How I have learnt to love knitting

So, as a young girl I dabbled in knitting and crochet. I remember my maternal grandmother showing me both. I have a definite memory of making long crochet chains but never  more than thaI then t and i remember knitting (but needing someone else to cast on and off for me.) Around three years ago (or four maybe is that right Catherine ?) I decided I should learn to crochet properly (and became a rather long standing student of Catherine, to whom I am eternally grateful for being the most patient teacher ever, even with me who hates being a beginner at anything!)
I got very excited about the whole crochet thing and dreamt up plans of all the things i wanted to make and spent most of my free time happily whipping things up with my hook.
I love crochet and get very excited about all the things I want to make but I decided I wanted to give knitting another go. I was passionate about crochet and loved the idea of knitting too and being able to make all the lovely knitted things i saw around that don't look the same crocheted.
I tried my hand at knitting but got very frustrated by it. I coudn't cast my mind back only a few years to when I was new to crochet and how it took me ages to pick up the basics and lots of time makig up "Erin stitches" as Catherine christened them. I wated to be able to knit, straight away. My first attempts left me a tad frustrated and I kept going back to the crochet.
More recently, thanks to Pinterest and of course Instagram (I love Instagram, it's changed my life, but that's a whole separate post!) I was getting the urge to knit again after seeing so much lovely stuff.
Through bloggy land and Instagram I got chatting to Cuckoo and Suzie and that got me thinking about knitting more and more.  I decided to give it a bit more of a chance as I really wanted to make some of Suzie's gorgeous patterns.  So back in November I invited myself along to The Wool Sanctuary and to Knit Club when Suzie had promised me that she would help me with her Knitted House (which I had been desparate to make since receiving my copy of her book.)  Oh before all of this I made one of Suzie's beach huts as a bit of a practice.  So I went along to the West Country for a weekend to spend a night with Suzie and attended Knit Club and then a night with Cuckoo.
So anyways with Ikea deliveries and a busy Knit Club Suzie didn't have a chance to show me how to make the house.  I started with the easy bit and then Cuckoo had assured me that she would be able to help with the tricky colour changes.

Cuckoo's crafty Bird Box with my little house in progress!

Cuckoo concentrating on unravelling my mess of the house!

On the train on the way home after a wonderful stay chez Cuckoo with her gorgeous family.  Note the tangle is hidden underneath the work!!

I was so very proud of my little house and it now has pride of place on my mantelpiece.  If you don't already have it go and buy Suzie's book it's amazeballs and check out her Ravelry page for further wonderful patterns!

So I got the bug for knitting, or so it seems I have the bug for knitting Suzie's patterns! haha!!

I bought the Humbug pattern and against Suzie's advice made a start. ........and got stuck.  Luckily I have been lucky enough to return to The Wool Sanctuary and have met up with Suzie when she has been in Essex and have enlisted her help to sort them out.   Just the other week when I spent a weekend at Suzie's and was able to get help with the right one and complete the left one!

Woo hoo!!!  I love them!!  They were fun to knit (onece I got over the frustration) and they have been much admired!  I've even been asked where I bought them and beamed while replying "I made them!"

I'm already making a Ray of Light shawl (mine's the green one next to Suzie's one!)  This is going to be my mum's birthday present. I'd better get cracking, I have till mid April and as you can see it's less than half the size it should be!!

I'm also on to my next pair of wrist warmers (Button Moons)  I'm addicted!

I also thought these little houses were way to cute not to have a go at!!  I think it looks right at home next to the little knitted house.  Like a little Granny Annex!

So thank you to two of my newest friends who have inspired my love of knitting and have (and continue to) help me along the way. 

How can you not want to spend all your time knitting when this is your LIVING ROOM!!!!  Heavenly!!

As if I wasn't already inspired enough to keep knitting and get better how AWESOME are these?!

My very own Suzie Johnson originals made especially for me!!  I am so chuffed.  Love them to bits!

I have added a cushion to the big case and think it looks swell in the Granny Shack!!  Inspirational knitting!!

What have you been making lately?  I love seeing everyone's projects!

Love love love

Erin x