Knitting and Grandchildren

I have the honor of taking care of my oldest grandson this week-end. His parents went on a little trip to celebrate their 5th wedding anniversary. It has been a great experience and one that I am always willing to take advantage of. He is a wonderful little 2 year old and we get along very well. Of course, he has grandma's undivided attention. We have been spending a lot of time playing "cars"





Grandpa was the only one who could "unwrap" the presents from their boxes--to get the toy un-hooked so Charlie could play with it.



I have even been able to get a little knitting done--during his nap times that is. I began knitting a scarf for the Winter Games for the Special Olympics. It is a project that I read about in a knitting magazine that I picked up at my local knitting store, Knitted Together. The magazine, Knit Simple, Holiday 2008, has a lot of wonderful gift ideas and the article about the Special Olympics scarf project caught my eye. The yarn is Coats and Clark's Red Heart in delft blue and white. The pattern is a simple garter stitch and is knit the length of the scarf, rather than the width. The ends are finished with 1" poms--4 on each end. I think it was the colors and the poms that I fell in love with. It works well with taking care of an active 2 year old as I can put it down and pick it up again without having to remember where I ended. I am hoping that the evening Stitch and a Prayer group will be willing to help out and knit a few scarves before the January deadline. I know I have a couple of new people to the group and since they have never knit before, this will be an easy project for them to begin their knitting obsession.

Obsession: that is how I describe my knitting. I can never have too many patterns, too many needles, too many tools, bags, and other knitting accessories. And the stash of yarn is taking over a small bedroom--well it isn't a bedroom anymore. I may have OCD--obsessive, complusive disorder--about my knitting. Is that a bad thing? I hope not.

Sweater Vest Project: I have almost completed one sweater vest for the grandsons. But I am struggling with the ribbing around the v-neck. I have started over on it so many times, that I am afraid I am wearing out the stitches around the neck line. I don't know what I am doing wrong!! It is very frustrating. Perhaps that is why I switched to something easy--a scarf for a charitable cause. How do you handle knitting when it isn't going so well? I don't want to give up on this project either. I have another one to do, but would like to get it figured out before I complete the second vest. AGGGGGHHHHH!