Knit, Crochet and Natter 5 - the roadmap to MORE YARN!

[lazylinguist]

A thread for knitters, crocheters and yarn crafters of all kinds. Total beginners very much welcome! Previous thread here

Well at least I've got the sleeves to look forward to - they have more of the Fairisle pattern on the cuffs. I love that this is a fully in-the-round, non-sew jumper. One day I'll learn how to sew knitted bits together nicely, but whenever I've done it in the past, my sewing skills definitely detract from the knitting!

NiceCardigan that's really lovely!

@lucysmam that's alot of yarn but at least you know what projects you're using it for!

@NiceCardigan that is lovely! So neat too! I love the cricket style ones!

I haven't crocheted in what feels like forever, like a few of us on here, I've lost my crojo! I think because I know I'm going to run out of yarn before I finish my DS's jacket It's just putting me off doing anymore to it! Also trying to crochet with a 3 year old and 7 month old who is obsessed with standing and already trying to walk is a little bit tricky
We're going away to the seaside for a week tomorrow so when I'm home hopefully I'll want to crack on with it again!

I fancy a small, easy project to do alongside my jumper and -very neglected- cushion cover. Has anyone ever made a bottle bag? I saw one on Instagram and thought it would be useful. I do a lotof walking, and quite like the idea of a cross-body string bag type bottle carrier for when I want to take water but don't need a full-on rucksack!

Nice jumper NiceCardigan Beautiful cables on it!

Thanks everyone! It’s too hot to wear it at the moment though.

How's everyone's crojo and... ummm... knojo? Mine's a bit absent atm. Had an interview this morning, but just for supply teaching. Got bathroom painting to do this weekend, but hopefully will squeeze sone Goldwing jumper knitting in. On with the endless blue stocking stitch.

Oh good luck lazy!

My knitting mojo has evaporated, but I'm doing some spinning instead. I'm spinning a black fibre that looks like the embers of a fire. I love it 🤩

My DM bought wool online which turned out to be a really stark bleached white. She asked me to dye it so I've had fun messing around with dyes too.

@lazylinguist I’ve got nothing in the tank atm! Did five rows of a new cushion but then felt sleepy so left it! Just not fussed about creating right now. It’ll come back!

Hi all! I want to start crochet and I’ve got a kit to make a blanket of etsy.

It comes with video tutorials and instructions but I opened them and my head was spinning!

Can anyone recommend a really basic/dummies guide I can watch or read to sort of get my head around the basics before starting?

Eventually I’d like to make temperature blankets for my sons for the years they were born but don’t want to dive straight into those and fudge it

lovely colours in your cricket sweater @NiceCardigan

How'd the interview go @lazylinguist? My knojo is minimal. Between tendonitis and my seeming inability to keep my stitch count on this shawl, I just want to give up on it. Never done that before. I always finish one thing before moving on

I love your spinning yarn . How did you get started spinning? @FlaviaAlbiaWantsLangClegBack

I've got a job application to do for another position at my school but my heart's not in it because they turned me down last time. I think it's because they want me for this one but it knocked me for six. I am way too sensitive about these things.

@Willow4987 I found Bella Coco videos on YouTube really clear and helpful. Kits can be offputting because there's too much to learn all at once. I taught myself to knit last year and have a rule for myself, which is that there has to be a maximum of three things in a pattern that I haven't done before. If there are five or six it's too much for me. If you've never crocheted before, I would practice doing a few lines first and then a square. All my daughter's collection of toy mice have very wonky tiny scarves and blankets!

I have no anything-jo. At all. I'm forcing myself to finish things but could happily sleep forever. I'm working on this waistband at the moment. It's very slow progress but so beautiful.

I went to a yarn festival where the local guild of spinners and weavers had a demonstration @MerylSqueak and bought a DIY spindle kit and some roving. I tried it at home and made some interesting yarn and then signed up to a spinning class at my local yarn shop. Then I got hooked I bought a few more spindles then I got my little electric eel nano and now I've got a 'proper' wheel.

Yarn festivals are gateway drugs obviously.

I absolutely detest doing interviews, I'd rather work for free for a week if it was possible to see if I'd suit but it sounds like this one might be for you!

@Willow4987 One thing that might trip you up by watching tutorial videos or finding instructions is that American and English crochet terms are different so a SC in an American pattern is a DC in an English style one and so on.. If you find and save a translation chart it'll make your life easier. The stitches are the same, just their names are different.

I'm feeling very "meh" about everything at the mo. I just cba with any of it.

My jackety thing's 8 rows off finished though so I'm going to send everyone away to do their own thing, at some point today, & try to finish the second side. Then I can put it together tomorrow.

@Willow4987 definitely look up a translation chart for stitches, and Bella Coco for Youtube tutorials. I've been using the spruce crafts website sometimes, too, for written & picture tutorials.

@MerylSqueak I've had the same thing happen with jobs at my school in the past too. It's so disheartening :( fingers crossed this time around it's yours!

I must never go to one @FlaviaAlbiaWantsLangClegBack. Yarn is addictive. A woman I know who has been knitting for decades laughed at me when I said that I had bought an ottoman to deal with my yarn collection because she said I was going to need a room.

Thanks @lucysmam @MerylSqueak @FlaviaAlbiaWantsLangClegBack I’ll take a look at all of those recommendations

Both sides of my jacket are done! Ends to sew in tonight. I watched Interview With The Vampire last night; might watch Highlander tonight while I do that. Dd1 looked like when they were what I was looking for but they're probably my two favourite films!

Also lacking crojo at the minute. I’m just too exhausted to do any. I’m forcing myself to continue with my nephew’s dress up blanket as it’s his birthday soon and it’s nowhere near done. I wanted to do something for my friend’s little girl for mid July too, so hopefully I can find my crojo soon!

Fingers crossed for the application lazy and merylsqueak.

Good luck with the job application, @MerylSqueak! My interview went well thanks. I've worked for them before, so I'm kind of expecting to get it.

A bit more jumper done this evening, but it's slow progress! I sort of feel like I need another WIP to keep me interested, but that would just divide my time and slow the jumper down even more!

@Willow4987

Hi all! I want to start crochet and I’ve got a kit to make a blanket of etsy.

It comes with video tutorials and instructions but I opened them and my head was spinning!

Can anyone recommend a really basic/dummies guide I can watch or read to sort of get my head around the basics before starting?

Eventually I’d like to make temperature blankets for my sons for the years they were born but don’t want to dive straight into those and fudge it

I was going to suggest an old ladybird book, if you are a complete beginner, but have just had a look at the prices and now wish I still had mine.

Hi @Willow4987! Sorry - I somehow completely missed your post! People often recommend Bella Coco. There's a complete beginners' tutorial here .

I have decided I prefer making rather than assembling items 🙄 It's taken me two episodes of The Nevers to sew the cb seam of my jackety thing! I'm going to sc the sides together & see if that's any faster/less tedious...

@lucysmam what is it you're making?? I've recently bought a pattern for a cable hooded jacket. I just don't know if I have the skill for it at all 😂

Im still working away at the filet bloody scarf (gift). I'll pop an updated picture up tomorrow

@Myshitisreal nothing complicated! It's sort of based on the pic I've attached. I'll pop up a pic of mine tomorrow if I can get one of the girls to snap a pic before school.

Is yours crochet or knit? If it's crochet, what pattern is it? I found the cardigan cables took a lot of getting used to but they were easy enough once I got the hang of them.

Sympathies, @lucysmam - I loathe sewing stuff together!