Useful knitting resouces

I have a number of sites that I consider to be good knitting resources, and here they are, in no particular order:
KnittingHelp.com
Knitty
Ravelry
KnitPicks Community
Learn to Knit at Lion Brand Yarn
Creative Knitting Magazine

Of course, I think the best resource is your Local Yarn Shop. There you will find knitting (and the occasional crocheting) enthusiasts who will gladly answer any questions you have. I have found my LYS, Off the Beaten Path, to be an amazing place. I've made friends with the owner and all the people who work there. They share in my joys as I complete a project and listen as I carp on about life or whatever. Of course, I'm not always as loyal as I could be. Sometimes I buy yarn at the other local yarn shops. This past weekend, I visited Lakeside Fibers and bought some yarn for making a tee shirt.

Pumpkins vs Crown Vetch

The ground on the East side of my house is predominated by Crown Vetch. It's annoying because it spreads everywhere, and it looks really ugly in fall, spring, and winter. It's an invasive species too, so there's another reason not to like it. I thought I'd try planting some pumpkins among the crown vetch to see which vine would win. So I planted 8 pumpkin seedlings on the crown vetch hill. I planted two seedlings next to my driveway in case the crown vetch wins, I'd still get some pumpkins. I've heard that they are easy to grow, and that's what I need because I am gardening-challenged.

I went to the Fitchburg Farmer's Market yesterday and picked up some onion seedlings. I'm going to plant those and have some of my very own garden-grown onions. I'm quite excited, but I may have overdone it a bit. Since I have no faith in my ability to keep plants alive, I bought 55 of them. They were only ten cents a piece, so it was a good deal. So here's to hoping they grow!

Rainbow Fleece Farms was also there with some beautiful yarns and roving. I bought a needle-felting kit because it's something I've always wanted to try. The instructions were pretty clear, and it's a really simple thing to do! So far, I've needle felted a flower and a penguin. The only downside is that you have to be careful that you don't accidentally poke yourself with the needle.

Second Knitting Project

This is my second project. It's another scarf, but this one is for my husband. I am making it wider than my first; I cast on 30 this time. I'm still using the #10 plastic needles, but I'm using two different colors of yarn this time. One is a green with speckles, and the other is black with speckles. The green bits are going to be the tips of the scarf, while the black will be the middle.

Learning to knit

One thing I'm learning to do this year is knit. I'm not sure that it's what you'd call a New Year's Resolution, but it is a step towards being more relaxed. Also, it's something I can do that does not require me to be sitting in front of the computer. I'm taking knitting lessons at a really knifty yarn house in Monona, WI called Off the Beaten Path Yarnhouse. I love sitting in their kitchen and knitting, surrounded by yarn and sample projects. It's a very relaxing atmosphere!

Here is my first real project. It's a scarf made with a self-striping yarn. I'm really proud of it. And it's nice and toasty-warm. I made it on size 10 plastic needles.