Monday 19 August 2013

Ela sews and KNITS?

Are you knitting? I think I will start again!

Having been to the bloggers meet-up on Goldhawk Road in August I saw Rachel's beautiful Miette Cardigan (My Messings: Miette - Finished!!) which she had knitted herself. I just fell in love with it and my imagination went crazy. Just how lovely would it be to wear a self-knitted cardigan over a dress I made? That thought hasn't left my brain and got me thinking.

I am not foreign to knitting and learnt it from my grandma when I was a teenager. I knitted several scarfs and even a vest and a jumper. The later ones, unfortunately, didn't fit me as I struggled to keep my tension even. That was six years ago. Knitting is like cycling, right? You will never forget it, once you learnt it. So I had a look into my sewing box and look what I found.

Loads of knitting needles and even a needle gauge.

I also had a look into may favourite knitting book. I got it from my granddad 18 years ago and it tells you all the basics about knitting, crocheting and stitching (needless, to say that I tried all three of them :) ). Sorry, it is in German. But, because I love it so much (especially all the little hand drawings), I wanted to show you a few pictures. Maybe you will recognise a few of the stitches :)

Knit, Crochet, Stitch...
Purl (here shown for left-handed people).

How to cast off.
So, now the question was, what could I knit to get slowly started again? I had an issue of Mollie Makes, which contained the pattern for a lovely lace scarf!

My knitting aim: a lace scarf :)
Not, that I had ever knitted something in rounds and not that I am very good in reading knitting patterns and not that I knew the English names of the different stitches. But, my enthusiasm couldn't be damped and off I went to the knitting shop. The owner, an elderly gentleman, was very happy to help me and wished me a lot of luck after I told him I hadn't knitted  for ages. I am sure I need that :) So here is what I got:

Wool, stitch markers and needles.

There were so many lovely colours and I couldn't decide! But at the end I took the pinkish ones and to everybodys amusement I was wearing a scarf in the same colours :) Then I had a go on a 10 cm tension sample. I feel a bit embarrassed to show it to you because it looks nuts. But never mind, I am sure I will get better! I had problems to read the stitch pattern the other way around when I made my way back. And also for the yarn over, it took me a while to understand how to do it. Thankfully at you tube there are many videos that show how to do it :)

Are you sure you have knitted before?

So, are you knitting? If YES, what are you working on and when NOT have you thought about starting?

Have a lovely Monday everyone!!!

14 comments:

  1. I was inspired by Rachel's Miette and have started making it too! However I wasn't as sensible as you in starting with a smaller project and have just dived in head first. Luckily, even for someone like me, who is definitely a novice knitter, the pattern is relatively easy - it's only taken me about two weeks and I'm already half way through my first sleeve! Good luck with the scarf!

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    1. Good luck with the cardigan! I am glad to hear that it is not that difficult. That gives me hope I can tackle it as well at some point. I am looking forward to see your progress!

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  2. It seems the knitting bug has started to appear for autumn :) Just this weekend I ordered some yarn from Garn Studio to make an autumn cardigan. Haven't decided on a pattern yet but have a few short listed in my Ravelry queue. Looking forward to seeing the finished scarf!

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    1. Yes, it definitely has! I am looking forward to sit on the sofa under a cosy quilt with my knitting in hand :) I haven't looked into Ravelry patterns yet, looks like I should. (Or maybe I shouldn't if there is so much choice) Happy knitting with your cardigan.

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  3. I think you're rather courageous to "practice" knitting on a piece with a pattern like that.I'd have done something simpler until I got the tension right. But since you learned to sew pretty cloths within a few month, you'll manage perfectly.

    The last couple of winters I knitted quite a few pairs of socks. Who doesn't like a lovely warm pair of woolly socks in winter? Once my boyfriend wanted to try knitting too. But he's a leftie and I had a hard time showing him. A book like yours would have been great help.

    I'd like to make a cardigan for my self but I don't know which pattern would suit me. I should sign up to Ravelry I think.

    Liebe Grüße aus Wien!

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    1. I know. I hope it is not my downfall! But I just didn't want to make another one of these straight scrafs that has only purls and knits. And I thought, even if I don't get the tension right, it will hopefully not show because the scarf is layered on the neck. But thanks for your hope in me :)

      Woolly socks in winter are the best! And I am amazed that your boyfriend wanted to learn knitting as well! Such a pitty that you couldn't find any instructions for left-handed people. (I don't thing the book is produced anymore, but maybe you can find something on ebay if your boyfriend is still interessted)

      As for the cardigan, maybe you an try some cardigans in the shopes and get a similar style on Ravelry? As you also metnion Ravelry, I now have to look into it. I never heard of it before, but no wonder :)

      Und liebe Gruesse zurueck aus London!

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  4. I knit, I am in the process of finishing a jumper. It is a very easy pattern. I am a bit of an insomniac and I find that knitting rows of stocking stitch is so much better than counting sheep. I get frustrated with sheep they are so unproductive and then I am awake even longer.

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    1. Hihi, at least both, your jumper and the sheep, are soft and woolly :)

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  5. My granny taught me to knit when I was about 7, but I never actually made anything, and promptly forgot! I decided to start knitting again last year (I acquired some yarn with some fabric I got from freecycle), but have so far only made a couple of garter stitch scarves, a couple of kids' hats, and a phone case for my sister (with my first cables!). I haven't done it in a while, I think I think of it as more of a winter activity (also great for days off work sick, curled up on the sofa re-watching Harry potter films!) but I really want to be able to knit myself some cardigans, and I have about 7 hours of car journeys this weekend, so I think I might try and find something to take with me! Looking forward to seeing the progress on your scarf!

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    1. Wow, you have made a lot of things already! And you are right about knitting curled up on the sofa - that is what I plan to do as well :) I am sure you will make good progress on your car ride if you find something to take with you. I will hoepfully start my scraf this weekend. I had to buy some chrochet needles for the cast on and they should come by post today, yeah!

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  6. Yay, so glad you got into knitting again! I'm impressed with your tension gauge - I haven't even tried one of those yet! I'm making a scarf at the moment and hoping to work myself up to jumpers and cardigans... Good luck, I'll be keeping a little eye on your progress!

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    1. Thank you. I just knitted the first 8 rows of my scarf :) It will take me many cosy evenings to get this one done. Happy knitting with your scarf as well!

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  7. Hooray for knitting!! :D Remember, if you have issues, youtube is your friend! I also found the videos here really helpful: http://www.woolandthegang.com/en/videos/index

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    1. Rachel, thanks for the link! I will check it out at once. I am still struggling with me tension, buh.

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