I Hit A Knitting Wall

Once upon a time I used to knit. Not all that long ago, and not in a kingdom far, far away, although I did send squares far away to be made into blankets. I did most of my knitting in Orlando probably while watching discs of Gilmore Girls on repeat. And now? I miss it. It has been more than a year since I created anything with knitting needles.

This is my problem: I hit a knitting wall.

Knitting walls are possibly less painful than hitting a brick wall or a concrete wall, but they are just as firm. I reached the point where I wanted to do more complicated designs and branch out from scarves, hats, and squares to something more exciting, like fingerless gloves. But that branching out always seemed to require a new pair of needles and new yarn that wasn't easy to find in my craft store (which, despite having a whole aisle of yarn, does not seem to carry a large variety of yarn weights and is overly excited about acrylic), and I quickly realized that knitting isn't exactly an inexpensive hobby.

I spent last night looking at knitting patterns online, and found one I am in love with. The pattern looks complicated, and says things like, "read from right to left as usual, work a purled 'seam' stitch (not included on chart) and then read from left to right for the second half." I've never knitted with two colors. I'm not sure how an Italian Tubular Cast-On works. The thought of holding out stitches for the thumb, only to work them back in, sounds a little terrifying. But I believe I can overcome all of those issues.

There is one thing that has me worried: I have yet to successfully use double pointed needles. I always end up with a stretched area between the stitches that sit on different needles. Also, my craft store doesn't even carry them in sizes small enough to be used with any "knit in the round" patterns I find.

Between the lack of appropriate needles and yarn, the potential scariness of the pattern doesn't matter much.

This is my question: Knitters, is there a great place to buy yarn and needles online that won't cost the equivalent of a small car? And once I find said place, which needles should I buy? Do you have a favorite brand, a preference of metal or bamboo, a secret way to make double pointed needles work correctly?

I want to get past this wall, but I am going to need some help to do it.

If you aren't a knitter, what is your favorite craft or hobby?

Almost at the halfway point of NaBloPoMo, and still feeling good about it.

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