After way too long a hiatus, I picked up my knitting needles again. I finished these fingerless gloves – a pattern from Knitty. I’ve been carrying them about with me for longer than I care to admit, especially considering how easy they are and how quick they knit up. I’ve knit that pattern, both the male and female version a few times now. I like it. Very easy. I forget how much I love to cable until I do it and then I always wonder why I don’t do it more.
I like knitting, but I have a tendency to stick to smaller projects. I don’t mind spending a year working on the same project, as I did with sweaters for both Pat & Edie, but to be honest, my finishing techniques stink. I definitely need to take class or befriend a really good, experienced knitter who can sit me down and show me how to improve these skills. I’ve bought myself a number of books on the subject and they’re not cutting it. I also am totally overwhelmed by gauge and yarn types and well, alot of the basics of designing a sweater. Scarves and gloves are just easier and much quicker. I want to get over this.
I bought those 4 cones of yarn from our friends at
Open Gate Farm back when they had sheep as well. I love the idea of a ‘local ‘sweater. When I bought it, I had every intention of turning it into a sweater for Pat. I wanted it to be some fabulous
Irish Clan Sweater, but the process of figuring out the gauge, adapting it to some complex pattern, well, it more than overwhelmed me. The yarn has sat for at least a good year, probably two, waiting for me to get my courage up to figure it out. I’ve been assured I have enough yarn to knit Pat a sweater, but I’m nervous about making it the right size. I can’t find a pattern I’m totally happy with. Why is it so hard to find just a plain, men’s pullover sweater pattern?
I’ve been inspired since I read
this post to get back into it. I would love to be able to knit that fast, that much. I’m totally inspired with how creative knitting is, not to mention how relaxing and even sort of addictive it is. You can take it along with you everywhere, unlike sewing. You can manipulate the yarn into so many things, it boggles my mind. I know that when I knit, I do it well, I just have to wrap my head around this gauge and sizing business.
I’m on
Ravelry, but to be honest, I haven’t played around on it much and really figured out how the site works. I did find a pattern that appealed to me through the site, so that’s a start and it’s one I think Pat will wear and so now I’m going about knitting a gauge swatch and trying to wrap my head around this process. It’s going to be an adventure, but if I don’t just jump in, I’m never going to figure this out. And I’ve knit scarves for everyone I know. It’s seriously time to move on and challenge myself. Wish me luck and stay tuned!
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
Chicken Wire & Paper Flowers 
Ravelry is great. I have gotten many patterns off of there. I just like to look at the patterns. I have not knitted since I can home from the hospital. So a bit over a year now. The gratification is not instant enough now. :)Great job on the fingerless gloves!! go becky the babe 🙂
those gloves look great. we move to c'ville from lexington, where matt went to law school, and while i was there i discovered this little yarn shop in raphine, right nextdoor to wade's mill, which makes all these great local flour and meal mixtures. that yarn shop was WILD–it was owned by a little lady in her 50s or 60s who was married to this hot young guy, and every time i went in there, there was a crowd of old country ladies just sitting around the table knitting. i have no idea how i fell in with those women, looking back i can't imagine myself just walking in there and learning to knit, but that's apparently what happened. i went there every couple of weeks or so and learned all kinds of great skills, made some beautiful baby sweaters, and then i found out i was pregnant with cleo and stopped going–first i was too tired to drive, then i just kind of forgot about it. and subsequently forgot all my skills. i want to get back to it, too. a friend who knows what she's doing is ideal…but if i take a class, it won't be at that yarn shop on 29; that lady is a rabid conservative and she has talk radio on all the time.