# Knitting



## Esioul (Jul 11, 2005)

Knitting, or a tangled, holey mess that looks like something an alien might wear...

My brother and I decided to take up knitting last year, and I managed to knit a poncho (with a lot of help), but I tried to make scarves for my friends which ended up a knotted mess. They were meant to get them for Chrsitmas presents but so far haven't received them. My brother made me a very nice pink scarf with a sueade fringe.

Anyone here a knitting person?


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## Rosemary (Jul 11, 2005)

I'm owning up as being a knitter.  Have been knitting since I was about 6 years old (a long time ago).  My first attempts were full of holes but if you are cleaver and make the holes to look like a pattern then nobody knows!! 

Knitting can be great fun Esioul once you have mastered it.  Knitted teddy bears are quite easy to do. I even knitted up some Teletubbies.  One little piece of advice - don't try to knit socks or gloves just yet.  Even I have trouble knitting gloves!!  

Keep practising, its a lovely craft to learn and soon all of your friends will be asking you to knit them jumpers or leg-warmers (which I believe are making a comeback to the fashion conscious).  

Good luck but don't forget to enjoy it, that's what makes it easier.


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## kaneda (Jul 11, 2005)

I knit, but i don't knit anything of any use lol. I've tried making scarfs (but their always too thin) so i tried making a patchwork thing - but i think i ended up making the grand total of about 7 small squares and then i somehow lost my knitting stuff and never got around to replacing them lol


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## Teresa Edgerton (Jul 11, 2005)

I have also been knitting since a young age -- though in my case it was seven or eight.  My mother was a great knitter.  It was only in the last few weeks of her life that she gave it up.  She taught my youngest daughter, who now far exceeds me in skill -- she does hats, gloves, whatever takes her fancy.  My oldest daughter spent a long time at the stage where everything she made came out mangled and full of holes but she kept at it, and now she makes lovely hand-made scarfs and sells them to her friends.

Some might wonder what knitting is doing in the art section -- but modern art is becoming more and more about textures and colors and less and less about even attempting to come up with a recognizable image, and meanwhile all the fabulous new yarns make it possible for even a knitter of modest skill (that would be me) to make a hundred experiments with textures and colors, just like a modern artist!

Once you begin combining yarns, you can get some amazing effects just by knitting and purling.

So stick with it, all you novice knitters.  This is a great time to be practicing this particular art/craft.


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## Rosemary (Jul 11, 2005)

I certainly agree with you Kelpie regarding the different yarns and textures.

The 'Feather' wool was all the rage here last year, so all of my Granddaughters got lovely tunics with contrasting trim around the neck and  cuffs.  Next it had to be beanies to match.  Oh but we need bags to match as well Grandma!!  No pattern needed for that and the 'handles' I made out of plain wool of similar colour.  Last but not least it was scarves with a fringe (also to match) made of a mixture of Feathers, Faux Fur and a delicate trim of white.  The Feather colours were beautiful, pretty mauves, greens or pinks. One added bonus was that if you knitted a purl stitch instead of a knit stitch, it didn't show up!!!

Faux fur is another beautiful wool, that mixed in well with the 'Tango' wool.  Then there was the 'Sweetpea' wool of about 4 years ago.  So pretty for little girls.  Not sure if you can still get it though.
Snowflake was another lovely soft wool, very lightweight but incredibly warm to wear.
Faux fur was more a favourite of the teenagers, although I used it mainly as a decorative trim.
I haven't had a good look at this seasons wool yet but I am sure there will be something special.


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## Esioul (Jul 11, 2005)

I tried making a scarf with this lovely soft shinyish pink stuff, but it turned out to be horrible to knit with, bits kept coming off it all the time and it broke too easily if tugged. I think I will have another go at knitting when I have more time.


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## Teresa Edgerton (Jul 12, 2005)

It's probably best if you start out with an ordinary worsted yarn, or at least not anything too exotic, until you get the hang of it.

My mother used to get a lot of yarn catalogues, and since she lived with us for a while we still get them.  Also, we used to go on these expeditions to all sorts of speciality yarn stores.  Most of the stuff we found that way was too expensive to actually _buy_, but it was nice to look at it and dream about using it.

But the last time I was in Michaels (a large chain of craft stores in parts of the US -- some of you may know what I am talking about, some not, depending on where you live) they had a pretty extraordinary selection and most of it was very affordable.

Tango sounds familiar, but I've never heard of Sweetpea.  Rosemary, are you familiar with any of the hand-dyed Collinette yarns?  They are absolutely gorgeous, but very expensive.


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## rune (Jul 13, 2005)

I use to knit like crazy, and for a few years i constantly had one jumper or another on the needles    I loved it    The more complex the pattern the better.

Then I started studying and gave it up!


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## kyektulu (Aug 4, 2005)

I am not a knitting person much to the frusteration of my mother, she really did waste countless hours when I was younger trying to teach me to knit!  
I admit I am a complete failure at this and for once I dont mind! 
I do like her snug warm blankets she makes though, maybe I should try to master the practice again?


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## Esioul (Sep 4, 2005)

Well, I'm currently knitting again. At the moment I have a weird stripy scarf on the go, (so far it has green, white, purple, turquose, cream, pink and black in it) and some purple leg warmers (as these seem to be in fashion this season). I've found that by browsing the wool shops it is possible to buy odd balls of nice wool, sometimes mroe than one of the same, quite cheaply in sales- enough to make scarfs etc with.


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## Rosemary (Sep 4, 2005)

The scarf sounds as if it looks like an artist's palette.  Such beautiful colours. 

We missed out on the legwarmers here this winter!     I might have to start the trend for them next winter!


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## Esioul (Sep 4, 2005)

I am sure they are in fashion this winter because I have seen them in the shops. 
The scarf is weird


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## Rosemary (Sep 4, 2005)

Esioul said:
			
		

> I am sure they are in fashion this winter because I have seen them in the shops.
> The scarf is weird


Didn't sound weird to me Esioul! Well the colours didn't anyway!  
I didn't see any legwarmers here in Perth or the suburbs, if I had I would have got some.


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## rune (Sep 4, 2005)

I think hand knitted jumpers are much better quality than bought ones.  They are definately much warmer


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## Rosemary (Sep 4, 2005)

rune said:
			
		

> I think hand knitted jumpers are much better quality than bought ones. They are definately much warmer


Very true, rune.  Then again, they are much dearer to knit unless one owns sheep or goats and spins their own wool!


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## Esioul (Sep 4, 2005)

I buy cheap wool in sales; but I never have enough wool therefore to make something out of all one colour 

Well, legwarmers are in this season here at least. I also swallowed my doubts and brought a pair of skinny fit trousers. Trousers have been baggier for the last few years, but these seem to be the thing this winter.


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## Princess Ivy (Sep 7, 2005)

i can knit, but don't. i chrochet and embroider. i've actually been teaching my daughter the rudiments of needlecraft this holiday with the result that she has gone through my mending box like a dose of salts


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