Sunday, January 24, 2010

Knitting Again

This is the first weekend this year where I have literally had nothing to do. I was so excited about it. No plans. No one to see. No need to go outside. No need to get dressed. It's been as great as I anticipated. Three exciting events have taken place:


1. The Christmas tree has finally come down. It feels very blank without it. It was the first time in my life I have ever had a fake tree and I think it was perfect. It was that choice between not having one at all because we simply weren't going to be here and having something makeshift. Now we'll always have it just in case. The bottom of it is the only annoying thing. But it's all packed in the loft now should the need arise again.


2. It was chutney production time. ALL the chutneys everyone had ever given us had been consumed. I went through the cupboard and found loads of out of date unchutney products, but there was nothing else. Shop bought chutney was experimented with and found sadly lacking so chutney production began in earnest.


3. It seemed high time to get back into some knitting. It has been such a long time that I seemed to be rubbish all over again! It didn't take long to get back into the swing of things though. I think my needles are just a little too big to hold comfortably. I spent last year re-learning to hold my needles in a better way. I know that it helps with your speed eventually and I wanted to not fall into bad habits.

I have found that utube really helps. There are loads of knitting videos on there. I found this great one from Elsteffo which I am going to try and stick to. I also have problems with how I wind the wool round my hand which inevitably affects the tension and evenness of the stitches. And I think I knit a bit too tightly because I always have to stop and push the knitting along. I will be converted to the path of knitting righteousness!


So I am making this free Rowan Cable Neck pattern. Two people I know have made it. One looks just like the picture, but the other person made it out of thinner wool and it's kind of saggy which I really like. I guess it makes less of a statement but I am fine with that. She also made it with much cheaper wool! Robin chunky here I come!

Not having followed many patterns, I am finding it quite hard going. I have knitted the first two bits, albeit quite badly, but I am not quite sure exactly how to do the next bit. I shall spend today trying though.

2 comments:

Claire Vincent said...

i've started the year with a bit of knitting too! I've made the Rubatron a scarf for school, I'll try and get a photo of her wearing it.

Cool to see a row counter again, I think I probably need one of them

K said...

Hey there! You don't know me, but I've just made a sock monkey (or possibly gibbon) from your fine tutorial. And I love her. Thank you so much!

(Photo here.)