Where my knitters at?!

[bicentennial_baby]

:bounce:

:D

Hi! Self-taught knitter here, love to work with wool, especially merino :)

How about you folks? :hi:

[Name removed]

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[bicentennial_baby]

10. I'm trying to remember..Who makes that? LionBrand?

:)

[xultar]

81. I want to be a knitter. Any knitters in ATL? Can I purchase some lessons?

[WolverineDG]

82. Here's a few

Knitting meetups in/around ATL:

http://knitting.meetup.com/cities/us/ga/atlanta/

EEKERS! $100 to learn to knit? :wow: Well, it's another suggestion from google: http://www.whyknotknit.com/classes.htm

Atlanta Knitting Guild: http://www.atlantaknittingguild.org/frmain.htm

You could also try starting with the videos at www.knittinghelp.com . :)

dg

[knitter4democracy]

86. That guild rocks, from what I hear.

Very, very helpful, nice knitters. My knitting mentor is down there now, and she loves that group.

[knitter4democracy]

84. Are you near Roswell by Atlanta?

My knitting mentor is there now, and she teaches at the yarn shop there. Ask for Jan, the Boo-Boo Lady. :) Good Dem, too.

[Love Bug]

1. I like wool-ease myself

I just knitted a big ol' long scarf (1'x 8') in November. 4 skeins of wool-ease. Size 10 needles. Cast on 50 stitches. Knit every row across until you run out of yarn. Easy-peasy.

Not sure how I managed to post that twice, but oh well.

[Greybnk48]

3. wool-ease is great

and easy on the wallet--looks and wears great.

[Greybnk48]

2. Hi there!!

another self-taught knitter here. Been at it for the past two + years, but had knitted here and there over the years. I mark two years ago as when I became obsessed.

I do A LOT of doggie sweaters since my only grandchildren so far are four legged furry kind. I like to do socks too, and hats--love hats!!

This should be a fun forum. :hi:

[bicentennial_baby]

11. I haven't ventured into socks yet...

But, it's mainly a lack of time issue...I haven't been able to knit for a while now, with school and all. But, I'm thinking of starting a project tommorrow: A holder for my new subway pass, so I won't have to take my wallet out every time I go to skool. (It's a hard plastic card, like a credit card.)

:)

[wryter2000]

4. Hi, there

Another C&Ber checking in. I used to knit and crochet, but I have so little free time for it now. Even when I'm watching TV, I tend to be doing other things.

I mostly just use the el-cheapo acrylics. I tend to order supplies from Herrschner's.

[bicentennial_baby]

12. I haven't used acrylics in a while now

The way they feel makes me get goosebumps...Weird, I know. But, then again, I get the same thing from velevet and cotton balls. :shrug:

[wryter2000]

17. Odd

I have no problem with acrylics, but real wool makes me feel itchy. Alpaca feels divine but costs a fortune.

[bicentennial_baby]

18. A lot of knitters don't like wool

You're not alone :pals:

[knitter4democracy]

31. That sounds like my allergic reaction to mohair.

True wool allergy happens more than people realize, I think. There's a new book coming out by Amy Singer on how to knit with anything but wool and take other fibers into account. Amy runs Knitty.com, and I think there's a thing about it there.

[Morgana LaFey]

60. It may be out -- it's advertised in the Interweave Knits I got today

It's published by Interweave, apparently.

[China_cat]

43. Try knitpicks.com

Alpaca, baby alpaca, merino. Lovely yarns, good prices, nice patterns...lots of free ones.

[wryter2000]

49. Thanks to both of you

Those sound like great sites.

[shanti]

57. i used to feel that way too

but after seeing some of the "good stuff" on ebay for the same and lower prices as acrylic, i'm sold on natural fibers only. check out WEBS, elann, discontinuedbrannameyarn, and knitpicks for good buys on quality yarn.

[Morgana LaFey]

5. Woohoo!!!!! ME!

Where I live isn't cold enough (as a rule -- we've had a long run of pretty cold weather this year) to have MUCH wool in your winter wardrobe. I love wool -- and other natural fibers (except where knitting is concerned, NOT 100% cotton), but I'd rather have it mixed with acrylic for comfort sake, most of the time.

I really, really am awed by you self-taught knitters. Wow. I remember how I struggled to learn to knit -- doing the stitches wasn't that difficult, all in all, but getting any proficiency took me forever. I really did struggle with it.

I love collecting vintage knitting magazines and books (esp. 60s and 70s), AND vintage yarn -- you should see my stash of Bucilla Paradise!!! and Bernat Win-Knit and Lin-Knit! And Caron Cotton Terry. And a few others, but those are my main stashes. I have a couple of skeins of wool for socks from around the turn of the last century, and they're kinda cool. One of the things on my needles right now is a jacket out of turquoise Win-Knit -- http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/en/visoppskrift.php?d_nr=87&d_id=7&lang=us

(This site has hundreds of wonderful free patterns, btw.)

Other WIP right now include a skinny mohair-blend white lace scarf for myself (nearly the death of me, it's been); a shrug (really a stole with a button) from a free Lion Brand pattern, in cheap ole Jiffy; a wonderful tee-top in that Cotton Terry from Simply Beautiful Sweaters, I think it is (from those two owners of Tricoter in Seattle -- I can never remember their names) -- I have to finish it, with a crochet edging around bottom, neck and sleeve caps; a gorgeous but complex cardigan "Autumn Leaves" with intarsia autumn leaves on a band across the bottom (lots of different colors -- again, 'bout to kill me) and then aran patterns above that. It's from a book I've got, don't remember the name; and I'm thinking about starting either a scarf or socks for DH. I made him a simple, bulky yarn cap the other day and he was SO incredibly appreciative of it that I realized I need to knit much more for him.

How 'bout everyone else?

[bicentennial_baby]

15. I learned pretty quick

Mind you, my first few months were a horror-show, but I took to it pretty easily. I credit the books I used and Knitty.com :)

[wovenpaint]

16. Try bamboo yarns for warmer climates

Also silk and now there are yarns made from soy and corn....and hemp!
:hi:

[AbbyR]

6. Another knitter here

My sister tried to teach me years ago, but my knitting always ended up diagonal - I retaught myself a couple of years ago and now really enjoy it. Just wish I didn't have such a taste for expensive yarn.

[bicentennial_baby]

14. Hehe, don't we all?

:rofl: Expensive yarn is like cocaine, I think...Really satisfying, but sooo expensive :P

[China_cat]

7. Here.

Lace knitting mostly right now. Also socks. Lots and lots and lots of socks.

[knitter4democracy]

33. Come and sit by me!

I just finished teaching a socks class and created more obsessive sock knitters. Bwahahahaha! :evilgrin:

So, fave sock yarn? I'm having fun with Cherry Tree Hill (well, that base yarn for Koigu, CTH, and other hand-dyed yarns). I got some Jitterbug, though, and I can't wait to cast on. :)

[China_cat]

44. I've been buying a lot from knitpicks.com

They have a merino wool called pallette that's 1.99/ball and 2 balls make a pair of socks with some extra. They've also got some self-striping that has a nice hand that's a little more expensive.

[Morgana LaFey]

59. Thanks for that little tip

I need to get some sock yarn.

[knitter4democracy]

64. One of my socks students used Palette for her class socks.

They came out beautifully. I was really impressed with how they knitted up. The KP yarn I got awhile back wasn't as nice as they had made it sound, but it's nice yarn for the price.

[MoonRiver]

8. Yo!

I'm working on a sweater for my grandson. It's 75% acrylic and 25% wool. Got to have something machine washable and driable for those little devils! I made one that wasn't and my daughter was not a happy camper (although she loved the sweater!).

[Bjornsdotter]

9. I knit

....I've been knitting for *mumbles*....let just say a really long time.

Cheers

[bicentennial_baby]

13. PS!! I really miss living 20 min. from Webs!

I used to live 20 minutes from Webs, aka yarn.com. 22,000 sq feet of yarn and accesories...Now, I'm 100 miles away. Going home tommorrow, and I might just have to stop in :D

[flamingyouth]

19. I'm learning to knit... very sloooooowly

Still having trouble with casting on. :blush:

But I go to a knitters group once a month at Gilda's Club and they help me (I call it Remedial Knitting!). :D

:hug:

OMG... I love your sig line - :rofl: HAHAHAHAHAHA!

[knitter4democracy]

26. There's a knit-on cast on that's easier.

You start with the slip knot, and then you put the needle into the loop like you're going to knit, bring the yarn around, and pull the new stitch through. Then, instead of keeping the new loop on the right-hand needle (like you normally do in the knit stitch), put that loop back on the left needle. For the next stitch, use the new one you just made to pull through a new loop. Keep doing that until you have the right number of stitches.

The knit-on cast on is a looser one, and it's the one I use for my beginning students.

[flamingyouth]

29. Hey, thanks a lot!

That makes a lot of sense. I'm going to give it a try this weekend. Much appreciated!! :D

[knitter4democracy]

30. It's what I do.

:D

I teach at the Art Center, and it's what I really enjoy. :) I also hang out at the Knitty.com messageboards. That's a great place for beginners. I go by Bina there.

[flamingyouth]

36. I'm going to check out knitty.com too

Again, thanks a bunch! :hi:

[knitter4democracy]

65. Maybe I'll see you on the messageboards there, too.

I go by Bina there.

[shanti]

58. that's my favorite cast-on

although the long-tail cast on seems most popular

[Morgana LaFey]

61. And I can't figure that out

I've used it exactly once and IIRC it was because my pattern specified it. I used the cast on Knitter4democracy described forever, until just a year or two ago when I learned that there are actually other cast ons! Who knew!

There's been SUCH an explosion of knowledge -- of old techniques, other culture's techniques and brand NEW techniques -- thanks to a great extent to the internet, that it really is an amazing time for knitters. I know that the popularity of knitting sorta goes in cycles, but it's hard for me to imagine that THIS time it will be quite as out of fashion as it was in the 80s and 90s (after a resurgence in the late 60s/70s).

[shanti]

72. yes, it is so true about the internet

giving knitting a kick in the pants. it's nice to see young women interested in it, and hopefully, these women will teach the youth in their own families. have you ever seen the diy show about knitting? lots of fresh ideas! i love it!

[Morgana LaFey]

83. Yeah, I watch Knitty Gritty all the time

so much so I'm pretty sick of some shows. I think if I EVER see that guitar strap show again I'll surely burst into flame. Or something. I'm not overly fond of Vickie Howell, either, but I've so enjoyed seeing some of the women whose work I admire, or who've made significant contributions to the craft. I saw Annie Modisett again the other day, and Lily Chin (that show, with all her tips, is a real keeper!).

There was supposed to be a 2nd show on, with some yarn shop owner "to the stars," in CA. I saw it exactly once. Could never find it again. Anybody know what happened to it?

[WolverineDG]

20. New knitter here

In this little podunk town, whoda thunk they'd have free knitting lessons at the library? }(

So far, I've done 3 scarves: Lion Brand Fun Fur, 2 skeins worked together, size 17 needles; cast on 12 to 14 stitches & away you go. Bind off & voila! scarf! The neatest one (so far) was a pale/dark pink scarf I knitted for my friend's granddaughter...I did NOT want to give that one away. :cry:

Currently, I'm working on the 2nd project from class: slippers.

Casting on, no problem. Stockinette, not a problem. Ribbing? problem. :eyes:

Anyone use the Stitch & Bitch book? I love it!

dg

[gizmonic]

22. Wolverine, I have the SnB book, too

Love that book!

I made the bunny cell phone holder (complete with buck teeth and tongue!)

If you can do stockinette, you can rib. What kind of problem you havin'?

[WolverineDG]

23. It just doesn't "look" right to me

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

I got so tired of frogging the "Ribbed for her pleasure" scarf that I moved on to the slippers from my class.

dg

[knitter4democracy]

32. What does it look like?

Maybe I can help. :)

[WolverineDG]

35. I frogged the last try

It just seems to me that the knit ribs are too loose, no matter how much I tighten them up on the needle.

dg

[knitter4democracy]

66. Most knitters have a different gauge btw knit and purl.

One possibility is that you need to go down a needle size or two. Most ribbing is done a size or two smaller than the rest of the piece, but you might want to go down one more than that. The material the needle is made out of makes a difference, too. I tend to get a tighter gauge on plastic or wooden needles than on metal, no matter the finish.

[Greybnk48]

46. I love Stitch n Bitch and Knitty.com

I did the Alien scarf that took me FOREVER, but turned out great. I've also done the doggy sweater and the ipod case.

[gizmonic]

21. Another knitta here!

Currently working on a wool sweater for Deep13 -- am using Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool. Not too itchy to work with.

Also finishing a baby kimono for a friend who had a little boy last week!

I'm thinking my next project might be the Knucks on knitty.com. :)

:bounce: :hi:

[knitter4democracy]

34. Knitty is a great place.

I hang out on the messageboards there quite a bit. I go by Bina there.

[KatyaR]

24. I'm not really a knitter, I only play one on the internets.

www.plainsgirl.blogspot.com

There's not a lot of knitting content on my blog currently--I'm in a bit of a funk. I keep trying, though. x(

I took up knitting several years ago as a stress reliever. I didn't realize it at the time, but the first project I picked up was one of the hardest--knitting socks on dpns! It was only after I finished that I realized what I had done. I love knitting socks--in fact, that's pretty much all I knit, except I did finish a gorgeous mohair scarf recently, and I have another small scarf from cashmere on the needles right now.

I'd love to be able to knit a lace shawl, but I tried a year or so go and had a horrible time keeping the pattern straight. I do better with smaller projects.

[Bjornsdotter]

27. Index cards

Write the pattern on index cards. One row per card, as you complete the row turn the card over.

It used to help me on involved, repeating patterns.

Cheers

[KatyaR]

38. I did that. I also retyped the pattern and broke it down into smaller parts.

I used markers and a rescue line. I counted EVERY ROW after I had finished it to make sure it was right before I went on.

I still had trouble. I finally just gave up, and I haven't touched it in a year.

I really am going to try it again--maybe this summer. Maybe I'll start with something a little smaller than a shawl. I have several patterns for different things that would be fun to knit.

[Bjornsdotter]

41. Huh

I wonder if there was a problem with the pattern. It happened to my Mom once, she was following the directions and it just wasn't turning out right. It turned out that the pattern was written wrong.

I think you are right, try a smaller item and maybe then try a shawl. Plus side....quicker results. :)

Cheers

[KatyaR]

48. I think it's mostly that I can't keep track of where I am.

I have a lot of issues with things like that any more. That's why I don't cross stitch any more--I had too much trouble following the patterns.

Thanks for the advice--I really am going to try again soon.

[knitter4democracy]

28. A good first shawl pattern:

http://www.fibertrends.com/viewer/V4_shawls.html

Scroll down for the Butterfly Garden Shawl.

[KatyaR]

37. I was trying to knit their 'Leaf Lace Shawl.'

I love their patterns--I want to knit them all. I just had a horrible time keeping track of where I was. I have that problem a lot lately with everything I do (old age, I guess). Then I'd somehow drop a stitch and I've had to go back and find the error. I even used a rescue line, but it seemed like for every row I could get right, I'd have to frog back three or four. I was very frustrated.

I may try it again with a heavier yarn than the lace weight I was using and see if that helps. I really love lace and would love to be able to knit something besides a lace scarf!

[Longhorn]

39. I plan to learn to knit some day soon

but one thing I love about crochet is that most patterns are very forgiving! :)

[KatyaR]

40. I used to crochet a lot, but I can't hold the crochet hook any more--

too many years of computer work have taken its toll on my hands. I can knit without any problem, though.

You'll love knitting--it's very addictive!

[knitter4democracy]

68. Have you tried the ones with bigger handles?

There are many nicer hooks out now with bigger handles that really help with hand issues. One of my students was showing me this really nice foam thing that slides over the handle to soften the grip and make a bigger thing to hold. I'm thinking of finding those for myself.

[KatyaR]

76. Ooo, I never thought about that--

I may have to look into those! Huh.

Thanks from one enabler to another--hee!

[China_cat]

42. Stitch markers. Life savers.

Especially with complicated patterns. Mark every pattern repeat and you won't find yourself wondering if you did this before or if you didn't do that and if you do make a mistake, you can more easily find your problem. Makes knitting lace a dream instead of a nightmare.

[knitter4democracy]

67. I start my lace students on sportweight or double-knitting weight.

Worsted is a bit heavy for a decent lace, but DK weight is very nice--just heavy enough so the needles are big and you can see everything but still light enough to block nicely. That's one reason I like the Butterfly Garden shawl pattern--it's written for three weights of yarn with helpful hints about using all three.

[knitter4democracy]

25. Whooo! Right here!

Where's the cashmere?

[Nite Owl]

45. Knitter here!

Self taught too! Haven't been knitting for very long but it's coming up on a year almost. I love wool, my newest fav is: http://www.marrhaven.com/yarn.html which I got from knitter4democracy's auction a couple weeks ago.

I'm getting pretty good at hats but haven't attempted a sweater yet. I'd like to design it myself.

[Greybnk48]

47. Anyone here go to knittinghelp.com?

Tons of video illustrations on how to do all of the basics and more. As I said earlier, I started back knitting about 2 years ago but really had no one to show me things, and the illustrations in the books wern't doing it for me. I found the above website with many tecniques, cast-on, bind-off, kitchener stitch, using double-pointed needles, and much, much more all on video!! I watched the videos and copied her (shoot I can't remember her name). This site is awesome for the new knitter that does not have any help!! For me it was priceless. I feel like I learned to knit from the woman who runs this site.

[WolverineDG]

50. I used the purling video

when I was first learning how to rib. Turns out I was purling right, but had the pattern wrong. Instead of 1K 1P rib, I was doing a darn good seed stitch! :dunce:

dg

[gizmonic]

51. Now you've inadvertently mastered seed stitch

you'll have fun adding other techniques to your knittin' resume! :)

Do you have any pictures of your scarves?

[WolverineDG]

53. No, not yet

I'm lazy that way. ;)

dg

[Nite Owl]

52. That's the site I learned

at too! She is so good, it felt like someone sitting there showing you just what to do. I'm a lefty so the books were really difficult. I know tha they say knitting uses both hands and all but it's still different and seeing her do it right there made it so much easier.

[Greybnk48]

54. Her name's Amy Finlay (I just took a peek at her site)

I learned to do socks with her and so much more. I'm not a lefty, I just have spacial-temporal issues, so the pictures were useless. Now that I know what I'm doing to some degree, they make sense--after the fact.

I had to chuckle at people who said they were knitting or purling wrongly, but ending with a fancy stitch. I began purling correctly, but was knitting in the back. The nice woman at my yarn shop said I was actually doing a legitimate stitch too, just not what I wanted (not stockinette).

I have a LOT of trouble with patterns that say knit right side, sleeve, whatever, same as left only in reverse. Any of you experienced knitters have any advice or tricks? I draw pictures right now, and that works most of the time.

[Morgana LaFey]

62. One piece of advice I'd share -- what I do to minimize problems

when there aren't separate directions for L and R -- is to knit both at the same time. It can get a little bulky, but nice long circular needles help with that. Too, if you try this you'll want to mark one of the two pieces as the L or R, so you're not later confused. I usually use one of those knit pins or tie a piece of scrap yarn on the R one.

[Greybnk48]

71. Thanks Morgana. I'll give it a try!

[KitSileya]

55. I'm a knitter!

My mom taught me when I was a teen. My first projects were disasters, but she soon had me knitting wool sweaters. We used to sit knitting while watching winter sports on tv. I've knitted sweaters for my sister's boyfriend and my stepdad (it being unlucky to knit sweaters for your own sweetheart) as well as myself. These days I knit mostly baby clothes - you finish so much quicker! Right now I'm doing a baby blanket in baby wool (this is Scandinavia, it's wool all the way!)

I want to start knitting wool socks, as my step-grandmother just fell ill, and she's been the family supplier of wollen socks.

[Morgana LaFey]

63. Hey! Welcome all the way from Scandinavia!

Glad to have you here!

Oh! It just occurred to me -- are you familiar with the GarnStudio website and all their fabulous free patterns? I don't know what language they're in originally, but there are a handful of scrumptious patterns that I'd love to do -- the patterns are in English but the charts (they've got lace elements) are still in one of the Scandinavian languages. I've been meaning to write them, but if you can "translate" just a few of the chart terms, that'd be awesome. Let me know.

[KitSileya]

74. Thanks for the welcome!

My mom got my sister and I started on the crafts path (or handwork, as is the direct translation of the Norwegian word.) We mostly knitted at first, but then branched out into cross stitch, and with my sister, Hardanger embroidery (which is gorgeous.) I have been trying out different types of embroidery lately as well, but because of the fact that we're so far North, the light dictates what I do when - in the winter, there's so little natural light, knitting is easier.

I am not familiar with the website, but I can translate them easily. Just PM me with the terms you need, and if I don't know the English equivalents straight away, I'll look them up in the needlepoint encyclopedia (I am bilingual, but some things I've learned in Norwegian, and some things I've learned in English - I knit in Norwegian, but everything computer-related is in English. So I'm trying to rectify that by looking up words.)

[shanti]

56. merino lover here too

have you tried the kettle dyed wool from uruguay? it's scrumptious!

[knitter4democracy]

69. Manos or Malabrigo?

Malabrigo is lovely stuff. I keep thinking I should do a sweater in it one of these days. Mmmmmm . . .

[shanti]

73. they're both beautiful

i love the colors. i'm using malabrigo, same quality as manos, imo, but better yardage. there's also an ebay store called "handpainted wool". check it out. they have wool with good yardage too.

for "plain old" worsted wool, i really like the brown sheep line. do you have a winder and swift? i sprung for one because of all the yarn i've been buying lately. easier on the old arms!

[knitter4democracy]

77. I had to get a pair because of my spinning.

I had too much to wind on nostepinners like I used to do when I was in college.

I prefer Malabrigo. It feels softer to me. Makes lovely, lovely things. Mmmmmm.

I'm a bit spoiled on yarn, though. I tend to do machine-wash wool, since I knit more for my kids and people who need that durability. I'm a huge fan of Blackberry Ridge--they're a mill in Wisconsin that uses mostly American wool, and they have gorgeous stuff for good prices.

[shanti]

94. where do you buy

most of your yarn?

[knitter4democracy]

100. I didn't see this earlier. Sorry.

I get some yarn at KnitPicks.com, but I'm getting more and more of mine from Threadbear Fiber Arts in Lansing (here: http://threadbearfiberarts.com ). The owners are good Dems, and it's like yarn heaven there. Mmmmmmm! :loveya:

[bicentennial_baby]

87. I have some beautiful Malabrigo in a purple shade...

Still haven't decided on a project for it...

[shanti]

93. just bought some purple

malabrigo last week on ebay too! maybe a clapotis???

[ellie]

70. I like knitting with wool,

especially Mission Falls 1824.

[pecwae]

75. Can anyone suggest a knitting video?

I'm trying from books, but it's easier for me to learn if I actualy see a technique and can follow it with my eyes and hands. I'm not progressing well at all and need visual help. I feel like a :dunce:

[WolverineDG]

78. You're not a

:dunce:, you're a visual learner. Just like me. You can tell me (or have me read) instructions until Doomsday, & I'll never get it. SHOW me how to do something & after a couple of times, I've got it down pat.

Have you tried www.knittinghelp.com ? She's got tons of little videos you can watch to your heart's content. That helps me a lot.

dg

[pecwae]

79. That's exactly what I need!

I didn't know there was Continental vs English. Now I do.

Thanks!

[Greybnk48]

80. I learned to knit continental from watching Amy's videos

about two years ago. It is amazingly faster than English (although, as she says, not as elegant to watch). When you begin trying Continental the purling is tough. But after a while it is as easy as knitting, once you're past the inevitable spastic stage.

I also learned the long-tail cast on from that site which changed my life. There are other "prettier" cast-ons which she shows, but for an all purpose cast-on, the long-tail is my fav.

Elizabeth Zimmerman has a video our post-humously that's supposed to be awesome if you want to spend about 50 bucks (maybe 40). It actually used to be more expensive when it was only on VHS (about 80$). I think you can find it if you google School House Press. There's a Workshop DVD and another one with just techniques that sounds amazing. I plan on buying the latter since I have no one to show me (in the family) and I hate to keep pestering the nice lady at my yarn shop. Have fun!! :hi:

Edited to add: The new DVD is "A knitting glossary" by Elisabeth Zimmerman and Meg Swansen by School House Press @ $40.

[pecwae]

85. Thanks!

I have no family or friends who knit so these visuals are crucial for me.:hi:

[NastyRiffraff]

88. Also a self-taught knitter here...

with help from books, videos, etc. But since I've been going to my fave yarn store (Woolwinders, in Rockville, MD) I've taken lots of classes. The most interesting, and helpful, class was the sock class. For knitters who want to go beyond the scarves, I'd recommend taking one even if you never intend to knit socks. You learn a lot about knitting in general: dealing with double points, picking up stitches, short rows, etc.

[sinkingfeeling]

89. Self taught knitter as well. I did knit a lot when my son was young (he just

turned 37) and then kind of stopped. Since my granddaughter was born last May, I've knitted a baby blanket and a 6 month 'hoodie'. I've started on another hoodie - size 18 months.

[skyblue]

90. It's the sticks that matter to me more. Bamboo. I'm working with multi-color silk/mohair yarn

and tried aluminum and it's just too slippery. But I have a bad habit of picking projects that take time. And i sort of screwed myself over by picking needles that are too small as I guess I fear that bigger needles might show off more mistakes in my uneven knitting. These are stole/shawls I'm working on.

[Morgana LaFey]

98. I've just bought some of my first bamboo needles

I was doing a skinny little lace scarf out of skinny little mohair blend and my regular Bates (or whatever) aluminum 10" or so needles that I've had since the late 1960s just weren't cutting it. I knew I wanted a shorter needle, and what I found was bamboo, and that was great 'cause I knew I the scarf would stay on the needle better for me. I like them quite a bit and can see that I'll eventually have a complete set, and probably circs as well. Eventually. I find myself using circs more and more often since I've begun to notice how much I don't like the weight on the needles.

[Raksha]

99. I like circular needles too, even when I'm knitting back and forth.

They are much more comfortable to use, plus there's no danger of losing or misplacing the "other" needle! Right now my one bamboo circular needle (a size 8) is holding an almost-finished scarf I was working on about a year ago, one of my many UFOs. It's very comfortable to use but I find the knitting doesn't go as fast as with the Susan Bates Quicksilver needles, which is what I normally use.

[knitter4democracy]

102. Most uneven stuff blocks right out.

If you wet it all down and start tugging first one way and then another, most uneven stuff at least gets minimized. Putting it through the spin cycle in the washing machine to get the water out helps even more. If all else fails, a shot of steam can work miracles.

[kikiek]

91. I love knitting. Crazy into baby hats right now. Having a ball with all the cute patterns out there.

[hibiscus]

92. hi

I am a self-taught knitter too. :hi:

[photogirl12]

95. I'm a knitter

I learned about a year ago at a library class. I am also a crocheter (over 20 years). My grandma taught me how to crochet.

[knitter4democracy]

101. Yay crochet!

Have you seen Lily Chin's latest book, Couture Crochet? I really like it--very well done and nice patterns. :D

Hey, I taught at a library once. It was a socks class, but it sure was a fun group of knitters (some were very much beginners, so it was interesting). Libraries are great for things like that. :)

[photogirl12]

103. No, I haven't seen that book yet.

I will have to check it out. I wish our library was still doing knitting classes and get togethers. They stopped since they moved into the new library. :cry: I liked them because they didn't charge anything for them. I haven't crocheted since January when I finished a HUGE green afghan that I was making for my cousin's wedding (she got married 5 years ago).

[knitter4democracy]

104. I can't do afghans. I'm impressed!

I seriously can't. I have tried several only to quit somewhere along the way. I'm seriously impressed that you finished a huge one. That's awesome!

[photogirl12]

105. I did one that was bigger than the one that I just finished...

It drove me completely insane!!! My boyfriend wanted an afghan, but he wanted bigger than the pattern said that it was going to turn out. Nothing like trying to make an afghan 1.5x the size tat it is supposed to be and still get the ripple pattern to come out right!!

[knitter4democracy]

106. Wow!

That's serious work!

[photogirl12]

107. Yeah...

It took both me and my crocheting neighjbor to figure out how to get the pattern to come out right. I crochet faster than my neighbor, but she is kinda like a mentor to me. Anytime that I have a problem, I always go to her.

[knitter4democracy]

108. I have a knitting mentor. I wouldn't be any good without her.

She is the one who pushed me to get certified as a knitting teacher, the one who has supported me all along and helped me in times of class crisis (we'll never forget the Zig-Zag Jacket saga of 2003), the one who always pushes me to do better.

Mentors are important for the craft.

[photogirl12]

109. My neighbor is definitely my mentor

My grandma had taught me how to crochet when I was about 10 or so. By the time that I was in my 20s, I could only remember the chain and single crochet. I found out that my neighbor was a crocheter and she retaught me everything. I still have to get her to teach me how to do the afghan stitch. Not so sure when she is going to be doing that, she had a snowblower accident during that Valentine's day snowstorm that we had here in NY. Her snowblower clogged and she tried to loosen it with her snowbrush. The clog released, and the snowbrush flew out of the snowblower and hit her near her left eye. She cracked her eyesocket and she isn't seeing correctly out of that eye yet. We are all keeping our fingers crossed!

[knitter4democracy]

110. Oh man. That's awful!

I can't imagine losing eyesight like that. Who could've known that would happen? I'll be thinking of her, too.

[photogirl12]

111. She is starting

to get her vision back a little, but they are not sure if she will get it back completely. She is still numb from her eyesocket to her upper jaw.

[shanti]

112. i wish somebody would teach me how to knit socks!

i've knitted sweaters, scarves, hats, etc., but never socks. but i did buy some sock yarn online so i'm ready to roar!

seriously tho, i must go on a yarn diet. ebay is driving me nuts with all the luscious yarn. right now, i'm attempting a lace scarf with elsebeth lavold silky yarn, which is beautiful. one skein too!

[knitter4democracy]

113. I can recommend a couple of sites.

First of all, I have a pattern I use for my students that might help, but the best place to go is Knitty.com's socks message board (called the Coffeeshop). After that, try knitting.about.com. They have more info than most people realize.

[shanti]

114. thanks!

i'll check them out...

[Raksha]

96. Another knitter checking in.

I also crochet and embroider and do beadwork. I love the challenge of learning new techniques, so if it's got anything at all to do with string (any kind) I've probably at least tried it!

Lately I seem to be doing a lot of knitting, though. I first learned to knit from my mother when I was five. She wasn't a great knitter, but she knew how to do the basic knit stitch (actually, it was a PURL stitch, as I found out many years later) and that was what I learned. As I recall, the hardest part of the whole process was convincing my mother I wasn't going to poke my eye out with the knitting needle! I was really annoyed about that--did she really think I was THAT dumb? But I had been watching my older cousins knitting on the front porch, and the process fascinated me so I wanted to learned how to do it too.

How it happened that I learned to purl before I could knit: I'm left-handed. The biggest problem I've had with learning any craft technique has been right-handed instructors. People would assume that I was doing whatever freaky thing I was doing "because you're left-handed" when that was not the case. I was doing it because I didn't know any better, but because I'm left-handed they didn't think to correct me. Maybe my purling looked like knitting to my mother because she was sitting across from me? I really don't know, but when I learned to purl I thought it was "knitting" and didn't discover my error until I was in my early twenties!!!

At times I used to wonder why the right side of my work was on the "purl" side instead of the "knit" side like other people's, but again assumed it was "because I'm left-handed." I was actually knitting cables and Aran patterns before I realized what the true problem was. I compensated by doing a front cross where the instructions would say to do a back cross and vice versa.

I recently bought three cones of 2-ply wool (sport weight) from Wilde Yarns, an old American mill in Philadelphia. It's not soft like a Merino (more like a Shetland) but reasonably priced for a pure wool yarn. Right now I'm working on my first Fair Isle project--a basic beanie-type hat in lavender and white. I've done swatches before, but this time I'm doing it the traditional (easier) way, working in the round and holding one color on each hand. I'm working my background color English-style and my pattern color Continental-style.

Which reminds me: I DON'T call Continental-style knitting "left-handed knitting" because I carry the yarn in my RIGHT hand! I may never forgive Elizabeth Zimmerman for her condescending attitude towards left-handed knitters. She apparently never stopped to think that THERE IS A REASON why her right hand was always the one the held the working needle, no matter which hand she used to carry the yarn. It felt natural to her and it was easier. Did she really think left-handed knitters are any different?

[WolverineDG]

97. I'm a rightie but

:hi:

I hold the yarn in my left hand as well. I just couldn't get the hang of knitting when the yarn was in my right hand, especially when I was taught how to purl. This drives my instructor nuts, but hey, it works for me.

dg

[katsy]

115. The Last Knit

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6ZjMWLqJvM

[Katherine Brengle]

116. I just started to learn yesterday!

I already love it and all I've gotten down is casting on and the knit stitch lol.