Keeping Knitting Alive

Are you a fellow knitting enthusiast or hobbyist? Do you like to share your knitting projects with friends and strangers? Do you get asked to knit for people?

I love to knit and crochet in my spare time and I am self taught. My knitting skills are very limited. I can follow a pattern, but my knitting skills are far better than my crochet skills, sadly. My Mum had excellent knitting skills and her crocheting skills left me in admiration, but she never had the patience to teach me. There use to be many fabulous crafty ladies in our family tree, perhaps a skill of the past and not so much of current modern generations?

I have heard it said that knitting is a “post-apocalyptic life skill”. Would you agree?

How to knit

Do you know your wools, labels and their weights? Do you know your options? What do you think is the most suitable wool for your craft or does it not matter? Some wools can leave our hands tired and dry. Do you have a preference that you are comfortable working with (Lamb’s wool, Cashmere, Angora, Marino or Alpaca)? Do you have a particular brand label of wool you prefer to work with based on experiences? Do you have a collection of patterns?

Knitting Tool Kits

I have heaps of knitting needles, crochet hooks, circular knitting needles, a French knitting bee tool, a pom-pom tool, an Ezy Bee needle punch for wool embroidery, various wools and crochet yarn leftovers, trimmings of beads, embroidery cottons, plus a lot of old pattern books. I haven’t purchased a pattern book in years. They are all hand-me-downs.

Do you have a variety of knitting tools and knitting materials, crochet yarns and crochet hooks, to satisfy your creative bug? Do you have a knitting needle conversion chart? There are plenty of knitting needle conversion charts on the internet. What is your “Knitting Kit” made up of ?

Knitting and Crochet Projects

I recently knitted some small Chrissy gifts for friends and a little jumper for a penguin down on Phillip Island in Victoria.

What do you like to make knitting or crocheting or combined? Do you have your favourites? Some people enjoy making scarf’s, shawls, poncho’s, mittens, gloves, hats, tea cozy’s, children’s toys, baby or children’s clothes, adult socks sweaters and jackets, jumpers for pets. The real enthusiasts challenge themselves making things like king size blankets and ladies dresses. Some people enjoy another prior step of spinning their own yarn for larger projects.

Knitting Techniques

How are your knitting techniques: Can you do fair-lisle or cable, graph knitting, make tassels and pom poms? Some people knit creatively by thinking outside the box, using alternatives to yarn but as yarn, like VHS tapes, string and stainless steel wool. What’s your specialty?

I love colourful projects, as I have learned that some colours can be really hard on my eyes, especially if the light isn’t good or the wool colours are blacks or navy blues.

I enjoy knitting in the winter or on cool days, but find it difficult to knit over summer because of the heat. When do you start creating? Do you plan to make things well before winter hits or happy to be creative all year round?

When the creative bug hits

I prefer to knit in front of the TV, away from my computer and hugged by my recliner lounge chair. I have always struggled to relax in front of a TV. It makes me feel as though I am wasting time, so I like to watch TV and knit at the same time, giving me a feeling of achievement.

Before my recent retirement, I always carried my knitting with me in the car or on the train when travelling daily to and from Sydney. Six hours travelling each day, allowed me to create many a scarf or jumper this way.

Where do you prefer to be when the creative bug hits you? In a dedicated place for craft in your home, in front of the TV, in a nice sunny position at a window or outside in the fresh air?

Knitting for generations

Does knitting live on in your household, in your family or in your knitting circle among friends? Knitting is a universal skill, be proud of this skill, pass this skill on to other generations?

Keep the knitting alive. Teach someone to knit or crochet, or both!

Do you enjoy knitting? Have you taught your friends or family members?