Cast On!!!!

The phrase "cast on" meant nothing to me until last week.  To me, "casting" is something you do with a rod and reel when you are fishing.  And while that's true, "cast on" has now taken on a new meaning to me.  I am learning to knit.

Yes, it's true.  In my vast spare time (yah, right), I have taken on a hobby ~~ knitting ~~ and I must say I love it!  A wonderful friend helped me get started on Saturday, and on Sunday I finished my first scarf.  Here it is!  Ta Da!!!!!

For those of you non-knitters out there, "cast on" is what you do when you start your first row of stitches.  I can tell you that knitting is not difficult at all, and the scarf actually went very quickly.  I am now working on knitting a cotton dishcloth, and hope to start a scarf for my mom soon.  The dishcloth is going much slower than my scarf, as there are lots of tiny stitches but, again, it is not difficult and I will love wiping off my kitchen counter with MY VERY OWN DISHCLOTH!

I like doing things that give me a sense of accomplishment, a feeling of "I made that."  I know that's one reason why I enjoy canning so much.  I love looking at all the jars and knowing that I accomplished something. Jars of apple butter and peach jam just seem to look prettier and taste better when I know I made them.

I will keep you posted (no pun intended) on my knitting endeavor.  I think it is very relaxing, and a much better way to spend my time than in front of the television.  And if any of you out there are knitters, I would love it if you would share your knitting projects and helpful hints with me!  I'm just getting started, so I'm sticking to scarves and dishclothes for now.  But eventually, I would love to make some cute fingerless mittens, caps, and a pair of nice warm socks!

So if you've ever thought about knitting, I would encourage you to pick up some knitting needles, get some yarn, and CAST ON!!!!   It is a great hobby!!!!