Posted on 11/16/2010 2:27:11 PM PST by T Minus Four
WEST JORDAN -- More women--and some men, too-- are turning to knitting or crocheting. It's something meaningful they can do for others without spending a lot of money.
At Kamille's knit and crochet shop at Gardner Village, owner Kamille Bauer said their classes have never been so popular.
"People will say, 'Where did you buy that? You made that? No way, how did you make that?' And it's really a fun confidence builder," she said.
Bauer said people are finding out they can save a lot of money by making a cute beanie, headband, socks, blanket or gloves themselves. But they also love giving their handiwork to others.
"I think one of the most special gifts you can give somebody is the gift of your time," she said.
She says one year, she and her husband made scarves for everyone for Christmas gifts.
"So many things are trendy and cute and handmade that you want to make. You'll go into high-end boutiques or baby shops and spend $30 on a beanie, when you could make that in an hour and a half," she said.
Their moms and kids classes are popular, and in other classes Bauer sees 18-year-olds and 64-year-olds sitting next to each other finding things in common as they knit or crochet.
She said there's some nostalgia attached too -- their knit Christmas stocking classes and patterns are very popular, and people tell her the stockings remind them of something their grandma used to make
At least you know where to find her... ;o]
It does seem boring, but it’s really not. I’m not a real “girly-girl”, but I am totally hobby-ADD and I started it to have something to do while I am watching TV.
I had a rash of younger friends have babies so I make baby blankets. It suits my short attention span :-)
My mother was legally handicapped, but she knitted, crocheted and sewed.
She tried to teach me all three, and I learned, but when I see others hold the yarn, needles and hooks, I realize that I learned from someone who was disabled. But I learned! I just can’t teach anyone else when they have a book of instructions in front of them.
Knitting for your kids is just a way of thanking you for having such awesome offspring!!
people are finding out they can save a lot of money
I want to learn to make mittens like my Grandma used to make us. I did manage to wrassle out one fairly recognizable mitten, suitable for someone with very long slim hands and a freakishly long thumb :-) But at least I now have the fledgling skills.
Then summer hit and I put it away. Time to try again!
I haven’t seen much that I couldn’t knit or crochet. I’m just not as fast as other folks.
One thing for sure...I won’t be making a bus cozy any time soon!
Don’t feel bad, TC. I can’t cut up a chicken, either. And until I had to work for a living, I made most of my clothes.
Though these days, after a recent trip to JoAnn’s, I’ve discovered that one must almost be independently wealthy to make the things that I made so cheaply as a young girl and young adult.
Of course, I had male relatives who knew of my passion for sewing, and they kept me supplied in fabrics! And as a young mother, I took in sewing to help make ends meet.
My mother tried to teach me to crochet for many years when I was growing up. I finally bought a little book which included crocheting, knitting, embroidery and tatting. I taught myself to crochet that year which was in 69 and a few years later taught myself to knit. I have made many baby gifts, afghans, caps, etc since that time. I do not know why I could not learn from my mother. The first thing I crocheted was supposed to have been a sweater for my then 3 year old daughter but it was so tight that it ended up fitting her doll. I am much better nowadays though. It just takes practice.
my grandma taught me the basic crochet stitch when i was about 11 or 12 yrs old. i have never managed to get the hang of any other stitch. i wish i could. i wish i could knit too. i would love to be able to make sweaters.
That looks a lot like my house as we have Yorkies LOL. We say they look like tribbles..
LOL! I rarely iron and Mr. Trisham does 99% of the mending. He also does 99% of the cooking.
I am proficient at heating things up in the microwave.
I think the price of off-the-rack basic clothes has dropped so much that sewing for everyday clothes is economical only if you want garments - like my ankle-length skirt, elastic waist, in-seam pockets - that they don’t sell at Walmart.
If you’re really capable of tailoring, though, as opposed to three seams and a hem, you can save on dress-up clothes and have exactly the style you want with a perfect fit.
I wish I had those talents, but it seems that some may have it, and some don’t. I don’t. :)
I like to iron. When my father was in the Navy, we would spend Saturday afternoons watching Westerns on TV, with me ironing his uniforms (and other family garments) and him polishing his uniform shoes, cleaning his guns, or other Guy Stuff. Good times.
When I became a Cub Scout leader this fall, I suggested that someone else should sew the patches on my uniform, since I’d been doing theirs for ten years, but they all just wandered off, mumbling.
So when do the crochet lessons start:-)...
I’ve done that!! I’ve made quite a few of my own dress-up clothes, but that was back when I had time and money. I have no clue what happened to either one... :o|
I learned because I was so overwhelmed by talent, with five siblings older than I, each artist, author, speaker, editor, woodworker, etc. I felt I couldn’t compete, so I headed into an area none of them would go...handcrafts.
Self preservation!
I would have sewn your patches...
We all run out of time.
who knew you were so AU COURANT!! ; )
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