Knit, Crochet and Natter Thread

[lazylinguist]

I was hoping to join a local rl knit&natter group, and then lockdown happened. But knitting and crochet are keeping me cheerful during lockdown and as the nights are drawing in!

There seem to be quite a few ongoing chat threads on other MN boards, so I wondered if there might be any interest in a rolling knitting and crochet thread, for anyone who fancies chatting about knitting, crochet and life in general of course! Total beginners and scarily experienced needle-wizards and everyone in between, all welcome.

Share your projects, yarn stash confessions, pattern niggles or newbie questions. Not sure if it will fizzle out after a few posts, but hey ho, worth a try!

[lazylinguist]

I'll start. I only learned to knit in my late 30s and have a habit of attempting projects too advanced for my skills! I recently learned to crochet too, but find it harder. I love knitting socks best of all! I made a crochet-along blanket during lockdown, which I was pretty pleased with! I'd love to knit more things like jumpers etc but I'm too worried about getting the sizing wrong!

[Barmbraic]

Hello I've started knitting in the last few months after a lot of false starts over the years. I made a lot of cotton face cloths for the kids to get myself back in the habit and trying out new stitches. For proper knitting, I've made myself a cowl and a hot water bottle cover. I'm in the process of making a scarf for a friend for her birthday, and if I can figure out how to do thumb holes, I'll make matching wrist warmers. Then I'm planning a baby cardigans for a friend whose baby is due in the new year.

I tried crochet a few years back but I just couldn't get on with it. That didn't stop me buying miles of crochet cotton at the time though . But a friend who works in a local hospital said they are still taking baby cardigans and blankets, so I'm going to try to use the cotton for them. I'll make them between other projects and when I'm not doing anything in particular.

[WoodbytheRiver]

Hi, what a good idea. I used to go to a craft and chat group at the library and have missed it. I like both knitting and crochet. Recently I’ve been knitting double sided puff hexagons inspired by the beekeepers quilt on Ravelry by tiny owl knits but using a different pattern. I took part in Arne and Carlos’s knit along during the first lockdown, and I’m currently knitting a Christmas bauble using two circular needles rather than double pointed needles. With regards to crochet, I like amigurumi and just made a among us character for my dd. Also making animal crossing characters and a Ruth Badger Ginsburg lace collar.

[TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince]

Can l join?

I’m off sick atm, knitting and crochet keeps me occupied. Will post some photos in a bit.

My problem is l get bored really easily. I only like stuff that challenges me. Fair isle is my favourite since l mastered 2 handed knitting, but don’t like doing socks. Too much faff

[FlaviaAlbiaWantsLangClegBack]

I'll join in! I'm knitting a hiking jacket at the moment, I'm fed up with fleeces not fitting me right.

Just get stuck into jumpers lazy, you can check your fit and gauge as you knit so it takes the guesswork out of fitting (says the woman who's DM ended up with the jumper I was in such a hurry to knit I cast on the wrong size and didn't check my gauge once I started )

[NerrSnerr]

Hi. I'd like to join in. I'm currently knitting a pair of socks for a friend for Christmas. Then I'm going to start some x ray gloves, they look quite challenging but I'm going to give it a go.

[diplodocusinermine]

I crochet - learned about 3 years ago and am obsessed to the point I'm on blanket 15............ Tried many times to master the art but it was actually doing a class, with a real teacher, which made the process click, finally. The only thing I bought during lockdown, apart from groceries and toiletries, was wool!

Also usually go to a knit and natter group in our local library for a couple of hours a week - really miss that 2 hour oasis of calm.

I'd like to learn to knit properly (my knitting skills are at the level of vast scarves), but if learning crochet was anything to go by, I need to go to an actual class.

Currently finishing off a granny square blanket using the colours from Attic24's dahlia blanket made up as Tillie Tulip's daisy pattern, with a pale green outer square and white border. Have also ordered the wool pack for Attic24 Aria blanket, but don't know if I'll do the pattern or something else.

So much is talked about 'mindfulness' - I think crochet and knitting can be very mindful processes - crochet certainly helps me stay calm and focussed.

[diplodocusinermine]

I'm very envious of the sock knitters....

[lazylinguist]

Yay! Hello everyone! I agree about the mindfulness thing, although dh probably doesn't think I find knitting that relaxing when he hears me swearing and muttering "Idiot!" at myself when I've made a mistake.

I tried crochet a few years back but I just couldn't get on with it.

I found it really hard at first too. There were things about it that just didn't make sense to me at first. I started with granny squares (I have about 12 waiting to be made into something!). But doing the massive crochet-along blanket during the first lockdown taught me loads - I basically learned a new kind of stitch every few rows and there were videos for if you got stuck. Pics attached, hopefully.

[lazylinguist]

I'm very envious of the sock knitters....

I'm a bit obsessed with making socks. At first I tried a pattern off Ravelry, but I just couldn't get the hang of it. So I bought a 'how to knit socks' book and never looked back. I've made about 8 pairs now.

Today's a good day for knitting- the weather is revolting here and dh has offered to take one for the team and do the dog walk. I was in the living room at 8:30 this morning knitting socks under my crochet blanket while ds shot things on the PS4.

[bruffin]

I've really got into knitting over lockdown.
Although I started, the Neville Longbottom before kickdown as a birthday present , but she ended up coming home so it wasn't a surprise. Her friend saw it and asked me to do Harry styles. The discovered cake yarns so me myself the scarf.
Making a cotton jumper for myself the May attempt crocheting next as I haven't really done any. Was thinking of trying aminugarmi next
I'm a mutterer as well @lazylinguist

[SoupDragon]

@diplodocusinermine

I'm very envious of the sock knitters....

Me too. However, I can't knit 😂

[bruffin]

The cotton jumper, the colour of the wool was a lot darker than I thought, so its quite summery. Its a Drops pattern called Cornflower knitted in the round top down

[bruffin]

That blanket is lovely Lazylinquist its the type of thing I would like to try

[MyVisionsComeFromSoup]

I'm crocheting a Warhammer space marine as a secret santa present for a massive Warhammer nerd - ideally I'd like to make three, as they display better as a group, but it's much harder that I had anticipated, so he may only get the one!

My DM and DGM taught me to knit as a child, but I taught myself to crochet from a Ladybird book, and just worked it out beyond that. Although I've only just discovered magic circles .

I did an Attic24 ripple blanket for one of the Woolyhugs projects which was gorgeous, I'd like to do another for me to keep, but first (after the space marine) I need to finish the Postcards from Sweden blanket I started a couple of years back after someone here posted a picture - it's made of lots and lots of two coloured granny squares looking like patchwork, but has far too many ends that need sewing in, which I loathe doing.

[lazylinguist]

Oh I'd love to make the Neville Longbottom, bruffin! I'm a big HP fan. The first jumpers I attempted were 'Weasley' jumpers for my 2 dc, with their initial on the front. I was so slow at them that one was almost too small by the time I finished it. My best jumper was one for dh with the Tree of Gondor from the Lord of the Rings on it. At least he won't grow out of it! I've been a knitter for over a decade now, but I don't really seem to get any quicker at it.

Anyone who fancies having a stab at the blanket in my picture, it's from a website called Coastal Crochet, but it's also available on Ravelry. It's called the Seaside Stashbusting Blanket, but it wasn't a stashbuster for me, because for some reason I don't seem to use DK yarn very often, so I had to buy it all!

MyVisions - weaving in ends is such a pain! I hate it less than actually sewing pieces of knitting together though. I'm crap at sewing. That's another thing that purs me off making many jumpers etc, in spite of Flavia's encouraging words!

[lazylinguist]

I'm currently making socks for MIL!

[lazylinguist]

A question for everyone: if you could be gifted a hand-knitted or hand-crocheted item by a super-talented knitter or crocheter, what kind of thing would it be? I think I'd go for a Fairisle jumper or cardigan, because it's something I'd find really hard to do myself!

Btw, has anyone been watching the current thread about not wanting homemade gifts? It's mostly about food, but there are people on there who say they'd hate to receive any handmade items, e.g. knitted.

[diplodocusinermine]

What yarn is that lazylinguist? Love the yellow toes, very cheery.

[TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince]

Look at Yarnsnobs on fb. They sell off lovely sock yarn

[bruffin]

My best buy for Neville was
www.woolstack.co.uk/knitpro-symfonie-wood-interchangeable-needle-deluxe-set/?/checkout/order-confirmation&gclid=Cj0KCQiAwMP9BRCzARIsAPWTJ_EXWNlE7A1Q9QhX4470jwrZMtQRXvcLmPYzzNcee4vz3y92iPApdMYaArN5EALw_wcB these but I bought a smaller beginner set. All the parts can be bought individually

[diplodocusinermine]

I'd go for a guernsey or aran sweater with a big polo neck and a tunic style edge rather than a gathered one.........

I don't get people's dismissal of HM gifts - those socks would be very welcome! I have given some of my blamkets as gifts. The recipients appeared pleased, but now I'm wondering.

[FlaviaAlbiaWantsLangClegBack]

Tbh I'm a very selfish knitter, I don't want to waste my time making stuff for people who don't appreciate hand knitted gifts. I only make gifts for my DM who loves anything handknitted and my SIL's when they've requested something. You could be knitting something for yourself and buying a candle for the unworthy

I responded to someone looking for a team of knitters for their fashion brand a while ago and was amazed at people paying £150 for chunky knits made from acrylic roving in the first place and the £30 the designer was paying the knitters for doing it

[lazylinguist]

You could be knitting something for yourself and buying a candle for the unworthy

I made some socks for ds (12) and he loves them, bless him! He often puts them on the minute they are dried after washing, discarding the ones he had on. I'm going to make him lots more.

diplodocus - The yarn is from an Etsy hand-dyer called Biff Sugar Yarns. It's quite pricey, but comes in lovely colour combos. I bought that one as a (merino) sock set with the yellow for the toes. You can't see very well in my picture, but the main yarn has traces of yellow in it. I've also made a couple of little shawl/scarves with her yarn.

[TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince]

The stuff about people not liking knitted stuff as gifts has made me sad☹️

Here’s my Xmas stuff. 2 little hats for 2 small dc’s l know. Scarf for ds’s gf. Me and ds spent ages looking at colours and textures. These are her favourite colours. Other hats is for dad’s gf. Again we had long discussions via Messanger about colours.

Capelet is for friend who is into Vintage. She’s chosen the colour and pattern though. Just needs a velvet ribbon with Pom poms.

Sometimes l knit stuff to sell, but l don’t enjoy it as much as knitting for other people.

I try and use Alpaca or silk. @Most other fibres give me allergies.