Kerstin asked me if I had ever knit anything for my step-mom before. I have. I made her some socks out of Lion Brand Homespun. They were one of the first pair of socks that I ever knit. I'm not even sure if I checked the gauge or questioned my yarn choice. They came out looking like socks and even more surprising to me was that I "caught" her wearing them one day several years later. One of the finest compliments that a knitter can receive, I think.

I also made her this sweater. This was my first FO ever - and it took me about four years to finish.

Pattern: "Water Lilies" from the book, Knitting Masterpieces.

Yarn: Variegated mohair. The actual pattern recommended a heathery worsted yarn, but I liked the look of mohair - it seemed much more "impressionistic". I used about five different colors of yarn. Some of the blues and greens were fairly similar in color but I found that this duplicated the look of the paintings more closely. The different colored sections were knit using the intarsia method. Although you can't see it too well in the picture, the white mohair had little specks of yellow and red in it. It added that extra touch, like little brushstrokes of color, without having to do additional intarsia work.

** Update ** This was the first knitting project that I ever finished - but it was completed over the course of four years. During that time I picked up and put down several other projects, so I was learning along the way. Also - never underestimate the power of mohair when it comes to covering up messy knitting or holding together stitches that probably wouldn't last in a smoother yarn!