Knitting, Stretching, and The Agnes Clutch

So. I have too many hobbies. Seriously. Painting, reading, tennis, writing, music, choir, knitting, photography, journaling, gardening, cooking. It's exhausting, and mostly because there is a truth I realize: If I narrowed my focus, I might actually become good at one of them.

Instead, it's music on Sunday (learning the oboe again), painting on Monday (oils), book club on Tuesday (Madame Bovary this month), choir on Wednesday, you get the picture. And let me say. I also have a full time job AND a family.

The Inspiring Agnes Clutch

Anyway, last weekend, I started a new knitting project. I had just spent two years knitting one scarf (okay, there were a few other projects sprinkled in as I knitted on and on and on, on the Suzann Scarf), so I spent a lot of time thinking about what would be next. After much research, I settled on Mel Clark's Agnes Clutch. I headed to my local knitting store for yarn. I went with the specific intention of buying luxurious yarn—two years on one project makes you think about how nice it is to hold something that feels good in your hands.

Rowan Colourscape goodness

Following much debate with a very patient sales person, I walked out with two skeins of gorgeous 100% lambswool yarn. And new needles, in which I invested an additional 20 bucks although I was pretty sure I had the same size needles at home. But I wasn't positive.

The owner of the shop, a very helpful and experienced knitter, looked over the pattern with me. "Have you done the provisional cast-on?" she asked. "Uh, no," I thought. As she demonstrated—using two needles AND a crochet hook, I also thought, "I'm way over my head here."

And still I carried on.

Here's where I am today.

The beginnings of the Agnes Clutch.

Looks simple.  (It's just the angle of the photo!)

And here's what I've learned:

1. It's good to push your boundaries, even if you sometimes feel frustrated.
2. It's not good to knit in the sort-of dark.
3. Really expensive yarn DOES make for a much better knitting experience.

I think my Agnes Clutch will be as pretty as I dreamed when I forked over the fortune for the yarn. And if I'm going to knit it and rip it out over and over, which is just how it seems right now, it might as well be a pleasant experience as I knit.