Welcome!

Welcome to Knits n' Grins! I have been wanting to start this blog for a while now and well there is no time like the present.

I have been knitting since 2003 though much more diligently in the last two years or so. Everything I have ever knit to completion was a gift for someone and though I absolutely love making hand knit gifts, my goal for 2010 is to complete a sweater for myself. I bought the yarn for this sweater about 4 years ago and never got very far. In retrospect that is a good thing as I have far better technique now than I did then and hopefully won't make as many mistakes now as I likely would have, had I started back then.

That said, I am of course working on a few gifts for others. There is a lot to be said for motivation. In September 2008 I found out that I was becoming an aunt for the first time, nothing motivates you like a timeline set by mother nature! A few months later we were delighted to find out it would be a girl. That is when my collection of pink yarn began. My first non-scarf project was a blanket for my niece. That blanket was also my first experience with seed stitch. After a few false starts I finally got it and though it was not perfect it was a great accomplishment. I have since made her a hooded sweater which was my greatest undertaking to date.

I have also made blankets for other special babies in my life. Babies are such great inspiration, much like a ball of yarn untouched, a baby is fresh and new and full of so much potential!

My next endeavor will be a pink and brown jumper dress. The pattern by Lion Brand is free online and is only worked in one color but I'm going to attempt to integrate the brown as an accent. I'll keep you all posted, suggestions are welcome! In the mean time please check out some of my previous work!

*Blanket seen above is the 'Big Bad Baby Blanket' from Stitch n' Bitch by Debbie Stoller published in 2003. Though I only used one strand not two.
*Hooded sweater is the 'Duffle Coat' from Essential Baby by Debbie Bliss published in 2007