Location, Location, Location

The place I like to knit is in the lounge. We have a two seater sofa across the corner of the room with a small table with a light on. It is sometimes darkish in the room because it is an old farmhouse so I often have to move around to different seats to get the best light. I like to have the two spaces because it means that I can spread myself out with my patterns and scissors etc. I also have a small table in front so that I can put stuff on there too. I am completely disorganised with patterns and needles. My stash is behind the sofa still in the bags I bought it in. I do like the feeling of sitting with the stash around me. (How sad is that!) I really must invest in some baskets or boxes. I have the overspill hidden in the bottom of a wardrobe in the bedroom. We also have a woodburner so it is lovely in the winter to knit by the fire. It is lovely and warm and toasty.

I don't knit in the garden because I always feel as if I should be gardening if I am out there. Although I don't feel as if I should be doing housework when I knit indoors. Strange... Maybe that is a new frontier to conquer.

When we went to the beach as a family I took along some socks to knit. I really enjoyed doing this and it made sitting on the beach a real pleasure. I only take small knitting when I am out and about. It is always something like socks because I find that much easier.

I also go to a knitting group once a week which is great fun.

A New Skill

There are many skills that I have yet to acquire in knitting. I would love to do colourwork, fair isle, entrelac, beadwork. My list could go on and on.

The immediate skill I need to master is how to use Ravelry. I know, you must be speechless. I have an account which I made by mistake really because I wanted a copy of a pattern. I didn't realise it as a whole knitting community. I have been a member for nearly a year but have only taken baby steps. I have joined the blog hub group so that I could take part in this blog week and I have half loaded a project. I have added items to a queue and a favourite but without any idea of what I am doing. I know from everyone else's blogs that it will be a really useful tool to help me organise my work and stash etc but I have yet to find out how. I see that it can be linked to the blog and I am sure there must be so many other things it does. I know I must sound like a real technophobe but I am determined to learn. Wish me luck.

One Great Knitter

I am a bit behind with the blog week due to some technical difficulties but I am back on track now (with the help of my daughter). As you will have read from my previous entries, I have just got back into knitting again after many years in the wilderness. I have recently found out about Kim Hargreaves and am a big fan. I have always liked a lot of Rowan patterns but have never attempted them because I was a bit wary of them I think. There always seemed to be lots of charts involved. I think that Kim Hargreaves' patterns seem a lot more accessible and less scary! I have nearly finished my first garment and, so far, it has gone without a hitch.

Over the last days I have been reading so many other blogs and finding lots of other designers and knitters mentioned. I am looking forward to finding them and maybe adding more to my wishlist of knitting.

An Inspirational Pattern

There are so many patterns that I aspire to that it is difficult to narrow it down to only one. I have dreams of doing Fair Isle knitting but the number of colours and patterns scares me a little. I would love to complete a Fair Isle cardigan or even a pair of mittens. I'm sorry I don't have a particular pattern in mind for this. In the immediate future I would love to complete the pattern 'Lilac' by Kim Hargreaves in the Breeze book. It is worked in 4ply cotton which I have never used before. It looks like a lovely cardigan for the summer and I think it would take a lot of concentration. Maybe one for sitting quietly with.

How I learnt to knit

Like many people, my mum taught me to knit. I cannot remember either of my grandmothers knitting. My mum was a good knitter although she did it out of necessity rather than enjoyment. I can remember being desperate to learn because I wanted to make something. I was not a quick learner and had to make endless scarves because they had wavy edges and holes. By the time I was in my mid to late teens I was getting the hang of it but I mainly knitted baby cardigans and matinee jackets. My really big project was a basket weave cardigan with cable ribbing. It was knitted in two colours. I'm sorry I don't have any photos. It sounds revolting but it was in the eighties and trendy. I did one in red and black. I was so pleased with it that I did one in green and black too. They say too much of a good thing.

I didn't knit then for a long while (about fifteen years). The odd small project now and again but nothing major. I think life stuff just caught up. I began to miss knitting. I started knitting some socks for my sons and really enjoyed it. I am trying to build up confidence again with smaller things. I am currently working on a short sleeved cardigan (Daisy, Kim Hargreaves). So far so good.

I have just remembered that when I was at secondary school it was considered really unfashionable to wear hand knitted stuff. Everyone would rather have shop bought cardigans. I can remember saying that I would rather die than wear a hand knitted sweater. How times change!

Knit and Crochet Week!

As I haven't been a very frequent blogger I decided to take part in the knit and crochet blog week organised by Eskimimi Knits. I hope it will kick start the blog and give me the confidence to keep going.

New Blog!

My new Blog!