Knit, Crochet and Natter 7: the School of Stitchcraft and Wizardry

[lazylinguist]

A thread for woolly crafters of all kinds, from beginner level to advanced sorcery!

Previous thread here

I'm reading the 2nd book in a fantasy series called The Ramparts trilogy, plus War and Peace (very slowly over the course of a year with the MN readalong). I've also got Trans to read, @CrochetBug.

@lucysmam that’s a tiring day, hopefully you get some time tomorrow and over the weekend to relax and crochet. My mystery book is the Holiday by T.M. Logan. The front cover tells me it’s ‘Seven days. Three families. One killer’, the tag the library put on the book was ‘We all need one’, so not sure if they just read the title and not the blurb of the book

DD has been quite unsettled so I’ve not even started the book yet.

@crazyjinglist yay for new thread name! You probably need to start another thread for all the word nerds, which you would fall into anyway, and everyone with a natter thread can come to you punny lot for a new title.

@CrochetBug it’s a shame about the wool because the colours are lovely.

@Hookalong I think it was lucysmam who posted on an earlier thread that some cultures deliberately include a mistake in their projects so they don’t get blanket sickness.

@InTheNightWeWillWish

You're an enabler!! I read the blurb about 'the Hoiday' ages ago, but promptly forgot about it. I just ordered a set of 5 books by T M Logan!

@JugglingJanuary well, it’s not me, it’s my local library. I had no idea what I was picking

Yes, I'm definitely a word nerd, @InTheNightWeWillWish . Not only have I got hooked on this Wordle game that everyone seems to be doing, I completed yesterday's Wordle in four different languages . I was very excited yo discover it was available in languages other than English. Rather ridiculously, I did better in the Spanish and German than in the English .

Oooh @CrochetBug who's The Tudor Bride by?
(I write about the 17th century but we do Tudor re-enactment as well, so I could claim it's research...)

I made a start on the pullover last night using wool I had in my stash - I'm loving the pattern, it's really easy to read. I like that designer a good deal, they seem to get it that patterns aren't always easy to read on an iPhone!

DH tells me that one of our friends is a crocheter - how this came in conversation I do not know - I am trying to hold off on learning to crochet as well. Unless I become an octopus! I envy you crocheters, I have NEVER got the hang of it.

@InTheNightWeWillWish I've seen that book in the works before and thought it looked interesting!

Unfortunately the genre of book I normally reach for seems very different to a lot of you 😂 I normally like lovey dovey mushy stuff but I do have a few different genres on my bookshelf! Last night I finished The Keeper Of Lost Things which was okay, I might pick up The Miniaturist today, I'm obsessed with all things miniature. I think this genre is different to what I'm used to though so I'm gradually dabbling in different ones. The problem is I have a very overactive imagination and with DP working nights 5 out of 7 nights a week it leaves me in the house on my own 😂

I can't be doing with lovey dovey mushy stuff or anything which might be described as 'chick lit'. I'm not really a fan of historical fiction either. Or crime fiction. And I HATE biographies! I mostly read fantasy, sci fi and modern or occasionally classic fiction (sometimes foreign).

Complete opposite's then @crazyjinglist 😂 I've just looked up some reviews of The Miniaturist and decided I'm not in the mood for that one so I'll have to decide on another 😂 I have 2 shelves on my bookshelf just dedicated to books I need to read so will have a look later!

Shiny new thread here.

I haven't decorated in there yet (that's usually @CrochetBug's job ), but the virtual woodburner's lit, I've padded the bit of wall in counting corner (for concussion-free head-banging) and I've put the kettle on.

@MrsRussell its by Joanna Hickson. I have no idea how accurate it is, but the reviews indicate it is. I know a fair bit about Henry VIII, but this goes back to Henry V and involves a lot of flicking back and forth to the family trees at the start

I'll read (almost) anything, although hardly read these days. I'm trying to change that.
The only book I've ever discarded and not even tried again with was Twilight.

[quote InTheNightWeWillWish]@JugglingJanuary well, it’s not me, it’s my local library. I had no idea what I was picking [/quote]
Well, we'll blame them if I don't like it & you can take the credit if I do!!

@MrsRussell. YouTube is life changing in regard to learning to crochet!! Some videos are better than others, but there are so many options and they don't complain when you rewind and play a hundred times !!!

It's so different than knitting. I love both, but definitely 'feel like' one or the other at any given time!

@JugglingJanuary I am trying really hard not to acquire a new string habit!
My other main criteria for string habits is "does it fit in my bag and will it unravel?" so I normally have a bit of nalbinding (Viking single-needle knitting, it's bloody awesome stuff) for fiddling with. I'm one of those people who can't not be doing something with their hands - DH thinks it's because I'm the child of two addicts, I have to create things to feel worthwhile....

I'm not going to go and look at Youtube videos. I'm not. I'm not going to ask which anyone recommends, I'm not going to start looking at lace patterns (that's what I want to crochet, er, IF I was going to learn which I'm not! Definitely not!) I'm going to carry on with the murderous crow skull sweater and....

@CrochetBug that looks really good actually. Judith Arnopp is my usual Tudor read but I just had a look on Amazon and it looks like a really fun read.

@MrsRussell. How did I get to 52 having never heard of Nalbinding?? I love it already!! Do you have any recommendations for needles/wool? Websites for patterns. I'm excited!!

@MrsRussell my mum passed this one on to me. I hadn't heard of the author before after. I'm about half way through and I'm really enjoying it. Mind you I love Philippa Gregory books and I know they aren't well regarded on here

Anyway. Time for some crochet I think.

@crazyjinglist

A bit addictive isn't it!!

I do NOT need to learn another craft!!!

Off to the new thread now, we are about to run out of space ---->>>>

I'm an enabler!!!

I tend to use any needle that's got a big enough eye - I've got a couple of bone needles that are sort of wedge-shaped rather than round, but a big darning needle will do. Likewise, any DK wool, or chunky if you want a quicker finish.
The main thing for me is it doesn't unravel. If you pull the loose end it just tightens the stitch into a knot, it doesn't pull through.
Sally Pointer is always worth a watch on Youtube, she's just lovely to listen to especially when her cat comes and helps in the videos at home, but this one is at the Weald & Downland Museum. Might not be to everybody's taste, though - I like her rather gentle roundabout way of talking through how it works.

@MrsRussell. You ARE a sneaky enabler!

I fancy a lovely wood needle and some nice wool. Im doing a bit of retail therapy. Unfortunately the needles on Amazon don't look very tactile. I might have to try bloody Etsy again ( it hates me!!).

I could try with some drops & large darning needle, but it doesn't have the 'feels' 🤣

Going to ring the local yarn shop...