Looking in projects at Sue's knitted sweater I'm wondering. Those of you that knit is it something you learned when you were younger or did you take it up later in life. It is one thing i can not do even though I can crochet.
Bev
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I taught myself to knit at the age of 20. My advice is get a how-to book from library or store. Get some yarn and large needles and try it. It isnt hard and if you can crochet, which is harder to self-teach...then you can knit. The thing to remember is not to start out with too small needles or yarn that splits. (kind of like not starting crochet with a 0 hook. LOL)
731My grandmother taught me to do a chain stitch and the very basics of crochet when I was 10 or so. I am self-taught from there on. I can knit, but not well at all. It seems to require too much patience. I enjoy thread crochet most, but have no more room for any more doilies!
3457My mother taught me to crochet when I was about 10. when she was about 60, I taught her to knit. We both had a lot of laughs over it. A memory I'll always have.
16707Taught myself to knit about 6 years ago and found out I taught myself to knit left handed even though I am right handed......left handed felt natural, so that is how I knit. I only chain crochet for edging on knitwear, would love to learn more but can't quite get that.....yet!!
261163It is so interesting what the cuties do besides embroidery...I don't knit (a friend tried to teach me, but couldn't focus...lol) I learned how to crochet (made only one lap blanket) but I love to sew, do ribbon embroidery, now hooked on machine embroidery...other interest: crafts, cake decorating and painting.
21593I sterted knitting when I was 5 and my youngest brother was born. I was going to knit him a cardigan in LILAC (only wool my mom had spare). Every school holiday(Iwent to stay with an aunt when I was 6.) When I came home I picked it up again but never ever finished. When my youngest sister was born I was 9 and learned to crochet. I don't have much time to persue these crafts but love trying difficult patterns if only to knit a block. I recently knitting a blankie for my first grnadchild in cable strips. Every strip a different colour and pattern.
6339I have just come back to this post and read all the wonderful comments. It made me wonder just how many of our grandchildren can knit? With all the modern technology these wonderful pastimes will soon be forgotten.
2 comments
by meganne
11 Jan 2012
Not if I can help it! I'll be teaching my GK's as soon as they are dexterous enough. When I was working all the younger staff loved all my knitted clothes (that had come back into fashion but were too expensive for them) So I used to teach them to knit & crochet during our lunch break.
255054I learnt to knit when I was about 8. My Dad's Mother taught me, though my mum used to be always knitting.
I taught myself to crochet when I was a teenager and I made many gorgeous things.
Photo is me, aged about 26, wearing a little black dress I crocheted. I made my sister a bright burnt orange coloured one the same. I was so proud of those dresses. Boy that was a long time ago.
The dolly is one I I couldn't resist buying and dressing in a complete knitted outfit and of course there is always knitted tea-cosies (sp)
I don't seem to have much time for knitting these days, maybe when winter rolls around this year I may do some more hand crafts.
It is very relaxing.
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5 comments
by spendlove
11 Jan 2012
I crocheted a dress like that (mine was purple) It was worked downwards,and grew longer every time I wore it so I had to undo a couple of rows now and again!
by meganne
11 Jan 2012
Showing our age Sue. hehehehe!!!!
The shoes are made from vinyl, very easy to make but vinyl doesn't glue together very well, needs a special glue.
I just love Peta's face, I often pick her up and give her a cuddle. :-)
122864I still can't knit. Several people have tried to teach me over the years but I can't pick it up. My mum knitted & when I was younger we would often visit an aunt & her daughter & they would all be knitting. I love to crochet & was taught in 6th class at school. Don't know if they teach any of them at school now??
12407My mom taught me to knit when I was little but I remember it being too hard, and I gave up. Then once I left home decided I'd have another try and basically taught myself. I can follow patterns but I'm not clever enough to be able to enlarge or reduce designs myself, sad I know lol. Now crochet I just can't get. Granny squares and rows are fine (like those zig-zaggy looking blankets), but when it comes to going around in circles, like bootees well .. they just get bigger and bigger each time I go around lol.
I tend to knit in winter at night when it's too cold to move off the couch but I still want to make something. Is crafting an addiction? lol :) xXx
4309Learnt to knit as a child but haven't knitted for about 20yrs because the weather has got warmer & we have all the winter knitted fabrics to sew ,that go through the washing machine without any special care. Can do fair isle knitting & other fancy styles but find some of the new yarns impossible to work with eg feathers
Not the best at crocheting & hopeless at tatting.
25212Learnt to knit as a child but haven't knitted for about 20yrs because the weather has got warmer & we have all the winter knitted fabrics to sew ,that go through the washing machine without any special care. Can do fair isle knitting & other fancy styles but find some of the new yarns impossible to work with eg feathers
Not the best at crocheting & hopeless at tatting.
25212Bev - I am the opposite of you. I can knit (I only knit in winter) but I cannot crochet. Wish I could learn. I learnt to knit from my grandmother when I was a child.
1 comment
by bumblebee
11 Jan 2012
Its hard to go either way. knitting to crochet or the other way around till you get used to it.
255054I learned knitting, crocheting and sewing in school. We also did a embroidery sampler and learned how to darn socks. I was not too impressed as a youngster but picked up knitting in my early 20s and did'nt stop. Iin my early 40s opened a yarn shop which I ran for 12 years. I love creating new things, but hate mending.
Angie
109774Learned to knit about 5 when I started school, learned to crochet in my teens taught by a great aunt. Still do both today!
24342Learn to knit crochet and tat from books that i bought from my pocket money when i was in 5th or 6th grade. But learn hand embroidery in school cause we had needle work. I will up load some of the needle work i did in school one of these days. The advanced knitting like cable i learn from my mother in law .She was so good at it.
Brenda
3 comments
by bevintex
10 Jan 2012
Tried tatting with a shuttle but all I got was thread wrapped around my fingers in a big mess. So tried needle tatting. I'm not too bad at it,need some practice but i can make a nice butterfly.
Bev
by gandu
13 Jan 2012
Sorry cant do needle tat. Have not seen any one doing it. Is it easier than shuttle i wonder
brenda
6241I've been knitting for about 71 years.
I was around 5 when I started knitting. Little rectangles made into coin purses was my specialty. I remember making my doll some red booties when I was about 6 or 7 and haven't stopped knitting socks since then. All the girls were taught to knit at school in Grade 3 (I was 7 then) and we knitted khaki items for the 'soldiers in the war'.
I crocheted a granny square rug for my doll's bed when I was about 6 but crochet isn't my favourite needlecraft although I've crocheted some nice vests for men in the family.
I loved knitting warm woollies for my children but felt the most satisfaction when I spun our Perendale Sheep's fleeces into yarn and knitted cable sweaters for my last boy - the mud just dropped off that gorgeous white yarn.
Sweaters are too heavy for my hands, and waning patience, these days but I'm still in demand for caps, socks and baby sweaters.
AlmaG.
1 comment
by anne55
11 Jan 2012
God bless you for all the joy you've given through the years. You keep going on with the things that give you joy as long as you can hold knitting needles!
17214I learned to knit when I was about 5 and made dolls clothes. I didn't learn to crochet until I was a teenager. I still do both. I've also had several knitting machines. Apart from the tactile nature of the craft (or art?) I really like the maths of pattern designing. Sad isn't it?
1 comment
by bumblebee
11 Jan 2012
Thats exactly what machine knitting is a lot of mental work up front. I like the speed of KM for some projects. Not all patterns are good for km-easier by hand.
140717I can't crochet at all--I can make the stitches just fine, but I can't go to a new row without messing up the edges--How do people make it look so easy? I never know which hole they're talking about when they try to show me--is it because I'm left-handed? Or is it because I'm pea-brained?
3 comments
by bumblebee
11 Jan 2012
When you start your edges make sure you have the correct count of chains and go into the correct loop when you finish a row.
by tilde01
11 Jan 2012
I'm right handed and taught my mother to knit at the age of 60 and she's left handed. What a fun time we had.
11860It was something my Sisters and I was taught from a very early age and living in England we needed the warm clothes, even the schools taught knitting. The only thing I knit now is coathangars.
6515I have knitted when I was young, in the years 1940...it was the war, and very difficult to have clothes, and knitting was a good way to dress. I have always knitted for my children and now also for my grandchildren. I love the hand made knit
25533Learned to knit from my maternal grandmother when I was about 5 yrs old, have knitted ever since, but hated knitting at school. Learned crochet from my paternal grandmother when I was about 7. She also knitted doilies on very fine needles, which my mother found old-fashioned (she did not like crocheted doilies for the same reason), but I was fascinated by it.
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119791Learned basic knit and crochet as a child but never really got into it until after college.
62461My mom worked and when she had time was knitting my dad argyle socks. She never let us watch her do any crafts so when she was at work I just started on my own at about seven years old no book or pictures just would knit and make cloths for my dolls. Later I purchased a book and learned more techniques and unlearned what I had been doing wrong. lol
89895My aunt crocheted so I learned that first and later in life I taught myself to knit. My love is to make socks. Its extremely weird when you first start to knit but like anything the more you practice the better you get. I also have knitting machines which have fallen out of popularity but I love mine.
37638I have not knitted for years, but to answer your question, my mum knitted so i had the basic stiches when I was young, then I was thirteen my sister was born,I knitted loads of things for her, latter in life I can knit anything make my own patterns up and it is a good hobby to do in front of tv.I can crochet a little but this is somthing my mum and i both learned together.Hugs Pam.
30988Was taught to knit when I was 6 in school and am still doing it. Also do crochet and bobbin lace!
57492I have the yarn, knitting needles, and patterns, I have tried many times to learn but it never sinks in, but I can close my eyes and crochet.
6030Interesting, I'm the other way round - can knit but can't crochet. My mom used to do test knits for the bigger yarn factories such as Patons and I almost learned it before I could walk. She unfortunately tried her best to teach me crochet but I could never follow her on that. Still love to knit and have files and files full of patterns.
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