Go out on a limb

Once you have become comfortable with your basic knit stitches (knit & purl), go a little further out on the limb.You can't hang onto the tree trunk forever. You'll never learn to fly that way.

Cables used to look mysterious and very difficult to me. At the first knit group I attended, one of the knitters said, "Cables are easy. You just have to knit the second group of stitches, then knit the first group." It was mind blowing for me as a newbie, but it made perfect sense. So I went a little farther out on my limb. I got a simple pattern (Irish Hiking Scarf on Ravelry) and knit a cable scarf.

I started thinking what if other things I was scared of trying were just as simple if I could stop looking at them as really difficult mysteries. Soooooooooo...I tackled Fair Isle on my own. If you read (really read) the pattern and don't assume things, you can do this. Or so I told myself. I found a small fair isle piece (one fourth of a pillow top) and jumped in. I could do this! I read the "it's very important" bits like don't go more than five stitches without crossing the yarns so that the floats on the back aren't too long.

Next was Entrelac. That didn't go so easily, but after my class with Gwen Bortner, it clicked.

Next one out on my limb is LACE!!! Yikes!

Next Newbie advice: Go out on a limb. Try something new with an open mind and a positive spirit.