Adventures in Knitting..

So...as a self-avowed craft 'ho, I tend to be pretty spread out in my art endeavors. Enter the phrase, "Jack of all trades, master of none." I've been aware for awhile that knitting has not gone stale (tho a project or two has!) the way other crafty/art forms have for me. I find myself wanting to develop my knitting more...Get past the "advanced beginner" stage and learn better skills.

The same is true for my dancing. Since returning to dance four years ago...I've gained weight, dabbled in improving my skills but worked harder on teaching others than improving my own dancing.

The answer to both is "doing it." Yeah, like Nike..."Just Do It." Sometimes, I spend more time thinking, daydreaming, or reading about a passion than *doing* it.

For dance, this would mean getting my butt into the gym on a regular basis, using the workshop videos I own to increase my inventory of steps, going to events to network with other dancers/troupes, and devoting more time to my own dancing than to my teaching.

Never said I didn't know what to do....I just haven't been doing it!

The knitting, however, has me stumped. Besides "doing it"...How do I increase my skills? My LYS has classes, but all are beginner oriented. There IS another LYS here, but I have sworn to never set foot in there again. It is not *just* that they are elitist snobs...There is an ethical issue for me. It's not my story to tell, so I will abbreviate it here. The elitist, self-absorbed owner has gone to the lengths to try to persuade vendors not to supply my favorite LYS with anything that HER store carries. I find this infuriating! I only know about this because I have built a friendship with the owner of the LYS I frequent and she confided in me. I know her well enough to know she has not spread this around and to this day will refer a customer to la snooty pants if she doesn't have something a customer needs. Since the day this was confided to me, I have not set foot in the other LYS. I refuse. They offer classes that could increase my skills...But it's not worth it to me.

So, I can't run down to my LYS and take classes. I do learn well from books...But sometimes get frustrated.

That's where you come in!

How about some suggestions, either practices or products or what have you, to increase my knitting proficiency? No contest or prizes...Frankly, I'm too disorganized for that! Just appreciation! ;)