New to the group!

Hi, everyone! My name is Melody and I'm thrilled to be joining your group. I actually stumbled across this blog when another blogger left a comment on my blog. I started reading posts and looking at pictures and decided that I just had to join. I was actually going to check out the Scarf Style book from my local library, as I had seen it on the shelf, after seeing the Backyard Leaves scarves, but my need for permanence took over as I was driving by Barnes and Noble on my way to the Library, and I ended up buying it instead. I ended up going back to Barnes and Noble the next day, and picking up Wrap Style, too. I don't know how many of the patterns out of Wrap Style I will use, but what the

heck.

I actually tried starting Backyard Leaves, but got in over my head before I even got past the set up row. Reading other entries told me that the set up row was a wrong side row, but then I couldn't figure out how to read the pattern. Another entry let me know that the reading of the chart went r-l, l-r, etc. Okay...those two hang ups figured out, I was ready to go...so I thought. I have to take my book to Office Depot and make some copies of my chart to go off of, since the book won't stay open without the help of my remote control. Plus, maybe with a copy of the chart, I figure that I might actually be able to stay on track of where I am in the pattern a little easier...very important since I have never worked off of a chart before. In the meantime, I decided to try the here and there cables scarf. Oldest dd loved it immediately, and I knew that in the right color, it would be perfect for my friend in Georgia. I got 3 balls of wool-ease in Loden, at JoAnns and got started. Since I didn't have a cable needle, I used a dpn in the same size as my needles and got to work. Well, I bought a cable needle, but I can't stand it...for one thing, it's aluminum, and I just don't like the aluminum, and I guess that I'm used to the dpn, because working with the cable needle just felt weird. So I am using a sz 7 dpn and moving along nicely.

Once this one is finished, I'm going to start on another one for my MIL, in a red or burgandy color, and then if I still have time, one for my oldest dd in a medium gray color. Then, when those gifts are done, I will work on MY backyard leaves scarf, though I think that I am going to have to re-evaluate my choice of yarn for it, as I bought Lion wool in Autumn Sunset orginally, but as it's an obre/variegated/whatever multi-colored yarn, I don't think it would look right...the color changes are too drastic. If the colors were more "blended" I think it'd look great, but they aren't, so I'll just use the yarn for something else, instead.

A little about me before I go: I'm 37, married with 3 kids (Liz 16, Mimi 7 and Bubba 6), two dogs (Daisy-a lzy rat terrier and Jack-a stinky toy poodle). I'm a stay-at-home-mom, and I taught myself to knit a little over 2 years ago... I knit my first pair of socks about a year ago, self-taught, and using the magic loop method. I fell in love with socks and have a decent little stash of sock yarn just waiting for my attention, but right now, it's time for scarves and shrugs. I hope that you all will come visit my blog Knitting Okie - http://www.knittingokie.blogspot.com and let me know you stopped by!