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!

I looked at what needles I need to make my Lettlopivest. Typical! I need 4 different circular needles and don't own any with the right combination of size and cable length. I should have bought a set of those interchangeable ones ages ago!

I love my interchangeables, really worth the investment

Definitely not nuts! I reckon fern and feather might be easiest pattern to see as you work it if that's any use.

petridishmystery they're lovely, it looks so snug!

Agree about sizing for the vest Lazy, its a bit like all those vintage patterns where you think ooh lovely, but nope I really love that vest, it's been on my queue on and off.

I got fed up of sleeves the last couple of days and swatched for the Broadleaf. I hadn't seen the point of learning brioche before this so it took me two days to get this far with a full rip out half way through. I think I've got the idea of it now though, hopefully..

Oh lazy put me in mind grumpy, if you can manage to use two hands instead of holding both colours in the one hand, it would make your life a lot easier. The dominant color sits in the left hand, it'll have fractionally bigger stiches so the pattern stands out more.

Ah that's annoying lazy, can you cram the stitches on to a shorter cable?

Ah that's annoying lazy, can you cram the stitches on to a shorter cable?

I've ordered new needles! Still, at least the yarn isn't very expensive.

I taught myself to hold a colour in each hand when I did those first jumpers, but that was about a decade ago, so I'll have forgotten how to do it! I remember it felt very awkward at first.

I always hold the yarn in my left hand but I haven't managed to master holding both strands in it yet. I can't get the hang of flicking, it feels like trying to write with the wrong hand.

Flavia keep trying, it’s worth it. I was slow at first then once it clicked l got much much faster.

Mastering 2 handed knitting was a huge breakthrough when using colour. It stops the balls tangling up!

@TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince mosaic crochet is fun. [https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hope-35 This]] is a nice free pattern to try. I made a blanket from the squares as an ambitious beginner over lockdown 1.

I hold the yarn in my right hand and do the 'throwing stitches ' action, but I always think it looks much more efficient to hold it in your left (that's the European way, right?). I've done barely any colour work since those jumpers years ago, so I haven't needed to do the 2 handed yarn thing really. Very excited about doing some colour work again though!

Meant to say, if it goes well I might attempt the Neville cardigan afterwards.

So glad the thread is still going! It's nice to hear about people's projects and coo over yarn. It also helps keep me away from the MN boards which have a tendency to raise my blood pressure.

Bigbadbox, l started a bag last night. Trying to use some of my huge stash.

Perhaps when the madness ends we should all meet up with our favourite ball of yarn as an admission token. Then we can all stroke and go ‘oooh’ or ‘aaaah’ in unison .

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I usually hold my yarn in my left hand (I was taught to knit by an Austrian) but the colourwork advice of one yarn in each hand sounds good.

And that Arboreal jumper looks lovely.

Ha, I love it TheEmoji

@TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince

Perhaps when the madness ends we should all meet up with our favourite ball of yarn as an admission token. Then we can all stroke and go ‘oooh’ or ‘aaaah’ in unison .

Brilliant idea!! Count me in.

@TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince

Perhaps when the madness ends we should all meet up with our favourite ball of yarn as an admission token. Then we can all stroke and go ‘oooh’ or ‘aaaah’ in unison .

Love this idea! Hopefully "all this being over" will coincide with my anxiety disappearing so I can come . If not I'll send a ball of yarn in my place.

Hi. Can I join in? Just the kind of group I need! I learnt to knit from my grandma when I was 6 and had chicken pox. Then was taught the European way in school in Switzerland. Did not knit for years and then started again a few years ago. Still think of myself as a beginner, because no one around me knits, so I learn everything as I go. I love it and am learning new things all the time. This scarf is probably my most complex project to date. I am dying to try socks, so I just put the Ann Budd book in my Amazon cart. I finished a cactus last night - that was fun and easy.

*Perhaps when the madness ends we should all meet up with our favourite ball of yarn as an admission token. Then we can all stroke and go ‘oooh’ or ‘aaaah’ in unison.

Excellent. Count me in!

Love this idea! Hopefully "all this being over" will coincide with my anxiety disappearing so I can come

Anxiety sucks. Here's to an anxiety-free 2021 and beyond!

Welcome spamm ! I love the long fringe on that scarf. Good move buying the Ann Budd book - you won't look back! Do you still knit the Swiss way now, or have you reverted?

Knitting, talking about yarn and planning new projects are also helping me keep my mind off something. I've had some niggly gastro issues over the past month, which I'm worried are a food intolerance, possibly gluten, dairy or both. Or maybe IBS. Anyway, it's rubbish. .

A cactus you say @spamm?! Do you have a pattern for that? Sounds awesome 😀

I love the jumpers you posted Grumpy. They don’t look too complicated, but may be a good idea to try a bit of that colour work pattern on a smaller scale first?

I find colour work a bit of a challenge myself as I’m a ridiculously tight knitter, but I’ve been told it’s not that hard if you have a more normal tension 🙈

Chochetbug, me too.

Off work sick with it. Knitting and crochet keeps me just about sane. I was told to take up something therapeutic and challenging like ‘knitting or crochet’

I told them l can do it with my eyes closed and don’t find it challenging😁

@CrochetBug - I have depression and anxiety, and I take ADs - but a friend recommended I add cbd oil too. It hasn’t really helped with the depression, but my anxiety is definitely less than it was.

That aid - I posted ‘count me in’ and immediately started to fret about actually going - will I be physically capable (I am very overweight and can’t walk far) and if I do manage to lose weight and get more mobile, will I have the nerve to actually go, and will y’all even like me - so I can empathise.

Thanks @TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince and @SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius. I've also been off work for over a year, and have now lost my job as a result. Also hugely overweight and am finding walking harder the less I go out. I think I've seized up from lack of use. Maybe a squirt of WD40 will help
Absolutely agree on the not finding crochet challenging (other than the Among Us one on no sleep).
I think i need to learn to knit to challenge myself. Plus I want a Neville hoody!

Hugs to all you anxiety sufferers 🤗

I’ve found that CBD oil makes a massive difference for me and the best thing is that you don’t have to take it all the time for it to have an effect.

Anxiety really affects my digestion too, which then makes me more anxious and so the vicious circle continues ☹️ If only it could all be solved by patting some yarn!