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.
Thank you for sharing about your knitting journey. First cables are so special, aren't they? 💞Oh, I love that: Moving busyness from brain down to hands. That's exactly what it feels like.
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.
Omg, that sounds more like a design-along than a knit along. I just saw the note you had shared. Fabulous, fabulous knitting by each one of you. Your top is beautiful and fits so well. I can imagine how much fun the whole experience must've been. I hear you when you say, you feel much more confident after that. Finding one's yarny tribe is the ultimate best thing to happen to a knitter. 🥰
Thank you for the links! I’m trying out the what to knit next. I like the stitch pattern on that sock- it looks squishy and has an interesting wave thing going on. I’ve been knitting for about 20 years. I think I can knit whatever I want, but I don’t love every technique. Like complicated intarsia with tons of colors. It’s just too fiddly. Luckily, there really are no knitting police and we get to knit what we like! I do love yarn quite a bit, and often will choose patterns based on what’s best for the current yarn infatuation I’m experiencing. Thank you for writing this- I look forward to reading each week.
I love that kind of clarity - "can knit whatever I want, but don't love every technique". And yes, yarn infatuation sounds like something that has to be indulged every now and then. :)) Thank you so much for the sock appreciation and your encouraging words. 💖
Kavitha, lovely post! Perhaps for me "It’s truly an investment in your well-being." rings the truest about what knitting has been for me. It has taken me through so many of life's lessons and difficulties. How to clean-up your own mess and get over it! Yes, you can rip out that whole sleeve and begin again! LOL And knitting has been there for me when I needed to settle my nerves or move on from a sadness. I am okay with the knitter who only wants to do dishcloths or long garter stitch scarves. And I can ogle someone's Fair Isle pullover in progress, too! Knitting is such a big world! I love all of it!
Thank you Sandy. Indeed "clean up your own mess", "get over it", "start over" are all small but really big life lessons. It is a big world indeed, as you beautifully put it. 💖
Although I've been knitting on and off for almost 60 years, I still consider myself a beginner. I've stuck overall to simple things, very straightforward things -eg- scarves, blankets. More than anything, I do it for relaxation, meditation, for getting/feeling centred. Yet - I'm wanting now to branch out and take on more challenging projects - because my creative juices are getting stirred up (big time!) by all the awesome things people are creating nowadays!! 🤩 💖 🤗
I hear you so much on this one. I must admit that my own crafting journey took a big turn with the arrival of Ravelry. Inspiration can be contagious like that. There is always a lot to learn, share and enjoy so why not? Keep those creative juices flowing and make lovely things. 💖 🤗
I’m a knitter. Most projects take two or three iterations where I unravel and try again. I love learning new stitches and techniques and I love that I can fail repeatedly and still end up with something wearable for me or my family. I started as therapy for painful joints (part of Long Covid) and it also gives me psychological support, a few stitches can be an achievement now that work and career have been taken.
I rely heavily on more experienced knitters and still feel like I’m a beginner.
Thank you for sharing about the place of knitting in your life. There is comfort to be had in the stitches, yarn and knitting friends. I am so glad to know knittting keeps your love of learning alive and kicking. 🩷
lovely post. I started knitting as a pastime when everyone looked at my crochet and asked "do you knit?". My mom had taught me basic cast on, knit and purl in the throwing fashion. I didn't like it and learnt continental. While I do knit on and off I still call myself a crocheter, who is leaning a lot towards knitting these days. I will however still call myself a beginner knitter, who doesn't like charts but only written patterns. But be it crochet or knitting, it really helps your sanity. :)
Oh I don't consider you beginner knitter at all, Vidya. ♥️ Usually once you have tried something, you bring beautiful creative ideas to life with what you've learned. You don't shy away from things after you've gotten around that 'first time' feeling.
Yes! That would help so much in a teaching session. As a teacher, it is always good to ask questions and get a feel for what the students are comfortable with and what they are looking for in the class.
What a lovely post. I've been knitting solidly for 5 years (the pandemic intensified the journey), I discovered sock knitting on 2021 and its been amazing to make wearable everyday items, I try to compile a box of socks each year and each step along the way feels like a gift: the yarn itself, handwinding into a ball, the knitting, the putting into a box, the taking out and wearing and so far I've also enjoyed the mending. Previously I would never have mended a shop bought sock so I guess knitting has made me more appreciative of what goes into garments and makes. Like many others I now feel I knit for my mental health 🌟
So lovely to hear about your knitting journey. 🌟 I agree, making the everyday wearables is the best use of this craft and feels so magical. Suddenly the mundane item feels so elevated to another level because of all those little steps you mention. Simply everything becomes so enjoyable, even the longer wait to get a finished item.
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.
Thank you for sharing about your knitting journey. First cables are so special, aren't they? 💞Oh, I love that: Moving busyness from brain down to hands. That's exactly what it feels like.
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 🥰
Omg, that sounds more like a design-along than a knit along. I just saw the note you had shared. Fabulous, fabulous knitting by each one of you. Your top is beautiful and fits so well. I can imagine how much fun the whole experience must've been. I hear you when you say, you feel much more confident after that. Finding one's yarny tribe is the ultimate best thing to happen to a knitter. 🥰
Thank you for the links! I’m trying out the what to knit next. I like the stitch pattern on that sock- it looks squishy and has an interesting wave thing going on. I’ve been knitting for about 20 years. I think I can knit whatever I want, but I don’t love every technique. Like complicated intarsia with tons of colors. It’s just too fiddly. Luckily, there really are no knitting police and we get to knit what we like! I do love yarn quite a bit, and often will choose patterns based on what’s best for the current yarn infatuation I’m experiencing. Thank you for writing this- I look forward to reading each week.
I love that kind of clarity - "can knit whatever I want, but don't love every technique". And yes, yarn infatuation sounds like something that has to be indulged every now and then. :)) Thank you so much for the sock appreciation and your encouraging words. 💖
Kavitha, lovely post! Perhaps for me "It’s truly an investment in your well-being." rings the truest about what knitting has been for me. It has taken me through so many of life's lessons and difficulties. How to clean-up your own mess and get over it! Yes, you can rip out that whole sleeve and begin again! LOL And knitting has been there for me when I needed to settle my nerves or move on from a sadness. I am okay with the knitter who only wants to do dishcloths or long garter stitch scarves. And I can ogle someone's Fair Isle pullover in progress, too! Knitting is such a big world! I love all of it!
Thank you Sandy. Indeed "clean up your own mess", "get over it", "start over" are all small but really big life lessons. It is a big world indeed, as you beautifully put it. 💖
This is a lovely post, Kavitha! So empowering and encouraging. Thank you!
Thank you so much for your kind appreciation, Sandi. 💖
Although I've been knitting on and off for almost 60 years, I still consider myself a beginner. I've stuck overall to simple things, very straightforward things -eg- scarves, blankets. More than anything, I do it for relaxation, meditation, for getting/feeling centred. Yet - I'm wanting now to branch out and take on more challenging projects - because my creative juices are getting stirred up (big time!) by all the awesome things people are creating nowadays!! 🤩 💖 🤗
I hear you so much on this one. I must admit that my own crafting journey took a big turn with the arrival of Ravelry. Inspiration can be contagious like that. There is always a lot to learn, share and enjoy so why not? Keep those creative juices flowing and make lovely things. 💖 🤗
I’m a knitter. Most projects take two or three iterations where I unravel and try again. I love learning new stitches and techniques and I love that I can fail repeatedly and still end up with something wearable for me or my family. I started as therapy for painful joints (part of Long Covid) and it also gives me psychological support, a few stitches can be an achievement now that work and career have been taken.
I rely heavily on more experienced knitters and still feel like I’m a beginner.
Thank you for sharing about the place of knitting in your life. There is comfort to be had in the stitches, yarn and knitting friends. I am so glad to know knittting keeps your love of learning alive and kicking. 🩷
lovely post. I started knitting as a pastime when everyone looked at my crochet and asked "do you knit?". My mom had taught me basic cast on, knit and purl in the throwing fashion. I didn't like it and learnt continental. While I do knit on and off I still call myself a crocheter, who is leaning a lot towards knitting these days. I will however still call myself a beginner knitter, who doesn't like charts but only written patterns. But be it crochet or knitting, it really helps your sanity. :)
Oh I don't consider you beginner knitter at all, Vidya. ♥️ Usually once you have tried something, you bring beautiful creative ideas to life with what you've learned. You don't shy away from things after you've gotten around that 'first time' feeling.
Yes it is better if we discuss what we are working on so the person teaching has some idea of our level of knitting!
Yes! That would help so much in a teaching session. As a teacher, it is always good to ask questions and get a feel for what the students are comfortable with and what they are looking for in the class.
What a lovely post. I've been knitting solidly for 5 years (the pandemic intensified the journey), I discovered sock knitting on 2021 and its been amazing to make wearable everyday items, I try to compile a box of socks each year and each step along the way feels like a gift: the yarn itself, handwinding into a ball, the knitting, the putting into a box, the taking out and wearing and so far I've also enjoyed the mending. Previously I would never have mended a shop bought sock so I guess knitting has made me more appreciative of what goes into garments and makes. Like many others I now feel I knit for my mental health 🌟
So lovely to hear about your knitting journey. 🌟 I agree, making the everyday wearables is the best use of this craft and feels so magical. Suddenly the mundane item feels so elevated to another level because of all those little steps you mention. Simply everything becomes so enjoyable, even the longer wait to get a finished item.