Knit Knack

Progress has been painfully slow with my knitting recently.

I’m still working on this ever-so-simple tote bag that I started a couple of weeks ago. Front and back panels are done, so I’m working on the straps at the moment and then have to do the gusset and just sew that bad boy up. Being a terribly unadventurous knitter, as I’m still a bit of a newbie so am scared to try things out in case they go horribly wrong, you can’t imagine how excited I was to give moss stitch (seed stitch for my American friends) a try. I know now why my mum used to knit in it so much, it’s lovely, it just looks so nice!

What’s also probably not helping is the fact that I’m still lusting over sewing machines. I think I’ve found the one I want, but I’m going to hold off buying it for the time being. I don’t have anywhere to use it in this apartment, so I’ll wait until we move next month and see what sort of room I have for a sewing machine there.

By mid-February I should also have an idea of whether or not this is just a passing fad or whether I really, really do want a sewing machine.

I’ve got the crafting bug.

For a while now, I’ve been itching to buy a sewing machine to make some stuff – cushion covers, purses, toiletry bags, customise clothes, that sort of thing. I don’t know where this urge has come from.  I haven’t used a sewing machine since school, when we were forced to make things we would never use.

The only thing is, I don’t know where to start! I’ve had a look at a few on the internet, but I don’t want to spend a lot of money straight off the bat. I understand that for a beginner, looking for something with dozens of stitch options really isn’t necessary, because the most important ones are the straight stitch and zig-zag, being the two most often used.

I think I’ve got a lot of researching ahead of me, but any suggestions would be gratefully received!

For anyone looking to create their very own sweater patterns, check out this great resource: a sweater pattern generator.

This is a free resource (but if you do use it, you may like to consider making a donation to the owner’s site using the Paypal button) which allows you to enter your measurements and your design requirements to create your perfect sweater pattern.

In addition, there are other pattern generators, so you should never run out of projects to use up your yarn stash!

The site owner has loads of helpful information posted, lots of pictures of projects she has completed and appears to be more than happy to help with email queries.

Happy Knitting!

I found a great article today on the Yoga Journal, likening knitting to yoga: Stitched Together.

The information in the article is very helpful if you want to bring a more natural, eco-friendly feel to your knitting, providing links to plenty of resources for this.

What I particularly like, though, is the discussion of how knitting is beneficial to mind, body and soul. I think this is something that non-knitters and those who have been away from the craft for a significant period are not aware of.

While knitting is something that can become second nature after a while, it is something that requires a part of you to be present it. If I’m feeling stressed or anxious about something, knitting is something I can really lose myself in. I can sit and focus on that directly to quiet my mind.

Who knows, maybe we’ll see needles and yarn wrapped up in all those yoga mats!

 Knitters or stitchers in the UK might like to check out one of my favourite sites, Black Sheep Wools.

This site has a great variety of yarn, cross-stitch kits, fabric, patterns and more. They have a bargains section where you can pick up brand-name cross-stitch kits for as little as £2.99. Yarn is available for less than half price (sale yarn is available through the knitting wool link, not the bargain prices link).

They also have two shops, one in Southport and one in Warrington, as well as occasionally holding warehouse sales, where stock is sold off at unbelievable discounts.

My dealings with this site have always been very pleasant. Shipping prices are very reasonable and delivery was very quick.

I hope you enjoy shopping with Black Sheep Wools.

I’m making progress with my latest project, the tote bag.

Today I finished the front: cast on 80 stitches and knit in stocking stitch for 86 rows. Tomorrow, it’s time to move on to the back, again knit in stocking stitch, before knitting the gusset and handles in moss stitch.

I honestly have no idea how long it’s going to take me to get this finished. I would have liked to have done it this weekend, but as it’s taken me so long to get just the front knitted it isn’t looking hopeful!

I’ve also never knitted anything in moss stitch, so that’s going to be an adventure in itself!

What is nice, though, is that compared to my bigger project I can see this knitting up so much quicker and having the front done gives a real sense of achievement.

I wanted to share with readers of this blog a site that I found invaluable when I was learning to knit, and which I dip into every now and again. As someone who likes to try out a number of ways of doing things, or to double check with different sources that I’m doing something in the correct way, I always like to have sites that I know I can rely on to contain reliable, valuable information.

The About.com Knitting Site contains guides on how to knit as well as tips, tricks and techniques for knitters of all levels and a selection of patterns and links to patterns that all readers will love.

I hope you find this site as useful as I have.

Today I thought I’d just post a quick update on my most recent project and add a link that knitters visiting this site may find quite useful.

Progress on the bag I’m knitting is slow but steady – which means that it is coming along, but very slowly. I didn’t work on it at all over the weekend as I had so much going on, but I picked up where I left off again today. Hopefully, I’ll get a little more done this evening and have made a real inroad into it by the weekend.

One thing I have realised is that knitting could really help me to lose weight! As one of my non-knitting new year’s resolutions, I resolved to lose the excess weight I’m carrying and get fit. Today, while knitting away, it occurred to me that if I wasn’t knitting, I’d probably be snacking on chocolates or a bag of chips while I was watching TV – keeping my hands busy means I’m not eating out of boredom! What a great consequence of something I really enjoy.

The site I thought you may find of use is The Daily Knitter. As well as news, reviews and general knitting information, this site has a number of free knitting and crochet patterns. As most people look to cut back on unnecessary expenses in the current financial climate, finding free patterns online – particularly ones you can adapt and “make your own” – is one way of making knitting that bit more affordable.

I went to the bookstore unescorted yesterday. Always a bad idea as I’m terrible for buying books!

So, I was browsing the Crafts section for a while looking for a knitting title that grabbed me, as I don’t have any knitting books – and I like to have at least one book on everything I do. I was quite taken with one called “Knitting in No Time” by Melody Griffiths, which contains a number of patterns that can be knit up in a very short space of time. Being such an impatient person, it really appealed to me.

Instead, however, I settled on “Stitch ‘N Bitch – The Knitter’s Handbook” by Debbie Stoller. I’d considered buying this before but thought it might be trying a bit too hard to be “hip”. Turns out, I needn’t have worried. The instructions are very clear and concise, making sense of all those things that seem a bit confusing for newbies. The patterns are clearly set out with great pictures; techniques are explained in layman’s terms.

I’m so pleased that I bought it, and I’m itching to try out some of the patterns and techniques it contains. I’m determined to finish my bag (which is coming along slowly, but very nicely) before I start anything new, but I might incorporate one of the pattern suggestions in the book into the design! Look at me, modifying patterns to suit me!

The book has impressed me that much, I’m already considering purchasing “Stitch ‘N Bitch Nation” which contains a further 50 patterns.

Ah, what a fickle knitter I am.

After yesterday’s excitement about starting to knit my big blanket to snuggle under, I got up this morning and flicked through an old knitting magazine to check out a baby sweater that I’m thinking of knitting for my nephew.

While browsing, I came across a knitted shopping bag which completely distracted me from the project I had anticipated beginning today, as I had all the materials I need (apart from a giant button, which I can pick up any time) sitting in my knitting bag.

So, the blanket is on hold before it’s even begun and I’ve started work on my fancy new shopping bag. I’m knitting it up in black DK yarn on 4mm needles. The pattern is very simple – the front and back panels are in stocking stitch and the gusset and handles in moss stitch.

Being such a simple pattern, I’m hoping this isn’t going to be a very long project. Depending on how it goes, I should have enough yarn to make up several of these – ideal gifts if they turn out well!

I love the versatility of knitting and how many different things it allows you to create. It’s just a shame I don’t have the discipline to stick to one thing…