"Throw" your arms around me

Those who know me know how well I love knitting....but also how much of a beginner I still am. The projects undertaken so far have turned out well (hmm...most of them anyway. But that may just be because I ignore mistakes...I hate taking out stitches). However, you can only knit so many basic scarves before you have to move on to something else. My idea: an easy blanket. Surely I could manage that!

The problem: I had no circular needles. Almost every blanket pattern, from the very easy to the very advanced required circular needles. I resigned myself to buying some and headed for Walmart (unfortunately, the closest thing to a craft store in my town).

....Don't by your circular needles at Walmart. No offense to that store-- It has never let me down in the basic life supplies department...toothpaste, mouthwash, contact solution. There, everything is as it should be. But with circular needles? No, no, no. The line connecting the two needles had massive twist which no amount of pulling or straightening would un-twist. I even tried muscling past the twist and bravely knitting on. The result then: twisted rows. And every knitter knows the nightmare of twisted rows.

So there I was, back at square-one. No circular needles. The closest craft store is roughly 45 minutes away. It was time to sit down and re-evaluate the situation. Surely there was, somewhere out there, a blanket pattern that could be achieved with straight needles.

Thankfully, you can find anything on the internet. There's something out there for every granny-soul in need of free knitting patterns.

I found it. The pattern I used: BHG Moss-Stitch Throw
And the pattern demanded that I continue what  I already knew how to do so well: make scarves. Yep, you just knit several wide scarves and then stitch them together. Easy as pie. And I now have a pretty camel-colored throw to show for it. My first knitted blanket. It looks half-decent and will be nice draped over a chair in my and Mark's future living room.

Here it is! Folded over the foot-board of my bed.

Success is sweet! Time to move on to my next project. Maybe I can up the ante a little bit on the difficulty level...and take the time to drive to Hobby Lobby or Joann's and buy some decent needles. I'll gladly take any pattern suggestions!