Walking out of my comfort zone

Here is my first skein of homespun. Not a great picture but I'm a novice with the digital camera. You really can't see the colors but it's a tweedy gray/black color which I think is kind of pretty. Or handsome.



I'm working on Jesse's Flames from Stitch and Bitch Nation by Debbie Stoller. The designer is April Fischer.



This is for my younger son for Christmas. He just graduated high school this year (scored very high on his GED) and will be going to tech school in the fall. Yes! I will have my very own tech support. I'm planning on working this sweater upstairs at night (I had to get a desk lamp with a gooseneck so I could position it over my lap because I couldn't see the stitches (knitting black in dim light isn't smart.)

I'm so excited. I got my first level of the master knitter's program in the mail just a few minutes ago. I haven't even looked at it yet. I'm also very nervous. I feel so inferior around other knitters. I've knitted for over 30 years but I never progressed until recently. I never really knew any other knitters. I mean, I knew people who knit but it has always been something of a secret vice or something. One woman from my old church invited me over for lunch and suggested we knit together but her real purpose was to talk me out of my present church and to show me the error of my ways. Sigh.

I want to do more than scarves and crappy sweaters that don't fit. I want to challenge myself and excel at something. Yes, I want to be a Renaissance woman and know a little bit about everything, but I also want to be good at something.

I'm going to Knit Night at Loose Ends tonight. Talk about leaving my comfort zone! I don't know a soul there. I've met the owner before but that was about a year ago. She's a terrific lady but walking into a group that is already established is very intimidating. There is a shyness to me that is hard to overcome.

I plan on taking my Jaywalker socks by Gumperina. I just started them so there's not much to show. I'm using Fortissima Colori Socka Color. It's all in German but I think it's 75% superwash wool and 25% nylon. Beautiful blue with magenta and a yellow-green striping. Maybe there will be enough to photograph tomorrow.

I have a ton of acrylic yarn to use up before I start buying better yarns. I'm making a Gryffindor curtain out of Red Heart (I need the insulation) for my bedroom. I plan on lots of window/door snakes to help keep the cold out this winter. I'm going to make baby blankets for our sister church in Haiti. I might give some away to a woman at church who makes blankets for kids in the hospital.

Maybe I'll make teddy bears or other toys.

I'm going to look for some lace weight though. My daughter is expecting and I would like to make her a shawl. Very light and lacy. They're in California and she has said in the past she would like a shawl to wear for shul. I've knitted two shawls for her already but they ended up going to other people with greater needs. They were heavier-weight though.

I'm so nervous. I just hope the knitters at Loose Ends are as nice as the online community.

Wish me luck.