I ripped out the stitches and started over four times. Apparently I cannot concentrate very well on knitting while two little girls are running around, lol! After dropping many stitches and losing my place in the pattern, I finally got the hang of it.
Time-wise this project took me approximately 8 hours. I only worked on it at night after the girls were in bed, so it felt as though it took forever to finish it! The yarn I selected seemed happy and springy, however once it was knitted into the place mat it just looks like a mess of color. Next time I will likely choose a simple color combination, like the example on the Joann's website!
Materials:
1 skein of Sugar & Cream yarn
Size 8 knitting needles
Directions:
Cast on 47 stitches. First row, knit one - then purl one, knit one until the end. Continue knitting in pattern until piece measures 17". Cast off in the pattern.
Happy Crafting!