German Knitting Group

I had a marvelous time at the German knitting group this morning.  I really must learn some German, though.  These lovely women have so much to teach!  For example, although I have knitted several pairs of socks, I have always used a particular pattern and I MUST still have it in front of me when I am turning the heel.  I have the general idea of how it should be done, but I don't really remember.  So, as a novice, I had no idea that there were different options for how you shape the heel while you are turning it.  But I sure noticed the lovely round heel that the woman across from me was knitting.  She says that it fits the foot much better and that that's how they all make their socks now and that she would teach me how.  Yeah!  Of course, when I got home, I immediately looked it up on line.  After doing some research, I think it is something like the French Heel, but I'm not sure -- it may have more in common with what is sometimes called a "short-row heel".  

Also, they are having me try to knit continental style -- with the yarn in my left hand.  I see a distinct advantage, especially for purling or combinations of knitting and purling.  I would love to be an ambidextrous knitter by the time I have to leave Germany! Which leads me to the beginning of a list of knitting goals.  I, of course, have a list of projects I want to do - as all crafters do.  A LONG list.  But what I really want to have is a list of learning goals.  I have had a mental list for a long time, but I will now create a written one (which always makes it so much more real).

1. Become a proficient felter (nearly complete!)
2. Learn to needle felt
3. Find/develop and master several embellishments (like flowers) for the felted items I make.
4. Learn to knit round-heeled socks.
5. Become proficient with cables (including at least one large cabling project, like a sweater)
6. Become an ambidextrous knitter!
7. Develop a set of items that I think are sale-able (finding/buying/making patterns, perfecting them, making prototypes).
8. And show them to people who might want to carry/sell them.
9. Start an Expat/English speaking knitting group in Berlin and have it be successful.
10. Write my first knitting pattern (not merely an extreme revision of somebody else's).

That would be a great start.