Be a knitter ✨
About levels in knitting, CraftDoodling Designs News, etc.
As a designer, I often get asked whether a particular design is meant for beginners or advanced knitters. While there are some standards for classifying a project's difficulty, it’s often not easy to categorize clearly. Usually, I include a list of skills and techniques required to execute a project. I also provide handy notes 🗒️ in patterns about what to expect in specific sections. Many knitters appreciate having this preparatory information before tackling tricky parts.
In my opinion, if you know how to cast on, knit, purl, and bind off, and you’ve started producing fairly even garter and stockinette fabric with medium-weight yarn, you are a beginner knitter. After that, the levels get hazy. 😶🌫️
Some beginner knitters take on projects marked as intermediate and complete them successfully. Meanwhile, advanced knitters sometimes mention techniques they haven’t yet tried, admiring even more advanced knitters. You see what I mean? 🙂
I’m also wary of the question, “How long have you been knitting?” especially when asked by a beginner. The answer I give might be perceived as the number of years it would take for them to tackle whatever I was working on at that moment. In reality, the number of years spent knitting isn’t always proportional to the skills acquired. Each knitter’s path is different! 💖
Practicing a craft can have ongoing, life-changing, and nourishing effects on our minds and bodies. It’s truly an investment in your well-being. From that perspective, the levels and years of knitting become somewhat irrelevant.
Being a knitter is all that matters. You may be someone who knits every day or as often as you can, who knits only socks, loves to create Shetland lace, or knits only for charity or during the holidays. Let your inner joy guide you to your next project, and don’t be afraid of messing up every now and then.
The goal of any craft or art isn’t to compete or compare with others but to find a way to express yourself. It’s the work of a lifetime. Show up and knit until it becomes a natural extension, a part of who you are.
Simply, be a knitter.💖
What does your knitting mean to you? Does it help you to express yourself? Share your thought in comments.💗
CRAFTDOODLING DESIGNS UPDATES
I can still take testers for Fluens Tee Sizes 6 - 9. If you are interested, please apply here. Many thanks to those who already signed up. 🩷
https://www.ravelry.com/discuss/craftdoodling-designs/4325834/1-25
A snapshot from Nasha KAL at my LYS last week.
Nasha KAL Please check out my classes for the month of September at Fillory Yarn, if you are in the area - Intro to 2-color brioche, Basic Crochet Hat.
OTHER THINGS YOU MIGHT LIKE
- is kindly offering a complimentary month on her publication . It is hand-selected, vetted pieces of knit-worthy inspiration delivered to you every Time-Saving Tuesday. Here is your sign-up link for the offer. 💝
Christina Yovovich of Desert Agave Podcast is testing Almas Mitts and kindly featured it in her current episode. 💝
Anna Gallinat’s Knit Current blog is about connecting creativity and social justice and features pattern round-ups and interviews from diverse makers. Many thanks to Anna for featuring my Shirin Shawl in the
Texture series: Bobble among other lovely designs. 💝
Reading Updates
Just finished Reading 📖
The nightingale - Kristin Hannah
Currently Reading 📖
i. The Taxidermist's Daughter - Kate Mosse
Until next time,
Kavitha. ♡
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I am a knitter! Learned as a child, set it down for decades; picked it up again, 20 or so years ago and was delighted to find I remembered knit, purl, and bind-off (had to be reminded how to cast on, lol!) Circular knitting, to make a hat, was my first big breakaway from scarves. Since then I've learned shaping and made sweaters; I love playing with lace, and found myself knitting cables (eek!) on a project or two. Not drawn so far to socks or to intarsia, but I'd love to learn more about mosaic colorwork. Mostly I'm grateful for the process of knitting, the comfort of moving busyness from my brain down into my hands.
I am a knitter! I started knitting not quite 8 years ago (having previously managed a simple garter stitch scarf/wrap some years earlier). After a couple more garter stitch scarf/wrap items, and an adventure into a cable cowl, I ended up agreeing to knit a top alongside many other knitters for a coach trip to Yarndale. I think about 14 of us made variations of it (I'll try and post a note with a picture!). The pattern nearly kippered wiser yarnists than me thanks to its lace pattern (we'd selected it as voted for at our Knit Nottingham shop party, so it was our choice and our fault 🤣🤦🏼♀️). We ended up having late evenings in the shop collectively trying to fathom the pattern. One knitter did a chart to try and help 🤣 it didn't resolve that the pattern was a PITA.
But, having conquered that, I felt set up for anything. And I found my yarny tribe, and for that I'm truly grateful to knitting.
Indeed, I've spent much of the day at my local knit shop, the fabulous Knit Nottingham (now run by Hannah and Dan). I sat, I knitted, I nattered, I fixed knitting errors (and made some more, and fixed those) in the best of company. I bought more yarn (I do not need more yarn 🤣) and have a head full of potential and joyful squishing.
I love being a knitter 🥰