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(69 Posts)
NanKate Wed 23-Sep-15 19:24:43

I have noticed we have quite a few knitters on GN and on another thread they are talking about knitting patterns.

Now this is my personal view, which I suspect is unfair to knitters, but whenever I see anyone in a hand-knitted sweater I think they could have bought something some much nicer in a shop.

Do knitters knit because:

they like doing something with their hands.
they prefer the look of hand-knitted items
it's cheaper than buying machine knitted items
they are knitting for charity (I like this reason)

etc

Finally many years ago my mum knitted me a green sweater with a crew collar and I loved it. smile

Grannyknot Thu 24-Sep-15 21:36:36

Thank you rose 're doll pattern.

Here is the link to Vintage Bow Tie Scarf that I knit, it is really lovely:

thevintagepatternfiles.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/1930s-knitting-bow-scarf.html

rosequartz Thu 24-Sep-15 19:06:24

Last Christmas I got labels from off the internet which said 'Made with love by Grandma' and sewed them into jumpers I made them.

That's lovely, NotTooOld

I think I saw them when I was ordering name tapes, which I sew into the garments I knit for DC (one lovingly knitted garment went missing hmm).

NotTooOld Thu 24-Sep-15 19:01:26

I mean BLUE for the second scarf!

NotTooOld Thu 24-Sep-15 19:00:41

I like knitting and crochet and usually have something on the go. I can only watch TV properly if my hands are occupied - lots of us seem to feel like that.

I have just knitted a bright red scarf for my 6 year old GS and a bright red one for his younger sister. I'm going to finish them off with big red or blue or yellow bobbles and then make identical smaller ones for their doll/rabbit. I'm going to make one a yellow hat with a bobble and the other a red hat with a bobble. The doll/rabbit won't get hats, though - too fiddly. They'll get these items at Christmas along with a small toy and some money for their bank accounts. I sometimes write them a book as well about a naughty mouse who lives in their utility room.

My Mum taught me to knit and my MiL taught me to crochet. I've tried to pass on these skills to my daughter and now to my two GDs, with varying degrees of success. I think it's great to see a revival in all sorts of crafts. I have to agree that hand knitting on women sometimes does not look good but it is lovely to see children in handknits - shows someone cares a lot for them. Last Christmas I got labels from off the internet which said 'Made with love by Grandma' and sewed them into jumpers I made them.

Auntieflo Thu 24-Sep-15 16:54:22

Rosequartz, love the Fairy Doll, and also thanks to Indinana, I have found the link to the pattern, and have downloaded it. As I have got some left over wool, the pink from Tiny Clanger, I could get started quite quickly.

rosequartz Thu 24-Sep-15 11:46:31

??

Try again
If I see a child in a hand-knitted garment I always think that someone loves them smile
However, many young mums don't like hand-knitted garments.

rosequartz Thu 24-Sep-15 11:28:01

I like that mix of colours Indinana

You could do the dolls in any colour combination, I would like to make Violet, although she is not in the pattern book it would be eady enough to work out a colour combination.

My knitting is not perfectly even blush but I notice it varies with different yarns.

However, if I see a child

Indinana Thu 24-Sep-15 10:59:35

rosequartz I bought some Patons Smoothie last week to use as the crocheted edging round the second fleece blanket I'm making for my GD. I buy a lot of my knitting and craft materials at Trago Mills, though their yarn range isn't wonderful sad

Liz46 Thu 24-Sep-15 10:26:38

Thank you Indinana and janerowena for the links. I have just had time for a quick look before I dash off to my knitting group. If I can print the fairy pattern, that would be great for our group.

janerowena Thu 24-Sep-15 10:19:20

It's a combination of several factors. I have been knitting since I was twelve, my knitting is very even. I also made my own dresses from that age, plus any crafts I could learn, so my sewing is good, it looks like machine stitching. I know when to sew up knits with cotton and when to use yarn.

However, as someone else mentioned, a good pattern is really important. There's no point in knitting a shapeless square and expecting it to look good, a pullover or cardigan needs shaping just as much as anything you would buy. Also aran/cable knits make very few people look good. They keep them warm, but are usually best kept for cushions - as that is what most people end up looking like when they wear one!

However, I would be happy to make this

blog.loveknitting.com/free-wendy-cardigan-pattern/?utm_source=Loveknitting&utm_campaign=12815c876a-070614_TRENDYWENDYSAT&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_a0f9d56561-12815c876a-49354093&mc_cid=12815c876a&mc_eid=38240c34f8

Lapwing Thu 24-Sep-15 09:55:19

I love knitting and crocheting. Yes my sweaters look hand knitted but I like to think that they are all the better for that - and they will certainly last longer and are better finished than the shop bought equivalent. Some of patterns and yarns that are available at present are beautiful.

My OH loves the hats that I knit - says they are much better than the ones that he buys.

I get bored watching television so knitting and crocheting keep me occupied in the evenings or when it is to cold or wet to get into the garden. OH says that he never sees me so relaxed as when I have needles in my hands.

Stansgran Thu 24-Sep-15 09:49:41

I love the rose fairy Rosequartz.

Stansgran Thu 24-Sep-15 09:49:10

I had a long train journey to Scotland recently and was surprised walking through the carriage to see so many young women knitting . I thought I had come across a convention. They were all doing lacy scarves with intricate patterns. And they seem to be random although they were commenting on each other's patterns as they passed on the way to the buffet. I used to love fair isle and Aran patterns but moved onto crochet.

rosequartz Thu 24-Sep-15 09:48:23

A free pattern! Even better
I bought mine in Trago Mills so it was cheaper!

rosequartz Thu 24-Sep-15 09:46:39

Grannyknot & Indinana there are four dolls to knit; the pattern is for Paton's smoothie, however I think you could use leftover yarn as it could get expensive if you bought it all.
Mine looks just like that one, although I have seen variations.
I must knit another one at least; the worst bit was the fiddly sewing up!

Indinana Thu 24-Sep-15 09:40:56

And I've just found the fairy doll pattern as a free download from Deramores (through Ravelry)

www.deramores.com/patons-doll-pattern/

Indinana Thu 24-Sep-15 09:32:56

rosequartz that fairy doll is just gorgeous. Wish I hadn't seen it, because now that's yet another project to add to my list of things I'm making for my DGD smile. I love being busy, though, and what better way to be busy than to be creative? Especially if it's for someone you love smile.

Grannyknot I loved that story of your office knitting! I read it out to my DH and he had a good chuckle too. I was also intrigued by your mention of bow tie scarves and had to google this. There are some very nice patterns out there! Oh God, something else added to the list .....

Liz46 Thu 24-Sep-15 09:07:10

The items made by our knitting group sell easily and make money for a local hospital but we do tend to stick to small items, such as baby clothes, soft toys and scarves. The duck bootees that I crochet are popular. They are in yellow with orange beaks. For safety reasons, I do not use buttons for the eyes but crochet a tiny black circle.

Granne72 Thu 24-Sep-15 09:01:05

Grannyknot I'm with you I find knitting mindful too and it connects me to many strong (character)women in my family and one male knitter too. I love that my granny and mother taught me to knit and sew and I enjoy passing these skills on n to my GCh. I love the knitting traditions ganseys/guernseys and aran. There is a wonderful tradition of knitting on this island of ours. Anyone who saw the range of garments produced by my little knitting group aged 18 to 87 would be amazed at the diversity and quality. We also knit many items for different charities and have a laugh into the bargain. I see hand knitting as a skill and a gift which more people should try.

Greyduster Thu 24-Sep-15 08:51:14

I don't agree that hand knits look awful. My DiL knitted several tops over the summer in some beautiful fine yarns and you would have been hard pressed to say that they were hand knitted. In the past eighteen months, I have taken back three sweaters that had hardly been worn to M&S that have had finishing issues - seams coming apart at the rib and cuffs, even the back of the neck! I know if I knit a sweater, this is not going to happen. With hand knits it's all down to tension and finishing.

Grannyknot Thu 24-Sep-15 08:12:51

Love! Damn Kindle.

Grannyknot Thu 24-Sep-15 08:12:29

rose I live that doll and am gonna knit one.

Grannyknot Thu 24-Sep-15 08:11:40

That should be "was" not "were". Oh, the shame blush

Grannyknot Thu 24-Sep-15 08:10:25

I have never knitted a cardigan for a grown up, I only knit small projects.

I knit because:

It is mindfulness/meditation in action.
It zones out Sky Sports whilst keeping husband happy because I'm there.
It connects me to the memory of my grandmother.
I can recreate vintage patterns.
My family love my hand-made gifts - weekend socks, vintage "bow tie" scarves (they stay put when on and fit into a handbag), the toys/blankets/cardis for my grandson that my daughter-in-law shows off.

When I was still working in an office, I taught all the younger women to knit. We would all have projects on the go stuffed into our desk drawers and have hurried conversations about dropped stitches etc. During one of those, the Chief Executive walked straight towards us and all you saw were knitting being chucked down or stuffed into a drawer. He purposefully strode towards me, shook my hand and said "Well done, you've got them off the internet".

I rest my case. smile

whitewave Thu 24-Sep-15 08:03:05

I knit like mad for periods at a time, my knitting is quite dreadful, but I churn out all sorts of stuff.