"The secret to getting ahead is getting started."

So I guess I'm relatively safe.

I'm starting this project with a few things.

• A basic knowledge of knitting.
• A rudimentary understanding of how crocheting works.
• A folder on my computer filled with patterns, waiting to be made.
• Seasons upon seasons of TV shows to catch up on while I knit/crochet.
• Lots and lots of yarn, needles, and hooks.

I've made an account on Ravelry, a website with a ridiculous number of patterns for both knitting and crochet. I'm not sure if reading the forums on there counts as "actual" reading for this project, but I'll be reading them regardless. Sometimes it's more helpful to learn through trial, error, and asking for help than from specific instructions, and forums are great for quick questions when you get stuck.

My goals for this project obviously include knitting and crocheting some patterns. I nearly always underestimate the time it'll take me to finish projects, so these goals might have to be slightly (or radically) changed once I figure out what my pace is on each project. But, preliminarily, this is what I'm hoping for:

• Learn how to use double-pointed needles, circular needles, and cabling.
• Learn the basic crochet stitches.
• Make the four projects that are currently saved on my Ravelry account. (a sweater, a hat, a scarf, and a toy octopus.)

I've already knitted before. It's not hugely new to me. I know how to knit and purl and increase and decrease. I want to improve, though. And I have to pick up crochet from scratch. I've got a friend who loves to crochet (although she lives in California), and she’d be more than happy to Skype with me for a while and help me through things I get stuck with.

Realistically, I'm going to hit a few speedbumps. I'm going to frog* my work multiple times. I'm going to get really far in a project and realize I don't have the skill to finish. I'm going to either run out of yarn or patience. Maybe both. (Although I definitely won't run out of TV to watch.)

Let's just hope that my finished products actually resemble the pictures from the website when I'm finished. (Fingers crossed.)

*a knitting/crocheting term that I think is absolutely adorable. It refers to when you unravel your project after deciding not to continue. So you "rip it" out, which sounds like "ribbit", which is the noise frogs make. Hence, frogging.