KNITTING, is there any point?

[stitch]

i have never knitted anything for dd, and last wweek bought some wool, and a pattern to make her a jumper. spent a great manyhours today making about one inch of it. havent ever done the twisting over thing, and first time i am doing it. its easier than i had always assumed it would be, but so time consuming.
considering that i can buy her a jumper for less than what i paid for thewool, and it will probly take me a year to make this jumper, is there any point in knitting?

It's called a labour of love (rather like making a birthday cake as apposed to buying one)

Also you can get exactly what you want - pattern, colour, texture

I love hand knitteds

i hear it's good if you're trying to quit smoking.

i'm left-handed and never got the hang of it.

Maaan, you can't be called stitch and not like knitting. It's fab! You just need a bit more practice and you'll be able to do it dead fast. And you'll be sooo pleased with yourself when you've finished it .

There's no point in it at all if you're not enjoying it and if you feel you're wasting your time. If you're enjoying it then there's every point, and the time it takes doesn't matter.

i do love knitting. its so therapeutic. and i am feeling a proud of myself for doing something i havent done before.
but knitting whilst the kids are trying to jump of the sofas is scary. and dd chose the colour, but now keeps saying she doesnt want pink, but wants purple. (she is 2.5) dh thinks i am wasting my time. although he thinks everything i do is useless, so that is a whole nother storry.

im glad that other people like knitting too. not just me.

I find it very calming.

EIS, do you want to learn to knit? I think I found pages describing a left-handed method ... I'd happily work out how to knit (European style) left-handed for you if I was near enough to be of use.

Oh, the things I do that make knitting tolerable, for me:

• at present, I knit nothing that needs sewing up, as I hate sewing up. So lots of hats, lately. I might try one of those sweater patterns that just needs a tiny bit of sewing up.

• I tend not to use patterns.

• I try new textures all the time.

What twisting thing are you doing? Cabling? Or swapping two stitches (like cabling, but on a smaller scale)?

I love to knit, but I have to face the fact that no one is prepared to wear the results (not even me). I have done some lovely cushion covers though . It does give me RSI though, I get a bit obsessive.

Yes - it keeps the sheeps in jobs.

cabling, im afraid im not an expert at all
always tried to do realy simple patterns before. i need to use patterns as i cant picture the garment otherwise. mom used o do it without patterns. you must be really good to do without a pattern.

i havent got a cabling needle though, and have been using an open hair pin. so very proud of my inventiveness.

Well, I do without a pattern, or change existing patterns, but really, that's just for hats and scarves, which are pretty simple, really. I can't do a sweater without a pattern.

Actually, I probably can't do a sweater with a pattern, the only time I tried, all the measurements came up wrong ... I was just learning though.

I enjoy trying out new textures all the time - I have four giant books of textures, of all types. You can do some great stuff with cabling, not just the traditional aran cables, framed on the front of sweaters, but some really lovely all-over patterns.

I'm working on a hat in pink bamboo at the moment, with a roll brim, and butterflies on it, made out of slip stitches, very cute and not tricky at all.

Oh, and I'm by no means an experienced knitter, I started less than a year ago.

Triceratops have you tried using circular needles to take the strain off your hands? When I used to knit (years and years ago) I used them because my hands and elbows got very tired other wise, especially when the jumper was nearly finished as it was very heavy by then. They are like two ordinary needles, except that instead of having a bobble on the end to stop the stiches falling off the ends are joined by flexible cable.

The more I think about it, the more I'm tempted to knit something for ds. I especially love the Rowan colours, I can just imagine a nice, little moss stitch jacket. Tell me not to start - I'm in the middle of a quilt that I'm trying to get finished, and I have another one waiting to be started.

Nobody's talking me out of it, and now I've been to the Rowan website. I'm sinking deeper, tell me it's folly.

yes - at the end of the needles

It's not folly bran, it's v.v. sensible. Lovely making things for your children that are actually useful, I think. Stitch, I think some cable patterns take much longer than others. It might be worth exploring a few alternatives. Cable jumpers look great though, and they're so warm. I would recommend getting a cable needle though if you want to speed up. It is therapeutic, isn't it?

Expat, get round here, I'll teach you

bran, make it, nake it.
i made a scarf in a moss stitch years ago. was lovely. dd sometimes plays with it now. is really nice.
show us a pick if you can once you have made it.

bran, come over to the dark side. Knitting is fun.

Seriously, my rule is to have a maximum of 2 projects on the go at a time. More than that is just silly.

tamum on here is very good with knitting advice, and I do mutter about getting a knitters group together. (The woman who designs the knitwear for Hobbs is a local acquaintance, although she's not about to teach anyone knitting, as she already does that at St Martin's College.)

tamum, its only the border that is cable. still havent finished that! i think i will go and get a cable needle tomorrow morning.
i never realised how many people knit. i thought it was only me and some seventy year old ladies.

We are all 70 year old ladies stitch

I agree about not having more than two things on the go at once and also about sewing up - I do it but I can't stand it!

I have a jumper I have knitted for my mum (last year!) and still needs sewn up, can't face it.

Generally however I try to do smaller projects as they are cheaper and quicker. I saw this beautiful pattern for a wrap cardi recently but it took 16 balls of wool (!!) and I couldn't be sure I'd ever complete it!

I do find it relaxing though and I am always impressed with myself when I actually finish something!

Excuse me?? I am a young 65!

I am not a laydee, but I am 70 years old.

Oh, tamum, I've been given a bag of mystery wool, how do I tell what it is? DH's gran died last year, so my MIL gave me a big bag of random wool. And patterns for scary dolls.