knitting

I've become totally obsessed with knitting, when I was in school it was totally hopeless, to tight or loose. Mum was a basic knitter, she worked full-time so she didn't have much time to spend on projects, she'd knit something every couple of years or so. I tried again in my 20's but chose the wrong pattern and yarn for a beginner, a sleeveless polo-neck with a tricky stitch and shaping, yarn was a cotton loopy bobble blend in white, what was I thinking? anyway it was a total flop, it stretched and sagged and my flatmates said it looked more like giant sea sponge, this put me off for quite a few years. So back to this year, at the beginning of winter I bought a handmade pair of socks from a local fair ( we called it the granny stall, as all the items were made by granny's) the socks are the warmest, softest I have. I WANT TO KNIT SOCKS !!! when I looked on the net there were so many fantastic blogs, free patterns and tutorials, I never get tired reading them. Something clicked in my brain and I new this time I could do it!!!. It was crochet first, five scarfs later (2'd picture is alpaca scarf,Patons Inca) then I started knitting, lots of practice first, now I've completed my first ever knitted scarf, checker board pattern (first photo). The next step 8ply green socks, Patons pattern. I can now cast on and do basic stitches on 4 needles, the join is still a bit wonky but it's almost right.