Shrugs in action!

I've been browsing around for a new, more ambitious knitting project recently. I've made a couple of bags, a very utilitarian afghan, a number of scarves and some random stuff (coasters, cable sampler, etc). There are only so many bags/scarves/knick-knacks I can have around the house before I become a total hippy so I've decided to graduate to clothing! Argh! Rather antsy about it because I'm positive it won't be that great. The first anything I knit usually doesn't turn out so well. For instance, I didn't line the first 2 bags I made with cloth so they were free to stretch (and stretch) forever from the weight of their contents, resulting in lopsided bags. I subsequently learned to line my bags with fabric so they'll stay pretty forever!

Anyways, the two projects I decided on are two cardi/shrug type thingies. The first one that I'm currently making good progress on is the Flirty Shrug which I encountered on the DIY network website. The directions are rather vague at best and do not include diagrams that could've helped in putting together the pieces to create a shrug. I suppose that's what you get when you don't want to pay for patterns, but anyway, I've finished knitting all the pieces. One of the hardest parts for me is sewing/seaming all the pieces together. Somehow, I'm not as motivated when it comes to the last stretches of assembling my knitting projects.



The only thing I'm a bit hesitant about it the crocheted lining. I don't know how to crochet (yet) but I used to when I was in secondary school. For some reason, I have lost that skill over the years. I hope that I can acquire it quickly once my new book arrives. Looking at the crafty and cool things DIY Network has on its site, I wish I had DIY Network on my cable TV package! *SIGH* So I suppose the next best thing to having it on my TV is being able to enjoy the free patterns and cool tutorials on their website.

The second pattern I found appealing was for a delicate, lacey shrug from the book "Knit 2 Together". I fell in love with it the moment I saw it and thought it would be oh-so pretty for spring! I bought the recommended silk/alpaca combo yarn, which is the most luxurious (read: expensive) yarn I've bought for my hobby.

Before this, the yarn I've been using are on the cheap side from Joann.com. However, I've been getting tired of the cheap yarns that have a synthetic feel. The yarns I've purchased except for the ones I used to make a scarf has some acrylic in it. I think acrylic is to knitting like plant starch fillers are to food: hollow and tasteless.