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!

Thats what I assumed it was meant to be but found my usual technique made a better join.
I looked at the bit for the visor and hoped it would make sense once I was making it. I've made something a similar shape before and couldn't visualise it. But once I was making it it just fell into place.

The finished item is such a simple shape I don't think it matters much :)

Eek! I'm thinking I'm going to find the Among Us characters hard then. Winging it and 'just using my usual (non-existent) techniques' are very much not my strong suit.

Im usually fine at winging it, as long as my stitch count adds up

I was actually going to design a pattern for one and then you posted it and I figured I didn't need to

Sleep. I need sleep. Then I can try again

Designing a pattern (for anything) is a whole other level of wizardry that I can't even contemplate yet!

My grandchildren are happy with hand knits til about 8! Then it changes to wanting Star Wars toys knitted etc
I did lovely picture jumpers when mine were all little, with all of the colours threaded through an upturned colander so they didn’t get tangled. It was cheaper to knit than buy in the 70’s/80’s not so now! I’ve worked out the merino pink princess cardigan I made for one of the girls cost about £20 and her daddy put it in with dark stuff by mistake and too hot...it now is a very expensive dolly cardi.
My husband has absolutely now idea how much yarn there is in the house or that most of it costs more than £1.99 a ball. My knitting friends have been instructed to come and whisk it all away if I die suddenly.

Lazylinquist, I’ve got some sheets of squared paper which I draw on and colouring beautifully if I’m making up a pattern.

My dc are 12 and 15 but resolutely non-fashion-conscious and unbothered by what anyone else thinks. They will wear anything cosy or with a theme of some game or series they like. Bonus points if it's black for dd. She's a bit gothy.

Lazylinguist l like your perverse pleasure of knitting in public. I absolutely get that!!!

Trying sketching in public. Every member of Joe Public ricks up with their comments . Including ‘That’s crap’🤨

I totally get your thing about patterns. When I was 18 l made my career choices as you do at 18 when you know everything🙄. I wanted to make clothes so l fashion degree to learn pattern cutting.

But God, l wish I’d done knitwear design😥. I’d love to be able to do my own patterns. I can a bit, but l don’t have the in depth knowledge.

Meanwhile haven’t made a garment pattern since being a pattern cutter years ago.

I made an anteater from scratch once (and only once). I never wrote down how I did it though so I guess I failed as a designer! I think there comes a point when you've made so many odd things you have a fair idea of what to do to get a certain shape.

Yeah , l agree, but l don’t have the patience to mess around getting it right😥l just want it NOW. ( instant gratification)

I can look at a garment and see what needs changing it adding without thinking about it. But l think knitting is much more complex. Different yarns, needles, gauges, techniques all add into the mix.

Another shameless knitter-in-public here. I used to knit on the train when I was still commuting. I'd get all sorts of comments but mostly positive .

Specific question to you sock-knitters if that's ok: I've never used round needles for socks, just double pointed ones. Would you recommend it and what are the main differences?

Trying sketching in public. Every member of Joe Public ricks up with their comments . Including ‘That’s crap’

They certainly would say that if I started sketching.

I totally get your thing about patterns. When I was 18 l made my career choices as you do at 18 when you know everything

Yeah I decided to be a language teacher when I was 12 and never changed my mind. I mostly haven't regretted it, but there have certainly been times when I did! I don't do anything physically practical, creative or 'with my hands' in my job. I think that's why knitting is such a breath of fresh air for me.

I ended up being a Textiles teacher.

We tried to run a knitting club once. We were besieged. 60 kids. We couldn’t run it!!! Too many.

Teaching my y13 to knit is painful. But they all want to know how to do it!

I thought of offering to run an after school beginners' knitting club for the kids at my village primary!

Crochet toy patterns are easy to design I’ve found - once you’ve made a few you can figure it out. I’ve designed a few scarves and other knitted bits but I do find it more difficult.

I rarely use DPNs as I am crap and always lose them 😂 I tend to use interchangeables for everything now

@Helocariad
I've tried the tiny round needles for socks, but I failed miserably. They say there won't be any ladders where you have the needle switch. It is less awkward to carry around though.

I'm another shameless public knitter. Best comment was from a teen a few years back. I was standing on a quite crowded train, but had just enough elbow space. Boy looks at me and declares: Magic! :) I found it hilarious.

My son just asked me for socks from pure merino. Do you think it's right that I feel a bit meeh about it... beautiful, soft merino that he will ruin in a few months... it feels like a waste... but obv I'll do it :)

I'd love to join! I only learnt to crochet at the start of the year when I found out I was expecting my second child but surprisingly took to it like a duck to water! (My mum is a knitter and detests crochet so I assumed I would too) I however detest knitting haha, I have the attention span of a goldfish and get bored so quickly!
I love looking at everyone's creations and have recently thought about trying crochet socks!
Has anyone tried crochet socks? I've seen the beautiful knitted ones on here and am extremely jealous!

I've crocheted socks. Its good because I have wide feet, slim heels and fat calves. So I can increase and decrease to get a decent fit. Having said that, I've never bothered with actual sock yarn and they usually end up stretching and too big

I have never tried socks on round needles but I quite like doing it on 4 needles so will stick with that.

The x ray gloves are getting quite tricky but I have just about managed the thumb (in a fashion)- massively fiddly knitting in the round with the colour work too.

@CrochetBug I never even knew such a thing as 'sock yarn' existed haha so I would have definitely just done them in a standard wool 😂😂😩 I like the idea of increasing and decreasing as needed! I've seen some lovely patterns on Pinterest!

@sophs29 tbh I'm not sure what the difference is between 'sock' and 'normal' yarn. Now I just make socks on the tight side so there is room for stretch.

Sock yarn usually has some nylon in it, which apparently stops the wool wearing away or felting by being constantly trodden underfoot.

beautiful, soft merino that he will ruin in a few months... it feels like a waste... but obv I'll do it

The socks I'm currently knitting for MIL are almost pure merino but with a bit of nylon, because it is a sock yarn, so they shouldn't het ruined quickly.

Specific question to you sock-knitters if that's ok: I've never used round needles for socks, just double pointed ones. Would you recommend it and what are the main differences?

I've used circular needles plenty with other projects, but not socks. I think I'd find small circulars tricky. You can do that thing where you make them on 2 normal/any length circulars though. The first socks I tried to make were done like that. I completely failed, but it wasn't because of the needles!

I’ve returned to knitting now that I’m working at home, I was commuting to London every day and so creativity took a back seat. I’ve even managed to finish a jumper I started 6 years ago. My friend found an unfinished project at her mums house recently it was a cardigan she’d started 29 years ago so I’m not quite that bad!

Would love to be making Barbie bikinis though