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My whole life my grandma has made me lots of knit sweaters, accessories, and other things. There was a point I took them for granted, but a year or two ago she hurt her arm and can no longer knit. So with the idea from a friend yesterday i went out and bought a knitting book. I looked at four or five of them, and the best I found was actually the Klutz press (kids how to books) one had the best diagrams and patterns for stuff I wanted to do. Right now I'm working on a skarf. So who else knits? Share experiences.
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
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I wanted to learn to knit, but I didn't grow up with any relatives nearby. My mom is blind and doesn't knit. So I tried over and over to learn to knit using this simple sock pattern in a book my mom had left from when her mom tried to teach her. It NEVER worked! I'd try every six months to a year, end up in tears. This was in junior high and high school.
Finally I tried with a different book, different pattern. It was easy! Since then I've made several baby sweaters and bonnets, scarves, and made myself a vest and two sweaters. One of the sweaters, I designed the pattern myself from a library book on the subject.
I went back to the original book, years later, and tried to make the sock. Still didn't work. It was a defective pattern.
I actually like crocheting much better.
Posts: 1990 | Registered: Feb 2001
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I can knit scarves but I haven't even tried following a pattern.
when you make your scarf I suggest ribbing it (alternating kitting and perling on the same row), it'll hold it's shape better and not end up curling at the edges.
Posts: 4089 | Registered: Apr 2003
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I still want to knit Sophie some sweaters/outfits! (Theca gave me some wonderful patterns) I'm starting with a hat right now, but I've only gotten two rows into it. I have the basics down okay, but the patterns and projects just intimidate me for some reason. That, and I'm terrible about starting projects I never finish.
Posts: 1777 | Registered: Jan 2003
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Stick with scarves until your knitting is even and you can knit and purl with ease. Then, you are home free. I have a really cute, easy pattern for a toddler sweater which is very basic and cute as can be.
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
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I don't knit, but I do crochet. I've made blankets, scarves, and hats. Last week we were in the grocery and a lady said, "I just love your daughter's hat." I got to proudly reply that I had made it myself.
I think you'll find knitting to be a wonderful hobby. It's so neat being able to give people handmade gifts, as well as make things for yourself. Just be patient and give yourself time to learn.
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I've been knitting for a couple of years now, and I really enjoy it. It's nice to have when you're waiting in line for things. Beware, though, you will begin to accumulate yarn stash and have far too many projects going at once. I've only got nine things on my WIP (works in progress) list right now. It's addicting, truly. There are plently of knitting websites, too, and free online patterns. (Do a Google on knitting blogs- there are tons. Even I've got one)
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Thanks for the advice. It seems addicting so far. I've always given home made christmas and birthday presents. My favorites have been home made bath salts and lip balm, hemp necklaces to all my male friends, and in elementary school, I sewed everyone scruncies.
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
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I love to knit. It's just like building things, only in a softer medium than I'm accustomed to. The funnest part is the design, I think, though the nice repetitive hand motions become a soothing ritual as well. Sort of like sucking your thumb or something.
When I design a sweater, I refer to a library of patterns in various pattern books I have, plus my previous designs, to come up with the dimensions of the pieces. Then I convert to the yarn and needle size I plan to use by making a big test swatch using all the patterns I'm wanting to use. My test swatches are wide enough and long enough to be teddy bear scarves. I find the bigger and more detailed a test swatch I knit, the more accurate my stitch gauges will be. If you have your stitch gauge off, even by half a stitch, you may end up with a sweater that's way too big or too small.
I love the Harmony books for how-to knitting. I learned from checking out six or eight books about how to knit, and reading and amalgamating all of them. Finding the best pictures and the best descriptions and the techniques that worked for me, and putting it all together. I have two Harmony books of different stitch patterns, too, from which I learned lots of the fancier stuff.
One tip that made my work look much nicer that I'd like to pass along, is holding the yarn threaded over and under alternate fingers of your right hand (over the index, under the middle, over the ring, under the pinky). This seems to regulate the tension really well, resulting in a much neater looking piece.
My first project was a Dr. Who scarf, since I wanted one badly and could find no source for 25 foot long scarves. <laughs> Mine ended up being more like 30 feet long.
Right now I'm aaaaaaaaaaaaalmost finished with the irish fisherman's type sweater I'm knitting for Toretha. It was fun to design and knit, but it's taken me over a year to do. Too bad you can't knit and type at the same time, you know? Actually, the pattern on this one is complex enough that while I'm working on it, I can't do anything else besides knit, other than listen to music. If I even try to converse or read, I end up making mistakes and having to pull it out and redo it.
I put all sorts of symbolism into the patterns I used. I modified and made up patterns to suit, basing them all on traditional Irish designs. It was fun and interesting to come up with. I drew a dimensioned sketch, (I resisted the temptation to make a scale drawing in AutoCAD, though it would have been nice to have), and then made a detailed instruction key in Excel. It's the best way for me to keep the stitches straight in all the various sections. They repeat at different intervals, so it is easy to get quite confused using a less detailed pattern. Yet it was fairly easy to make the spreadsheet because I could copy and paste each repeating section over and over.
When I finish Anna's sweater, I plan to start another one. I already have the yarn. It's so nice to make something by hand for someone to wear, I think. What better way to surround them with your love?
Posts: 6246 | Registered: Aug 2004
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My grandma taught me how to knit when I was young. I knitted a dish cloth and didn't do anything else. Lately I have gotten into knitting. I knitted a scarf for my mother for Christmas. She gave me more yarn and I just finished another one in the past few days. It is fuzzy and kind of funny.
Posts: 1015 | Registered: Aug 2004
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I am a knitting-and-crochet-aholic. I have tubs and tubs of yarn and probably 15-25 projects going on at the same time. I'm also attempting to teach myself how to spin wool so that I can design my own yarn. My hopes is that I will be able to design and sell my own yarn so that I can in turn pay for my yarn addiction-this will never happen, however.
I have a rhinestone pin I came across at some point or another that states that I am a (excuse my language please those with tender ears) 'yarn slut'.
I have taught myself everything that I know, with the exception of the occasional tips, pointers, and pattern-troubleshooting from about.com's knitting and crochet forums.
Right now among my most recent works-in-progress:
1. Completing the finishing on a green and brown striped hat for hubby (knitted)
2. A embossed leaf/vine pattern scarf for myself (knitted)
3. Pink and purple baby blanket made from yarn left-overs to donate to Project Linus (crocheted)
4. Rainbow variegated afghan made of Homespun yarn (crocheted)
5. Black arm-warmers with grey pockets for work (knitted)
6. Grey and purple striped sweater made of mohair yarn (knitted)
...there are many, many more as stated above, however, I won't bore you! If you ask what the moral of this post is, I will tell you that it is to watch out for yarn-arts, the hidden addiction!
Nonetheless, as I am certain that none of you shall heed the warning, have fun!
Posts: 701 | Registered: Jul 1999
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I do. I nearly finished my first jumper. I'm a slow knitter for now, but I hope I will improve soon Posts: 3526 | Registered: Oct 2001
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I love to knit and crochet, though I'm not really the best at either-- especially crocheting, I'm left handed so sometimes I'm not sure I'm getting it right.
I've been trying to knit a pair of socks for the last 4 years or so. I've actually finished one sock twice, but both times it's ended up looking mor like a balloon than a sock-- very big! I'd love it if anyone can direct me to a good, EASY sock pattern.
My mom is a fabulous knitter-- she sent me a gorgeous sweater for Christmas. Real wool, complicated pattern. She has friends who raise sheep so she gets the wool at a good price... I love the way real wool smells.
My old school had a tradition where the eighth graders would come down to the first grade classroom, and the first graders would sit on an eighth grader's lap and be taught how to knit. Posts: 3420 | Registered: Jun 2002
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Cool Dragon. My son's first grade class had a class grandma, a woman from the senior center, who came and taught the kids to knit.
I think of knitting as a bit on the magical side. When i knit something for someone, thoughts of them go into every stitch.
For Christmas, my grandmother, who is ninety-eight, gave me a blanket she had started for me when I was a baby when my mother was dying. She said she could not sleep at night, and wanted to do something constructive with her worry. She left it unfinished for forty years. My aunt found it and had someone finish it. It was definitely the best Christmas present I got, and made even more meaningful by the fact that I was in a life threatening situation recently myself.
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
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A girl in my dorm taught me to knit this past semester. I've knitted a scarf for myself, which I quite like - it's made from royal blue wool and it's very warm, though a bit hairy. Now I'm working on a bag for my friend, using a sort of ripply acrylic fabric.
Knitting is addictive, and it's a great way to relax.
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my grandma taught me how to crochet, recently...I enjoy it...although all I can do is make scarves, just yet
Posts: 1158 | Registered: Feb 2004
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Chveya- I have to say that the blue tree/cable knitted square you'd finished not too long ago is gorgeous. Do you mind if I ask where you got the pattern from? Thanks! Great blog!
Posts: 701 | Registered: Jul 1999
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I am unable to learn how to cast on. I get lost mid-stream because my mind wanders. I make very uneven rows.
That being siad, my colleagues that do knit worked very hard to help keep me on task, and in one piece last year, so I could knit my son a scarf -
he knows how to knit from his days at the local Waldorf school, and it was quite embarrassing being one of the only parents that could barely thread a needle, never mind figure out the mechanics of knitting.
It took a kind grandmotherly type literally holding my hands and teaching them the motions for an hour before I finally started to get the most basic idea . . .
Needless to say, finishing Nathan's scarf was monumental - and I have done no knitting since . . . Posts: 5609 | Registered: Jan 2003
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I learned how to knit when I was a kid, and started doing it again about a year and a half ago. I'm totally addicted now; I've made lots of handknit gifts the last two Christmases, and when I get in a mood to make baby clothes I give them to the local women's shelter since I don't know anyone with kids. I knit pretty much every moment I have free, and my yarn stash is in danger of exceeding its allotted space (the guest-room dresser). I had to make up a new rule, namely that yarn I get for free doesn't count towards the stash size Posts: 957 | Registered: Aug 2002
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Onr thing I have learned, at least with the kids I know, is not to make sweaters for children between the ages of four and eighteen. (general range) Before four, parents can decree what their children wear(somewhat). During The Range, kids and sweaters, for the most part, do not agree. Kids who live in cold places and understand the layering concept may be the exception, but I tend to make sweaters fo toddlers and adults only.
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
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Knit two loops together (put your right needle through two loops at once, then do a regular knit stitch). Then, when you have the loop on your right needle, slip it back onto the left needle and repeat. Slowly, you will get down to only two loops left, then one. Knot off the last one and you're done!
Posts: 1903 | Registered: Sep 2003
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I still don't know how to knit. Maybe next year... I do like to crochet. I made my daughter a bunch of crochet barbie dresses at some point last year.
Posts: 666 | Registered: Dec 2003
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In following Chveyas' example, I decided that it would be a good idea to create a knitting blog, so that way I could devote my livejournal to personal life and still have a place to talk about needle crafts. My blog can be found here.
Thank you for the linkage, Chveya, I'm planning on making a bag out of the tree-cable pattern, if I'm ever able to master it. I bookmarked your blog, since it was way cool, and I always like to oooh and aaaah over people's knitting that far exceeds anything I have the talent to do.
Gnixing-you should give us updates as to how it goes! That's way cool! If you need any help it appears that there are lots of people here that are knitting savvy, and would be willing to depart of a tip or two.
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my knitting to me is incredibly uneven... the edges look terrible. i thought i figured out purling, but it turns out i was still knitting, only a harder way (probably the left-handed way from a right-handed pov >_<).
i successfully was able to bind off. now... to figure out how to purl. and get a bigger needle so i can make my wife a chenille scarf.
Posts: 494 | Registered: Mar 2000
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I couldn't crochet anything and make it look good at the same time to save my life!
Knitting, on the other hand, is easier for me. Sort of. I've only ever knitted one project - an afghan, and let me tell you, it's the King of Afghans! Knitted from heavy yarn, it's about a half inch thick and something like eight feet a side. Me and my six best friends could share that thing!
Just so this doesn't push me over the edge of crazy in your minds, I was living in northern Alberta at the time, the land of -40 winters. Brrr! Posts: 8355 | Registered: Apr 2003
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I've been knitting a quite a while now and think I have it down. I love learning new things, and right now i'm tackling my first sweater, even if it is for a newborn. I bought some size 1 needles today. I've done stuff on 1-15 now, straight and circular, ribs, stockinette, and other almost made up stitches, with or without a pattern.
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
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I've been crocheting for about a year now. I taught myself out of a book, and have never been able to follow patterns. I recently discovered why. Apparently I have been using, not basic stitch, as I thought, but rib stitch. I now have to start all over trying to learn to do basic well. *sighs*
Posts: 4655 | Registered: Jan 2002
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I've been knitting for about a year now, I discovered it when I had a broken ankle, and needed something to do. I was instantly hooked. And *waves at Tatiana* I am currently beginning a Dr. Who scarf, which will I will probably be working on for the rest of my life. I love, love, love yarn. I am a yarn addict. I was given some yarn for my birthday that is all in lovely shades of cream, brown, and gray-brown, all in the natural colors of the various sheep the wool was taken from. I can't wait to start working with it. And yes, I am working on several things at once. No wonder it takes me so long to finish something.
Posts: 74 | Registered: Oct 2005
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I seem to have developed an interest in knitting weird mathematical shapes. My two projects underway right now are a felted Moebius basket (imagine taking a Moebius strip made of rubber and pushing/stretching a "bowl" shape into it, leaving the rest of it unstretched as the basket handle) and a Klein bottle hat for a friend ("a zero-volume hat for a zero-volume head," I like to tell him).
Posts: 957 | Registered: Aug 2002
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quote:Originally posted by blacwolve: I've been crocheting for about a year now. I taught myself out of a book, and have never been able to follow patterns. I recently discovered why. Apparently I have been using, not basic stitch, as I thought, but rib stitch. I now have to start all over trying to learn to do basic well. *sighs*
Maybe you're using different terms than I'm used to, but what are "rib stitch" and "basic stitch" in crochet? I've been crocheting for about three years now and I don't think I've ever run across those terms. Do you have a website with diagrams?
As for knitting, I learned how to knit and purl when I was a kid, but I always end up dropping stitches when I try it. That's why I crochet: it's impossible to drop stitches.
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Small needles are fun, so are huge needles, I don't really like worsted weight and size 8 needles, it seems so normal.
Jannie, I have no clue what a doctor who skarf is, but it sounds cool, can you find a link?
Stray, your projects sound interesting, I like things without patterns, but right now I'm making myself learn to read them.
I think I know what blacwolve means by basic, like as in single crochet, which her stitches don't look like, I'm not sure what a rib stitch is, but that seems more like what she produces (at least from the cute little blue blanket she promised to my children decades from now )
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
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I saw a girl at church on Sunday with a sweater with a gorgeous knit stitch. It looked almost like a basket weave or something. Anybody have a suggestion about a site where I could find various stitches? I would love to make something in that stitch.
Posts: 1903 | Registered: Sep 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Brinestone: I saw a girl at church on Sunday with a sweater with a gorgeous knit stitch. It looked almost like a basket weave or something. Anybody have a suggestion about a site where I could find various stitches? I would love to make something in that stitch.
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Maybe the broken rib, or one of the basket weaves, or even little pyramids could be done to look like it. Do you think it was a handknit, or purchased, because you see stuff done on machines that I doubt could be done with needles (though I'm not sure)
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
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quote:you see stuff done on machines that I doubt could be done with needles.
Virtually anything that can be done on a machine can be done with needles. I'm not quite certain about some of the double knit stitches done on machines, but overall there are far more things that can be done on needles but not machines than visa versa.
Posts: 12591 | Registered: Jan 2000
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None of those look like what she was wearing. It's hard to remember, though.
