Knitters and Needleworkers of Free Republic, Unite! (a vain vanity)

Knitting a Conundrum

[alwaysconservative]

Thanks for those links! The one on crazy quilts really struck me, because that's the kind we had in my family while I was growing up. One in particular I remember used fabrics from my grandmother's housedresses and aprons, another from dresses and suits from my aunts, another from old curtains (a la Scarlett O'Hara) and yet another from various old pajamas from the whole family. There were so many interesting-looking fabrics as well as more mundane ones. I used to ask my mom where this or that patch came from, and usually got a good story out of the deal!

[Knitting A Conundrum]

I have a collection of books on historical quilts. I never get tired of looking at the work involved or the smartness with design these women had. I love the look of beautiful quilting, and have played around with whole cloth quilting, but find I have problems with the stick-to-it-iveness needed, or perhaps it's knowing that I don't have the skill to do such gorgeous work, and I look at mine and wish. And stop working.

[Vor Lady]

Here is that knitting thread I told you about.

[xsmommy]

my grandmother actually wove RUGS out of various fabric around the house and we would see our clothes etc. end up on the floor, literally : ) i just remembered that fact now, reading about your family's crazy quilts. everyone is gone now, but i would love to ask how they made those rugs!

[Knitting A Conundrum]

I've played around with making braided rugs from old clothes, but never woven. That would be a good idea!

[Knitting A Conundrum]

In order to convert more of the non-initiated into sock knitting-ism, a great project for those days when watching hearings and other politically tense activities, let me introduce you to the Socks 101 website.

She walks you through knitting socks from the caston and how to handle the needles to the end. Lots and lots of photos.

http://www.royea.net/sockdemo1.html

Here's a nice list of easily available on the web sock patterns. The very first sock on the list is a great beginner's sock pattern (another Joan's Socks).

http://www.socknitters.com/sockpatterns/alpha.htm

How to do the Kitchener stitch to close your socks:
http://www.socknitters.com/lessons/lessons.html

[Mercat]

OK, it had never before made me feel inadequate. I wasn't even consciously aware that there were such evil things as double ended needles. I thought that maybe they were those needles that are for circular knitting. I think I'll stick to crochet.

[LongElegantLegs]

Is this thread still active? Would you be so kind as to add me to your groovy pinglist, please?

[pinz-n-needlez]

LOL Maybe you can whip up some anti Taliban Afghans. :-)

The Auxiliary Vast Right Wing Crocheting Circle. ;-)

Pinz

[Knitting A Conundrum]

It really isn't as hard as it looks, Mercat. It looks a lot more intimidating than it is. It's just a way of doing circular knitting a few stitches at a time, in segments.

Crochet has its intimidating difficulties, too, as anybody who has done much lacy work or round work knows. But to the initiated and experienced, it's just another aspect of the art.

Once upon a time, kids in their grade school years were often expected to do an inch on a stocking a day before they could go out to play. And knitting training (mostly straight work, not with dp needles) was considered appropriate kindergarten fare.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

We are here! You are welcome to our pinglist. I am willing to talk to anybody about knitting, crochet, and most needle arts...and I know I'm not the only one here who will poke out of the woodwork.

I've been pinging a couple times a day with things that I think are interesting, and anybody is certainly welcome to jump in and talk about whatever they like...

[LongElegantLegs]

Thanks so much. :) I wrote you awhile ago for advice on knitting with double pointed knitting needles; just thought I'd let you know that I finally figured it out, and I'm actually in the process of making a pair of Voodoo wrist warmers for my mother.

This and many other very cool patterns can be found at Knitty.Com

[Knitting A Conundrum]

wristers, mitts, muffatees, are all cool (and all sort of the same thing.

I made a pair for my hubby last winter, but they were so nice on my achy fingers that I stole them, and then lost them. So I am needing to make me a new pair. Mine were long enough you could just about cover the fingers for handling cold things like a steering wheel, but fold them back for doing things like knitting.



One can never have enough sources for good patterns.

[LongElegantLegs]

Wow, those are nice! The ones I'm making are nowhere near that complex, it's a very basic pattern for beginners.
Did you create that pattern?

[FOG724]

I think I'll stick to crochet.

I'm with you.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Yep, but it's mostly a mitten pattern, except I didn't close the thumb. Easier to make than a sock.

Mostly, I cast on 48, k1p1 for the length of the arm, added 4 stitches for the base of the hand, knitted in pattern to it was time to do the thumb gussets, made sure the thumb gussets stayed in pattern,knitted the thumb long enough, went back and knitted the hand long enough.

What's handy is to find a mitten pattern you like, and use it as a guide. Just don't close the thumb or the top.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

That is very pretty:)

I use to crossstitch all the time, but it really bothered my elbows after a time. I have stacks of stuff packed away that I did and had on my walls. But over time I got tired of it and put it away. I was looking at it awhile back thinking it might be time to get it all back out.

Here is one piece I still have up. It went to a framer rather then doing it myself.

Becky

[xsmommy]

that is GORGEOUS!

[IN Farm Girl]

IT'S GREAT!

[IN Farm Girl]

HIH is one of my favorite designers. That sampler is just the cutest thing. I love your customization idea; I am too anal, I guess, to stray too far from the pattern.