Knitting

olgah34

May I miss it, but I could not find any knitting topic. I am a knitter with big experience, and let me tell you, it helps to deal with all the problems! Is anybody knitting here? Let's get together !

crystalphm

I knit! It does help in so many ways, except when I knit too long and then my one arm starts to swell a bit.

I just knit very basic things, like scarves...and I would love to learn something more...complicated :-)

 I think Knitting or working with our hands has been my salvation many times through this breast cancer.

dogsandjogs

My grandmother taught me to knit when I was 6!  I made a scarf for my doll and then a blanket from my Mom's yarn scraps. Years later my Mom had knit shops in West L.A. Vista, CA and then Manhattan Beach, CA. She also did knitting for MGM studios. Made argyle sox for Gene Kelly (Singing in the Rain) an off-the-shoulder sweater for Ava Gardner (Mocambo) something for Debbie Reynolds in one of her movies and 2 shawls for Eva Marie Saint (Raintree County) Amazing I can remember all this from 50-60 years ago.

Anyway, I love to knit, but am no way near as talented as my Mom was as she designed her own stuff. I can follow a pattern and have made sox, sweaters, hats, mittens, shawls, afghans, various tops, etc. Right now I'm doing a pineapple pattern afghan, but that is crochet, not kitting. 

Nice to see this thread! 

chrissyb

I'm a knitter!!!  I haven't bought any pullovers for my DH or myself for the last forty years!  I love knitting particularly in the winter but I do knit in the summer as well but not as much.

Great idea to start this thread!

olgah34

Where do you get the yarn?

I found the site : discontinuedbrandnameyarn.com  very good , and prices are good, but everything is bulky and mostly wool. I am living in NC, it is hot and humid there. Cotton sometimes is thick too.

I also checked WEBBS, they have sooooooo much yarn,  but everything dissarrears quickly.

While on chemo I was knitting socks for my son's family in Chicago, never did it before, but figured out how. I am knitting very thin ajor pullover candy apple color. Everyone thinks it is for st/ Patrick's day.

I still cannot figure out RAVELRY, what is it for? To brag? To sell? Tu buy?

Chrissyb, is it Winter or Summer now in Australia? What do you kni now?

Dogsan, I am impressed... What do you think shawl would be nice to knit from?

Crystalphm, I agree with you...

C130sunshine

Thank you for starting this site. 

 I received knitting needles and crochets hooks from my grandmother when she passed away.  I am now trying to learn on my own.  She was not able to teach me beacuse by the time I was "old enough" to learn she could not see well enough.  My mom tried but she is left handed and does patterns backwards. 

Thank you for the web sites.

Elizabeth1889

C130sunshine, Your post brought back a happy memory to me.  I am left handed and my mother was right handed.  She tried to teach me how to crochet and it just did not work.  We did have a good time though and we laughed a lot trying.  Thanks for making me smile.

msmouse

I learned to knit as a child but never kept up with it. During those glorious perimenapausal days (when you don't know if you want to run your car off the road or over someone!) I joined a knitting group at a local yarn store. I wouldn't have made it through without the meditative nature of knitting. Knitting turns off my brain and lets me focus on the work in my hands. And the women in my circle have become sisters to me. When I was diagnosed last May I never considered a cancer support group because I had this wonderful circle of folks who already accepted me. I knitted thru chemo and even tho the taxol left me a little clumsy I have kept up with it. Patterns from "Drunken Knitting" for chemo brain days. I am trying to make a hat a week for the hat tree @ my local chemo center because there were some really sad hats on that tree! Elizabeth, I am a lefty too but my mother taught me "continental" style (where you hold the stitches & working yarn in the left hand. www.knittinghelp.com has great videos! Ravelry is Facebook for knitters. Have a yarn but not sure what to make with it? you can do a search & see what others made with it! Loads of free patterns. Thanks for starting this topic!

 Debbie

olgah34

Debbie, I knitted through chemo too! I wanted to knit for somebody, so my daughter-in-law ( they live in Chicago, I live in NC) asked for wool socks for my grandchild. I never did it, I never Knitted on 5 needles, but I researched internet and DID IT! I ended up with 2 pair of socks for little one, an 2 for adults. It was fun! I was thinking about knitting something for people in chemo room, but I don't want to use acrilyc, wool is warmer, but I don't know what to knit- shawl? afgan?/

Right now Iam knitting apple green mohair ajour sweater..( not for the st. Patric day!). from magazine Rebecca... probably for my daughter- in-law.

I am originally from Europe, Lithuania, and everyone is knitting there.We had classes in school.I was 12.I also know how to sew, but I don't like it that much...

About Ravelry...How can I put , for example , picture of my green sweater, I don't know if anybody

knitted it.And what about patterns? They are not from Ravelry...I guess..

Kicks

Can not knit - many have tried to teach me but it makes no sense to me (or just coordinated wrong). BUT I am a tatting fiend! (Can crochet too.) My G-Mom started teaching me tatting when I was about 4 for teaching counting. G-daughter can tat as she wanted to learn when about 4. (She'll be 11 this spring).



I know this thread is about knitting so hope nobody is too offended when I ask if there are any other tatters out there and have you got a pattern for making 'pink ribbon' book marks? I'm working on a pattern but still twicking it.

dogsandjogs

I buy yarn at a store called "Michael's" they sell all kind of crafting stuff. Don't know if they are only in Calif. though. I also buy yarn on line.  For a shawl, you can use knitting worsted if you knit with large needles. But baby yarn is good too - less bulky. I just use what the pattern calls for.

Kicks

There's a Michael's here in Rushmore Crossing (Rapid City, SD) but I don't like it as much as Hobby Lobby.

C130sunshine

The Hooby Lobby in my area is alot bigger than Michael's. I have seen Michael's all over the US. To get my walking in during the winter I like going to both stores to see if they have any new free patterns that I don't have while I walk the isles.

moonlight60

Dogsandjogs, would you happen to have any of those patterns your mom used for those sweaters?



I'm also a knitter, since I was about 8. Once in a while i do garments, but my true love is lace!



My favorite sites for yarn are www.knitpicks.com (also get all my tools there) and www.colourmart.com has great cashmere blends for great prices.

chrissyb

I get my new yarn from a yarn shop in the city but I haven't had to buy yarn for about three years as I have been gifted a whole lot from friends families when they have passed.  It's a sad way to recieve the wool (and acrylic) ut I know those friends would have rathered I use it than it get thrown away.  I have also collected many, many pairs of needles as well as all sizes and styles of crochet hooks as well.

Tatting is the one thing that I cannot do but always wanted to but I could never find anyone who did it and who would teach me

My older brother taught me to knit when I was about five and I have loved it ever since. 

olgah34

I just went to Pinterest and found new site elann. com, it has a lot of good yarn 65% off.And free patterns, wow I already boght some. I think , this disease made me a shopaholic.

Kicks

Chrissy B



If you want to try to learn to tat I'll be more than happy to try to 'talk' you through learning. It really isn't that hard once you get the concept. (Would be happy to help anyone!) All that is needed to learn is a tatting shuttle ($3.09 at Hobby Lobby - the metal ones with the seperate 'bobbin' in it is the easiest to use) and a ball of the largest/thickest crochet thread you can find. It's easier to see what you're doing with thick thread to start then go to finer for more delicate work later.

olgah34

Ladies, sorry, what is it tatting? And now I am such Organic person ( no face creams with PARABENS, ir mimics estrogen) I am afraid of acrylic too...But it is very hard to find organic cotton, or very expensive...what about all that soy silk? milk yarn? anybodu knows? sounds like horribly processed thing to me...

chrissyb

Kicks I would really love to learn and I am more grateful than you could know that you would teach me........oh yes please!!!!  I will let you know when I have a shuttle as I'm not sure if I can get one from our little shop in my town.............it may have to wait until I go to the city again after my op.  I'm due for total knee replacement in two weeks and then it will be probably about six weeks healing etc............but I'm really going to try to get one before then.

Once again, thank you sooooo much!

msmouse

Check out his book http://www.amazon.com/No-Sheep-You-Amy-Singer/dp/1596680121

It has info on the new synthetics and non-wool alternatives. Some off the new microfibers are really nice.

Kicks

olgah34



Tatting is a form of lace that consists of rings and chains with picots (loops) intersperced. It is actually a series of alternating half hitches.



Chrissy - let me know when you're ready. If you can get the metal shuttle with the bobbin and hook on one end they are easier to use than the plastic single unit, straight point end. You have to fill it with the thread and it's easier to fill the bobbin and put it back in the shuttle than to fill the shuttle itself. For pulling thread through picots the hook works better than the point but if all you can get is the single unit - it's doable. I have one of the single unit shuttles that I don't use often as it is Mother of Pearl and is over 100 yrs old. It was given to me in the late '60's by an elderly lady because no one in her family knew how to tat and it had been her G.mother's and she wanted someone to have it that would appreciate it.

Momine

Yes, I knit. I made a hat for myself durings my recent rads, and also just finished up a jacket and hat set for a newborn. I am sticking with small projects for the time being.

My hat:

 

The yarn is from a Danish company, 2-ply merino wool, although the same yarn is also produced in alpaca or silk, as well as in a 1-ply or 4-ply version. http://www.sommerfuglen.dk/shop/cms-48.html&hideinterface=1

dogsandjogs

Momine: Your hat is beautiful!

Midnight: I don't have any patterns because she always designed her own stuff. She did leave behind a lot of yarn which I'm now using for various projects. I always feel her presence when I'm using the yarn - kind of weird because we never did get along very well (too much alike maybe)

But the few times we did get along was when we were working on knitting projects. I helped her a lot in her store; teaching beginners, starting sweaters (which meant knitting the 2 inches or so along the beginning) the boring part LOL, helping customers on week-ends, etc.

moonlight60

Olgah34, go to www.knitpicks.com and search for their "Simply Cotton Organic" yarn. They carry both worsted and sport weights in it. Great price and wonderful yarn...I've used it and LOVE it!

pupmom

I have a Christmas stocking I need to finish. Everything is done except the loop and my grandson's name. Then I have to finish 2 more for the other grands.

Everytime I see this thread it reminds me to get on with the knitting! Thanks for posting!  

Lilyn

At Sunnybrook Hospital here in Toronto they leave baskets of balls of wool and needles out in the radiology waiting room. Whoever is sitting waiting for their appointment can pick up and knit as many rows as they want. Eventually the volunteers come around and pick out the squares that are the right size and make them into blankets. I'm not a knitter but I can could knit enought to make nice neat rows. I found it so relaxing while waiting for appointments.

dogsandjogs

Lilyn - what a great idea!  When I was in the hospital I started a hooked rug. The nurses really liked it so I bought them a kit and 3 or 4 hooks so they could each hook when they had the urge.

olgah34

Ms mouse, moon light, thank you!

yorkiemom, the doggie is adorable! I have Westie, he loves Yorkies! we also have a yellow lab, so no dogs anymore...

momine: I love the hat! 

My MODZILLA unfortunally does not let me put any pictures or w-sites here...I don't know why. I would like to show you some of my works tooo

go do search on tatting... 

moonlight60

Momine, that hat is beautiful! I've done some colorwork in my time, but am never completely happy with how mine comes out. Your work is lovely!!

But now you've done it...now I have to post some of my work too I love to show off!

"

I tried to make some thumbnails, but my computer isn't letting me. Sorry for the big pics!!

Momine

Moonlight, those are amazing! I love them.

olgah34

moonlight... could I get a pattern of a red one, please?