The "Experts" ...

Took my very first knitting class several weeks ago. Took the class because it was the "only" way to get the pattern. During one of our recent S&B (Stitch & Bitch) outings, we went to a couple of our local yarn shops. I immediately fell in love with a wrap being displayed in the store. It combined quite a few different colors of yarn to create a stunning striped wrap. And the back was so unique it got our attention. It was a mitered "square" attached to the front panels. I could look at the wrap and see how most of it was done, but since I didn't want to put the time and effort into researching how to do the back on my own I decided to sign up for the class. Regina signed up as well but since the class was on Tuesday nights, Fran couldn't take it.

What fun I had picking out my yarn!! One of my favorite things to do is combine different colors, textures and fibers together, so I was in heaven! I tend to be drawn to blue as a neutral all around color to go with anything since I wear jeans a lot. So after choosing my main color (variegated blues and purples), I started playing with various color combinations. Regina's wrap was going to be in beautiful black, grays and tan with a pop wine color. The class started the following Tuesday night and we left stoked!!

Our first class was simply casting on and receiving the directions for knitting the two front panels. The hardest part of these panels was the color sequences - meaning it was very easy! We were given three weeks to complete these front panels.

All but one student arrived at the second class with both panels, ready to begin connecting the back. Joan, our teacher, demonstrated how to pick up the stitches along the tops of the panels and begin the mitered square to connect them. Regina and I got busy doing just that. Two of the ladies just couldn't seem to get it done correctly and had to "frog" (rip it) a few times before handing their work to Joan to do it for them. These same ladies made several comments throughout the evening about how quickly Regina and I were making progress.

Towards the end of the class, I realized I wasn't completely happy with my stitches where the two panels connected and I had decided to "frog" them and start over at home. As Regina and I started packing up to leave, one of the ladies said, "Well there goes the experts! They're leaving us." I replied, "Well I dont' know about all that ..."

On the way home we were discussing how quickly we should be able to finish the back. After all, you decrease two stitches every front row. As I said this, Regina said, "Every front row on the main color, right?" "Um, no. Every front row period." We looked at each other and I said, "Well I guess I know what you're doing when you get home, huh?" She replied laughing, "Yeah, both of the experts are going to be ripping out and starting over!! Wonder what they'd say to that?" We laughed the rest of the way home. My stomach hurt like I had done about 1000 sit ups!

If only they knew ... and this is what my progress so far looks like: