Here is the topic for Day 1:
How and when did you begin knitting/crocheting? was it a skill passed down through generations of your family, or something you learned from Knitting For Dummies? What or who made you pick up the needles/hook for the first time? Was it the celebrity knitting ‘trend’ or your great aunt Hilda? TAGGING CODE: knitcroblo1
I did learn to knit as a child and can, with needles, knit a simple scarf. I don't remember Mom knitting a lot when we were young but there is a ripple afghan in the back room that she knit when we were young teenagers. My aunt, Mom's twin, tells me that Mom was a very accomplished knitter. It must have been valued in their family since both aunts are or were avid knitters and crocheters. I have a number of our oldest aunt's shawls, small blankets, and doilies in my home.
I picked up loom knitting 4 summers ago while recovering from a nasty bout of Mono. As with many adults it hit me harder than when I was 15 and my doctor and I did just about everything wrong that could be done wrong on the way to diagnosis. I'm pretty sure I lost some brain cells that summer.
I had a lot of trouble, and still do, with sustained reading. I'm a passionate reader who feels bare without the next book lined up and ready to read. I couldn't focus to read and found not being able to read quite distressing. The Christmas season before I had picked up a set of Knifty Knitters but had never tried them.
Once I picked them up I was hooked. I made hats and scarves until no one I knew needed a hat, scarf, or matching set. I slowly began collecting different types of looms and not so slowly acquired quite a stash of yarn. I was pretty happy with simple projects until about a year ago but I still get a little bit frustrated with the focus it takes to do more difficult or extended projects. I am more patient with myself than I was a year ago and more willing to try different stitch patterns. I'm not so much about big projects still. A couple favorite projects and the current project in progress are on my "projects page" above.
Here are a few of my looms and a bit of the capelet scarf in progress. It's pretty close to finished.
- I actually learned to knit on the Knifty Knitter looms before I took my second turn on trying to knit on needles. I still have my looms tucked away in my closet.
Knit/Crochet Blog Week, Day 2: Limited Aspirations
I am very hesitant to loom knit shawls, afghans, or blankets. I don't have a specific pattern I wish to accomplish. I've started afghans several times and have not been happy with the fabric once I get enough to see what it's going to look like. One factor is the yarns I've been choosing. I haven't yet matched yarn to loom for my infinity loom. Seems everything I try gets frogged. Another factor is the size of the project. I mentioned this yesterday. It takes me a month to make a scarf with anything past basic stitches. I can't imagine how long it would take me to make a shawl or a blanket or afghan. And, if I spend that much time on a project I want it to have a bit of pizazz.
Here they are, under-used, under-appreciated, the looms I want to love:
2
comments
~RaenWa~ said...
- I had the same problem I think that is why I pushed myself to learn to knit with knitting needles as opposed to using the looms. Have you ever tried knitting with knitting needles instead ?
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April 28, 2010 12:03 AM
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Lori said...
- I've got a pretty advanced case of carpel tunnel. The looms provide me with knitting that requires a tad less fine motor control. Needle knitting is hard on both hands. I wouldn't mind giving knitting needles another try but the cost is too high. I'm due for surgery on one hand and I know I'll be able to use the looms after a period of recovery. Thanks for the idea!
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April 28, 2010 6:48 AM
One
Great Knitter
Write about a knitter whose work (whether because of project choice, photography, styling, scale of projects, stash, etc) you enjoy. If they have an enjoyable blog, you might find it a good opportunity to send a smile their way. TAGGING CODE: knitcroblo3
Write about a knitter whose work (whether because of project choice, photography, styling, scale of projects, stash, etc) you enjoy. If they have an enjoyable blog, you might find it a good opportunity to send a smile their way. TAGGING CODE: knitcroblo3
I have two knitters I would like to write about. Both have physical challenges, both raise families, knit, loom knit, cook, and create. There is a lot more about both of them but they inspire me. Renee has such a cheerful blog and she writes loom knitting patterns that seem to be written just for me. Thanks, Renee!
Renee's Blog
This is my capelet scarf loom knit from Renee's pattern:
Helen has such intriguing and varied projects that I'm always going back. She writes loom knitting patterns and has worked hard to translate regular knitting to the looms. I appreciate her knowledge and creativity. Plus, it's fun to read about her family and her projects. Helen also dyes and spins and has recently opened an online business selling her yarns. Thanks, Helen!
Helen's Blog
Helen's Shop
A
New Skill
Is there a skill related to your hobby that you hope to learn one day? maybe you’re a crocheter who’d also like to knit? Maybe you’d like to learn to knit continental, knit backwards, try cables or attempt stranded colourwork. TAGGING CODE: knitcroblo4
New skills, yes there are a couple skills I'd like to be able to freely use. One is greater ease with lace techniques. I have one of Helen's patterns (I talked about Helen in the previous post) that I'd like to try. I'm waiting to find the right yarn.
Another skill I'd like to learn is
crocheting. I have a start but I can tell this is going to be tricky
given the carpel tunnel in my left hand. I would like to be able to put
pretty edgings on my knit items. I've seen quite a few fingerless
glove patterns I want to try, too.
Is there a skill related to your hobby that you hope to learn one day? maybe you’re a crocheter who’d also like to knit? Maybe you’d like to learn to knit continental, knit backwards, try cables or attempt stranded colourwork. TAGGING CODE: knitcroblo4
New skills, yes there are a couple skills I'd like to be able to freely use. One is greater ease with lace techniques. I have one of Helen's patterns (I talked about Helen in the previous post) that I'd like to try. I'm waiting to find the right yarn.
Friday, April 30, 2010 K/C Blog week, Day 5
Where do you like to indulge in your craft? Is your favourite arm chair your little knitting cubby area, or do you prefer to ‘knit in public’? Do you like to crochet in the great outdoors, perhaps, or knit in the bath, or at the pub? TAGGING CODE: knitcroblo5
Easy, peasy. I knit on the couch. I take my knitting with me and knit on other people's sofas. I take it with me and knit in waiting rooms of all kinds. I even have my "I'm learning" crochet project at work for tiny little bits of time. I rarely have time at work-it's like stealing time-but during testing week I've gotten a bit done.
Comfy seat, current project, tools, tools pouch, phone, remote, side table nearby, patterns nearby. :oD
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comments:
Bring the fortune and life of a past finished project up to the present. Document the current state and use of an object you have knitted or crocheted, whether it is the hat your sister wears to school almost every day, or a pair of socks you wore until they were full of hole. Or maybe that jumper that your did just didn’t like that much… TAGGING CODE: knitcroblo6
These are the first pair of fingerless gloves I made. I didn't know much about following or modifying patterns. I still don't but I can make a decent pair of mitts now. Still, I loved these and wore them at home until my dry skin decided it hated acrylic fiber. Now they are among my knitting souvenirs, too sentimental about them to toss them and they're too beat up to give away.
Here they are old and beat up, unraveling, and still shedding. That's the other thing I learned. Cheap alpaca sheds.
Yarn, The Last Word, Day 7
There’s one love that we all share: yarn. Blog about a particular yarn you have used in the past or own in your stash, or perhaps one that you covet from afar. If it is a yarn you have used you could show the project that you used it for, perhaps writing a mini ‘review’. Perhaps, instead, you pine for the feel of the almost mythical qiviut? You could explore and research the raw material and manufacturing process if you were feeling investigative. TAGGING CODE: knitcroblo7
My favorite yarn to date has to be Barbara Perry's Foxfire-Springdelle Farm, Farm Yarn Collection. This yarn is 55% Cormo wool, from her flock, 25% Bombyx silk, and 20% prime alpaca, from a neighbor's flock. I entered a blog giveaway in celebration of her win with her ram Teaberry's fleece. To my great surprise and delight I won the giveaway and the yarn was my gift. It's a 2 ply DK weight. I aspire to own more of it-after using a good deal of the rest of the yarns in my stash. One of these days I aspire to participate in her sheep shares but I think that's a bit down the road.
My sister's scarf is the only project I've completed so far with this yarn. I'm waiting for the right pattern for the next project.
The yarn-in a daylight shot:
A close up of my Sister's Scarf:
