On Being Brave and the Mochi Mochi Land Hearts Pattern

Happy Monday, one and all!

It's getting to be that time of the winter when everything is steel gray, and it's hard to remember what it's like to go outside and have the air greet you gently.  And added to that, it can also be hard to get out and about in a new town filled with strangers.  How do you know where to go to make friends and find your niche?  Spaces outside of ordinary life with good folks to talk to?

Luckily, two of my friends are much braver than I am, and they encouraged me to be brave last week and join them on an excursion to the local knitting group.  And guess what?!  It was great!  The folks there were friendly and nice and talkative- knitters and crocheters and sewers.  One of the group has even begun dying wool in his kitchen, with beautiful results.  The colors made me think of spring.

Everyone was working on something beautiful- scarves and blankets and hats and sweaters.  If someone got stuck or confused about a pattern, the others would pitch in and help.  I decided to work on my first knitting amigurumi pattern.  It included short rows, which are new to me, and the first time I tried the pattern at home, it was a tangly failure!  But this time, it worked out:

The pattern is from Mochi Mochi Land, and you can find it here.  It was perfect for a beginner like me- knit flat with single-pointed needles and 4 ply yarn.  The original pattern called for felting the hearts, but since I was using cotton I could skip that step.

I think that the next challenge I'm up for will be using double-pointed needles to try and knit an amigurumi pattern in the round.  It seems so fiddly to be working with four or five needles at a time, but the folks at the knitting group assured me that they'd help me through it.

If you're looking for something to brighten up this gray wintry day, check out some of Mochi Mochi Land's videos- they're heartwarming and absolutely adorable!  Two of my favorites are the dancing gnomes of "Funky Fleece", and the storyline of "Peak Alpaca".  Take a little break today and check them all out here.

Happy Monday, and happy stitching!

Lots of love,

~Mersydotes