knitting and crochet, nattering and sharing

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.

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

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

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!

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 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!

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.

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.

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.

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’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.

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'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.

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 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!

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

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 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.

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.

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

I learnt to knit at an early age too. Never got on with circular needles but may try again. Recently made some gloves which was a first for me. I've made plenty of mittens but never gloves or socks although my mother could knit both without a pattern. She also knitted our jumpers from the top down when we were young so that she could lengthen garments as we grew.

I also recently discovered Fruity Knitting on youtube and would recommend it as I very much enjoy its varied and interesting contents.

Sadly Andrea's husband, who used to knit alongside her, passed away last year. The episode called Remembering Andrew was one of the first I came across and I found it both touching and lovely to watch.

It gave me a lot of respect for not only their skills as knitters and presenters, but also their general approach to life, joie de vivre, interest in nature, etc.

I thought their concept of 'extreme knitting' was cute, too - pulling out their knitting needles in most unexpected places

My Nan taught me to crochet when I as quite young. I was then tasked with making very lacy dressing table mats (remember those) with a fine crochet yarn. They did look nice and I still have two. I also remember making lap blankets for my grandfather, and a poncho for myself. But I haven't crocheted for many years now.

I Mum taught me to knit. She was an excellent knitter and she carried her knitting everywhere with her. She was very fussy about things being well finished, and she never used yarn any thicker than DK. She was horrified when a colleague asked her to knit an Aran sweater for her! She knitted all my jumpers and cardigans, mainly for economy, until I started secondary school when I wanted shop-bought cardigans like everyone else had.

I made a few jumpers and cardigans and baby clothes for friends' babies. But I have never really enjoyed knitting. It just takes too long to finish things, I get bored! But I really do love hand knitted garments. The cost of yarn is horrendous now so I can understand why they're so expensive.

But I'm pleased to see that so many people still enjoy knitting, and are passing on their skills to younger generations.

In lockdown I joined Facebook page for black sheep wools, they produce KALs and CALs (alongs) very happy group of people x

firdaus19, your news shocked me, I watched part of a health update after reading your post, felt very sad. Beautiful family

Aghh, I got finger joint twinges last evening, index finger right hand, obviously rsi as I had several rows of doing a star stitch x 400 times, metal needles are not as forgiving as wooden. I changed stance with r hand as I had reached casting off stage, did k through back type so as to have a loose enough edge to pull shawl out for hand blocking. Unscrewed the r side needle, put an end on wire and used a slippery needle tip on its own for the knitting off. That enabled me to change my hand knitting position and result is also a very neat edge. I abandoned the crochet picot edge, it meant dc into every stitch on the wire, I tried it for a whole row and had a go with dc picot on top but the curling was terrible. I sat and undid the dc, stitch by stitch and knitted 2 rows in seed stitch instead, much less curling. I am doing the final stage today, soaking in eucalan, one rinse in same temperature water. Absolutely nothing except the soak and gentle squeezing, i could do with a little fluffing to secure stitches but definitely no felting. I suppose I am lucky that the decorator has not been in touch yet as I shall be using the living room floor. Waiting for decorator is very frustrating btw

I found a ball of opal yarn and my dpns roll, could not find my trusty vanilla opal pattern, with all my scribblings, so this one will do.
www.theknittingsquirrel.com/basic-sock-pattern-to-fit-shoe-sizes-uk-2to6-eu-35to39-us-4to8-sizes/
I am going to use 2.25 dpns and need to count the number of stitches on a well fitting pair of hm socks, it might be 60 or might be 56. I shall need to cast on with larger needles and grade needles down bit by bit as I have muscular calves through cycling, ok chubby legs. I am going to leave a long enough tail to colour match in the second half of the ball for sock 2, as it is self patterning yarn