knitting and crochet, nattering and sharing

Bijou, that is a beautiful story and I like to see men knitting. There are several on youtube. I have some patterns designed by men who knit, martin storey was one

Witzend, your aunt must have loved you dearly. There are hundreds of hours in that shawl

Rosie51, I lovingly made a very special scarf by jared flood, for my husband, the yarm was wool, mohair silk. It took me a long time as there were colour changes every 2 rows and he passed very soon after. It was lovely. I gave it to ds who gave it to his partner. Next time I saw it, it was around her neck, obviously washed in a machine and felted. I was truly shocked. I had carefully hand washed it before giving it away. To get past the disappointment, I made an identical one, which I have kept ever since and it remains in beautiful condition

Witzend

*Karmalady*, I still have a black ‘wedding ring’ shawl, given to me by a much loved aunt many decades ago. I’m not sure what the yarn is, but it’s obviously very fine.

It will likely be 1ply cobweb weight yarn. I made a baby's shawl from lace weight yarn for my niece's first baby. Took forever but I was so proud. She loved it.......pity she mangled it in a hot wash in the machine That fitted through my husband's wedding ring.

I learned to knit when I was five from my mother who always had knitting and crochet on the go. During the was it meant unravelling garments washing up the wool and re knitting it up. When married in 1946 used to take Stitchcraft magazine every month and knit or crochet something from it every month for my husband and children. Then there was no double knitting wool so it was mainly 2 ply because it was on coupons and went further. My children rarely had bought clothes just some underwear until my son was six and then had bought uniform school shorts. My knitting went everywhere with me. In the car or on the bus.
When my daughter had to get her knitting Brownie badge my son also started knitting. In order to be left out my husband also started by knitting a whole layette for his sisters baby.
He then knitted his pullovers and socks on four needles for the rest of his life. He had large workman’s hands as his hobbies were wood and metal work.
In latter years whilst in Spain I took up fine crochet. Egyptian cotton andfine steel hooks.
Had to give up a couple of years ago because of rheumatic hands and failing eyesight.

Karmalady, I still have a black ‘wedding ring’ shawl, given to me by a much loved aunt many decades ago. I’m not sure what the yarn is, but it’s obviously very fine.

I recommend knitting in bed, went up at 8.30, electric blanket on for 15 minutes and how cosy I was, bedside light, specs off so I could see better, radio on. Oh my goodness it was wonderful, very very relaxing, more than sitting downstairs. Quickly fell asleep at 10 and awoke at 6 and that has not happened in a long time. It alsomeans that I will reduce heating time in my living room

Witzend, you made a family heirloom, it is truly lovely

I once met a lady who made a wedding ring shawl. She spun her wool and made a very intricate lace shawl that fitted through a wedding ring

Re complicated lace, I would fix a safety line, there is a hole for this on the interchangeable tips. Its absolutely horrible to drop a stitch and then try and salvage it

Everytime I think of crochet, I have a flashback to 1968 when my college friend would sit and crochet herself a white mini dress, it was beautiful, very mary quant

I love seeing all your makes!

This was my most major effort, over 2 years ago, for Gdcs. It’s huge, but hangs nicely out of the way on the back of a door. Gdcs love it and amazingly, even after 2 Christmases, all the little inserts are still there. (The mini polar bear is my favourite.)

It was a Sirdar pattern, by Alan Dart, but a few of the inserts came from Jean Greenhowe’s patterns instead. I didn’t start it until the September, so it was a bit of a rush (to put it mildly) to have it ready for 1st December.

I did wonder how on earth I’d manage the pocket numbers, never having attempted any such thing, but after ‘translating’ the charts into a notebook, - 7 red, 3 gold, 4 red, etc., I found it not too curse-making at all.

I did cheat with the ‘ribbon’ - it was supposed to be knitted but I bought a tartan roll from John Lewis instead.

If anyone else is mad enough to fancy making one, I’d recommend allowing 6 months!

Ksb65 - I’m also left-handed, but I’ve learnt to crochet right-handed. I found it fairly easy - I probably just tend to manoeuvre my left hand more than my right!
Wendy Poole does right- and left-handed videos on YouTube. She’s excellent! ??

I've been a knitter since I was 6. My dad cut down a Pair of size 4 needles and filed points on them, so I learnt easily with chunky wool. In fact I still have those needles and taught my daughter and both granddaughters to knit with them.
I too have a large stash of wool, lots of it aquired from charity shops.
I crochet as well but have to concentrate more than when I knit.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202201/medium-96201-96655473-fcc8-454d-bf0c-c3d0c0e6c900.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202201/medium-157623-5ca1c34e-f7ec-48d0-8236-7b0d65963c63.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202201/medium-833810-ffc8123e-e2ea-470e-b0e8-c5bdd24d8180.jpeg

Recent projects

I’m another ‘ daily ‘ knitter, and I also crochet. I said when I retired, thirteen years ago, that I’d have to live a long time to use up my stash! I haven’t yet, though like many other knitters, I’m still tempted to buy more yarn! I too have more than one project ongoing at the same time. I don’t tend to crochet garments, but mainly scarves, baby blankets and toys.

Such lovely photos here and delightful posts to read.

I am having a clearout of my house and took a peek into some carrier bags that have been lurking around. Oh my stars, I won’t be needing to buy yarn for baby clothes for quite some time! I also found loads more needles including circular ones and best of all, my Patons Baby Knitting Book which I bought in 1975 for 15p turned up! It’s been missing for ages and I feared the worst but no, it was hidden beneath a pile of wool.

I am a lapsed knitter! Acually, I usually say I can knit, but I'm not a 'knitter", if you know what I mean.

My mum was a wonderful knitter, I remember coming home from school and checking to see how much was done on the newest sweater. All of our sweaters were hand knit.

I had a hard time learning from her, maybe I just wasn't that interested, but I taught myself in my early 20's and have knit on and off since. Mostly off, lately. I started a scarf/shawl about 2 years ago and it is still in the basket.

Nice inspiration here, I will have to get the knitting basket out and pick up the needles.

Rosiebee

I learned to crochet about 50 years ago but crochet seemed to be in the wilderness for many years. But recently there has been an explosion of interest in it and I am now in my element. I love a challenge and have learned so much following some very talented designers. I've made lots if blankets and shawls and even a cardigan- and worn it! Since Covid, I have become "hooked" on Mosaic crochet. Fabulous patterns that look tricky but are basically 2 stitches. Still working on the Reindeer one

I recently tried mosaic crochet but need to find some more free patterns to learn from. Although I have a huge stash of yarn, I don’t have enough in just two colours to start a large mosaic pattern - what an excuse to buy some more.

Where do you get your patterns from? I am quite experienced at crocheting and have just taught myself to read charts.

pce612

Forgot to add that this is an American site, so crochet terms are different.
Copy and paste any paste the pattern into Word etc and do a find and replace to change them to British - ie search single crochet (sc) and replace it with double crochet (dc) and so on.

It’s odd but I prefer American terms to English, it seems to make sense that sc is one loop over with yarn, dc is two loops over etc. As long as I check which type of stitches the pattern uses, I am fine.

I also like knitting but seem to go in fits and starts. GD not longer wears hand knits but loves clothes for her dolls. I have a large stash and must decide what to do with it. I have sold some and donated some, but still rather a lot to go!

Ksb65

Would love to be able to knit or crochet but unfortunately being left handed, no one has helped or shown me how to master these crafts, as they were all right handed. Sad

Ksb65 I know I keep pushing Bella Coco but she does a left handed crochet video
www.youtube.com/watch?v=31eZHe8YzjI

I rarely knit or crochet these days but kept getting asked if I was going to knit something for first grandchild. I wasn't sure about cardi type things being fashionable these days. In the end I made a hat - my first time with circular needles!

People are realising just how calming and relaxing handicrafts are
I couldn’t have put it better myself SAS01.
???

Lovely thread.
Knit for peace have appealed today via Twitter for large blankets

I love knitting and have been working my way through my stash by knitting lots of stripey jumpers,either selling them on eBay or donating them to the Knit for Peace charity.

I too love to knit and crochet. I crocheted baby blankets for my granddaughters in waffle stitch which gives a lovely warm blanket for a baby. Always have something on the go can’t seem to sit with idle hands ! I also started back sewing a few years ago and it was a life saver during lockdown. I could buy fabric online and print the PDF patterns I bought online. Such a great encouraging community of sewers and knitters on Facebook and Instagram. So interesting to see what people make and great for getting inspiration

I always looked forward to knitting for my grandchildren. Unfortunately my first granddaughter was born and lives in a country where it seldom drops below 30 degrees!

So I have contented myself with knitted toys etc. Does anyone knit for little ones in hot countries - what yarn is best - for coolness but still washable etc.?

I'm not a natural knitter, but do find knitting very relaxing and satisfying. Have just started an easy project mainly as relaxation therapy. It is slow going but is actually starting to resemble a little cardigan.

I knitted many jumpers for my two children but only up to to the age of eight with the exception of school uniform; the last one was a cardigan made of cheap wool in a beautiful royal blue with a simple diamond pattern. It was washed frequently and always looked good.
Luckily I was asked by my daughter to make cardigans for our first grandchild and I continued making items for her two sisters a few years later. My daughter kept many of these
and their little sister, over ten years
later wears them quite often.
My fingers are rather arthritic now so if I ever try again I would have to make a bigger size to make up for for the length of time it would take!

A lot of celebrities knit now

Tom Daley knits and crochets