Branching Out

I have been having some trouble posting pictures to my blog using my home computer. I thought at first it was the Hello software I am using, but after using it today at work with no problem (see my Journal), I realize it's my computer at home. We have dial up and it is painfully slow. I'm going to try again tonight because I want to post a picture of a cute scarf I made for my 3 year old niece.

After seeing Cara's Branching Out Scarf I decided to try one myself. The pattern is available from Knitty. The pattern calls for using Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool yarn, but I decided that, until I know what I'm doing, I would just use some cheaper yarn. Just for practice I'm using Caron's Simply Soft Baby Sport yarn in a soft lavender and size 8 straight knitting needles. I started it at lunch today, and I knitted the first ten rows. I can begin to see the pattern forming and it's really exciting. Instead of following the chart, I'm using the written instructions. I find that I do better reading the instructions than following charts becuase I'm always losing my place. Using the written instructions, I can just mark off each row as I finish it. I think it's going to be pretty easy, providing I don't get too distracted while knitting it and lose my place.

I said that the Caron yarn is cheap. What I mean is that it is a little cheaper in price, but I thought it would do well for practice. It's a good yarn for baby sweaters, and soft scarves. I'm not sure how it will behave for this Branching Out scarf, but since it's a practice scarf, it won't really matter. And, who knows, it might turn out to be a nice scarf.