New year, new skills

I am feeling like such a lemming when I say this but  ...... I have started my New Years knitting resolutions.  I shouldn't call them resolutions, because I am not usually very resolved to do them! So let's say "good idea list."  However, I am resolved to learn some new fiber skills.  At the top of my list is brioche knitting, also called fisherman's rib.  "It's ribbing, how hard can it be," I thought to myself.  And actually, back-and-forth brioche is fantastically easy.  I mastered it in about 5 minutes.  It has taken a little bit longer to catch onto brioche in the round.  However, I think I just about have the knack of it.  The real trick for me is "reading" the stitches so that when I put it down, I can figure out what to do when I pick it back up again.

I decided I needed a project to see if I could actually do brioche, so I put together a pair of boot cuffs over the weekend.  They were done back-and-forth and sewn up, and took practically no time.  I think they look pretty cool.

Then I said, "Hey, if it was this easy, let's try another set of boot cuffs in the round.  Saves the sewing."  So I got out some remnant yarn, and have started a pair in variegated Red Heart.  The hardest part was finding small enough needles to do the project.  I don't think I am experienced enough in brioche yet to Magic Loop the round.  I was not sure how I would like the variegated, but I think it picks up the rib and sets it off, because the"V" stitch in the middle is slipped and the stitches on each side of it are purled or wrapped.  The slip stitch being in a different color actually helped the effect, I think.