A full scholarship

Congratulations! You have all been granted a full scholarship to the Knotty Lady School of Knitting.

The Syllabus is as follows:
1. Yarn Stores, A Study in Self Control (Includes What Yarn and Needles Are Right for My Lifestyle?)
2. Let's Get It On: Casting
3. First Project: The Knit Stitch Scarf That I Plan to Give as a Gift But Will Secretly Covet and if He Doesn't Wear It, I'm Taking It Back
4. Mountains Out of Mohair: Everyone Makes Mistakes. Stop Freaking Out.
5. On the Fringe

You will need:
1. One pair knitting needles, US size 13 -- preferably inexpensive bamboo
2. Two skeins* of "chunky yarn" (Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick and Quick is a good inexpensive choice for beginners)
3. One yarn needle
4. One fat crochet hook (size is irrelevant. Just get something in the middle of the options at your local craft store)
5. Patience
6. Perseverance

In our first class, I'll tell you about several knitting links, newsletters, catalogs and blogs I love. Here's a few of them:

• Loops Scoop - monthly email from Loops, a yarn store in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Excellent ideas, pictures and info. Check on the Facebook page for Webby Wednesday and Facebook Friday specials. Disclosure: I am friends with the owner and all of the employees -- but I became friends with them because of Loops.
• Knit Picks - get the catalog and check out those Harmony needles! Their circular needle set is a bargain. Also, Knit Picks has some very inexpensive, natural-fiber yarns. And they make some very cute kits.
• Knitty - an online knitting magazine with eclectic (and free) patterns.
• Ravelry - Facebook for knitters. Any pattern you are looking for is there, as is a niche group for any interest you have (Barry Manalow knitting patterns anyone? How about Doctor Who?)
• Woolie Ewe - get on their email list to get info about local sales.
• Lion Brand - a good resource for ideas from the catalog, yarn-size conversions and patterns. Note: check out the pictures, because some of their patterns will look homely-made, as opposed to homemade, no matter what your expertise.
• KnittingHelp.com - if you get stuck, or want to learn something new but all your knitting experts are tied up (yuk, yuk) this website is a tremendous help. You can find a video for just about any knitting procedure you want to learn.

There are so many other good knitting resources, but these are my go-to favorites. Now pick up your needles and get to it!