New Hobby

Winter has got to be so long now, that I've taken up knitting for the first time since my mother taught me when I was Middle School age.  This piece below is something I just finished:  a cowl in purple with diagonal stripes running through it.  It is knitted on a round and there are six knits and six purls alternating, but minus one on the round, so that every round everything is shifted by one, so you get the diagonal.  At the moment I am quite excited by all the different designs and wool's.

Revisiting this skill and hobby makes me think that I am accumulating an arsenal for older age, when it will be even harder to get out and about in winter, plus, who knows when there will be babies to knit for...  Knitting always reminds me of my mother, who has been gone for a very long time and who was an accomplished knitter.

This new piece is quite handy, as it is pretty cold in the house.

This was a practice piece.

This is the one below, is what I am really aiming for, a longer cowl with big geometric lace pattern.  It apparently is this sort of thing that is the rage with the younger set.  So I am seeking to ingratiate myself  by hopefully making some of these.  The wool is a Marino/ Silk mix which is not available at the local wool shop, but they will order it in.  The timeline is to try and get some done by next Christmas.
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/balustrade

The pictured young woman Adrienne Key designed this impressive pattern.  Variation is also provided by knitting the same pattern with various size needles and by increasing and decreasing the number of stitches, as you go along, giving a different kind of draping effect.  Very smart.