, like crazy. But before I actually go crazy (because odds are I will), I am having fun practicing new techniques with low-cost cotton yarn. Yes, I am talking about dish cloths. Sort of a funny thought to me at first. But now I totally get it. It's just enough repetition to figure out whether you want to commit to a certain stitch pattern before you cast on a more ambitious project. And more importantly for an on again/off again knitter like me--it gives you plenty of low-stress opportunity to learn how to correct the inevitable mistake. First up, a ballband dishcloth, allowing me to practice working with two colors.
So fun. And quick! This does not bode well for my craft budget because I foresee a yarn buying trip in my near future. And looking at the prices of some of the hanks and the yardage required for projects I'm queuing up in Ravelry, I think I might have to find a pile of forgotten funds (ha!) to afford this as a true hobby.
Sandra