Knitting

I love knitting and try to find bargains wherever i can and design my own patterns. In the spirit of saving people money on patterns, is there anyone out there who would like to trial patterns for me? You just use the yarn you have or can find, knit up the pattern and let me know of any problems and send pics. Hand crafts are so important and what we can do when it's horrid weather and don't want to finish the fencing to keep ones neighbours sheep out of ones veggie patch......ggggrrrrrr

Hi Amanda. You asked me in another topic to share what I was knitting. I found your topic here about 'knitting' in general (though you have a question too). So I can share here 'what I am knitting at the moment'.  
I know how to spin wool, but I don't like doing it. I know others who like it, so if I want to use hand spun woolen yarn, I ask them. I also have a different way to get my woolen yarn: I unravel! I buy second hand woolen sweaters. Some aren't fit for unraveling, those I wash in the washing machine, which turns them into felt. But I found one very fine luxurious merino sweater, made in a way that makes it possible to unravel it. So I did. And now I use that yarn for knitting. It is very fine yarn, so it will take me a long time to knit. I won't wear it this winter, this 'winter-undergarment' I am knitting now. Maybe next winter. No problem. Now I have something to knit while listening podcasts, that makes me feel like 'doing useful things'.

Wow that does look fine! I like to do some unravelling but here in northern Spain,  second hand or charity shops don't exist. Seriously! They reuse everything. But I do like to knit whenever I can, such as on car journeys, in doctors' waiting rooms etc because I feel it is important not to waste time as I get older. Also, wearing honemade garments is so satisfying and also make great presents. I just made a scarf for a 90 year old gentleman friend and he said no-one in his family had ever made him anything!
Of course, the other side is when TSHTF hand skills may become important, which is why I don't feel too guilty about my stash.....
I am so jealous about your ability to spin. I tried once and I think It would take a long time for me to achieve the necessary coordination. There is a lovely video channel, tinypaperfoxes about shepherding, spinning and knitting which I find quite enjoyable. Fruity Knitting is interesting from the designing point of view. There are some wonderful patterns out there and I like to find ideas that suit my idea of Slow Fashion that will last for decades rather than seasons.
I wonder if there are any other knitters out there in Permieland who would like to do a KAL, maybe for teatowels or dishcloths if fancy shawls or tops were thought to be too frivolous!
Happy knitting Inge.

Amanda Launchbury-Rainey wrote:...
I wonder if there are any other knitters out there in Permieland who would like to do a KAL, maybe for teatowels or dishcloths if fancy shawls or tops were thought to be too frivolous!
Happy knitting Inge.

I would like to 'meet' other permie-knitters too.
We could knit-along a towel, yes. I have unraveled cotton yarn too.
When I knit a towel I do it diagonally. I start with one loop (stitch), making one more in every row (all rows knitted, not purled). When I have my desired width, instead of increasing I start decreasing one stitch per row. When the knitting is finished I make a nice rim in crochet, including a loop to hang the towel.

Good idea. Lets see if anyone will join us?

Hi. I started. Here's a photo of the first 20 rows (there are 20 stitches now, 1 increased in each row).

heya, i'm a knitter too, but i knit like I cook (improvisationally!) and I've been told that my knitting is "lefthanded Russian", whatever that means. I taught myself so I have nobody else to blame! I did teach myself to "knit correctly" and while now I can do it and get brioche stitch right (my weird knitting method made brioche impossible) I prefer my way, it's faster.
I do make a lot of things around the house, though, and am finally getting a pair of socks done (gloves, scarves, hats, okay. socks and sweaters, though, have been beyond me so far). Make lots of dishtowel/potholders/scrubbies too, and my favorite has probably been the crocheted swiffer cover, so I can just spray stuff on the wood floor and not have to mop. (like this one http://skullcharms.blogspot.com/2007/05/free-pattern-ballband-dishcloth.html )

Got myself some cotton to start on dishcloths and got distracted.......

Tereza Okava wrote:heya, i'm a knitter too, but i knit like I cook (improvisationally!) and I've been told that my knitting is "lefthanded Russian", whatever that means. I taught myself so I have nobody else to blame! I did teach myself to "knit correctly" and while now I can do it and get brioche stitch right (my weird knitting method made brioche impossible) I prefer my way, it's faster.
I do make a lot of things around the house, though, and am finally getting a pair of socks done (gloves, scarves, hats, okay. socks and sweaters, though, have been beyond me so far).

I love brioche but it does take time. Tbe shawl I just posted is mainly brioche. If you can do socks, gloves and brioche, jumpers and cardies will be a doddle. Check out this course . I have used this method for many projects now and it is so easy.
https://www.mybluprint.com/playlist/61/659

Inge Leonora-den Ouden wrote:Hi. I started. Here's a photo of the first 20 rows (there are 20 stitches now, 1 increased in each row).

How's it going?

It's finished!

Ok, Inge, I'm  back on course. This will be my bedtime knitting. Going corner to corner but doing seed stich cos this cotton drapes better that way. We are building a bathroom so Im hoping to make as many cloths as possible. And dare I say towels? Errrrr......

Amanda Launchbury-Rainey wrote:...Going corner to corner but doing seed stich cos this cotton drapes better that way.

Seed stitch looks good. Maybe I'll do that next time