“Aww, thanks! You made me a… er, what is it?”
I’m sure every knitter and crocheter has had an experience along these lines at some point. Often the relative or friend will be too polite to voice it, but you can see it in their eyes as they warily handle the hat you spent weeks toiling away on, risking your eyesight and ruining your hands with unsightly needle callouses. “Is it a teacosy?” you see them asking themselves. “I don’t have a teapot. What was she thinking? Or perhaps it’s a bag, but where’s the handle?” Eventually you take pity on them and tell them it’s a hat, then watch them try it on. “Oh, don’t worry,” you say, as you watch it drop down around their ears. “I can add in some elastic and that will sort out the fit.” This is the point where you also begin to get paranoid about whether your head is abnormally large, because the hat fit just fine on you.
Stephanie Pearl-McPhee advises in her great little book, Knitting Rules!, that the only person who will ever truly appreciate the amount of time and skill that’s gone into a knitted gift is another knitter. I think she’s right about that, but there can be another potential issue. Your relatives are so keen to save your feelings, that rather than tell you there’s a small problem with the gift that you could fix for them, they throw the hat in the back of a drawer and you never ever see them wear it. Eventually I managed to worm out of my mum that Dad didn’t wear his knitted hat because he didn’t like the earflaps (shown left). They didn’t want to say anything because they thought the hat was all in one piece, whereas in fact the earflaps were sewn on at the end. It took me all of five minutes to unpick the joining stitches, and since then I’ve seen him wear it when out gardening or woodchopping.
The other thing Pearl-McPhee warns about is never to make anyone socks as a gift, because then you’ll spend the rest of your life being pestered for more. I learned this lesson the hard way after making a pair of socks for my husband. The other similar phenomenon I’ve encountered is my mum handing me patterns saying “If you want a present idea for me, I really like this bed jacket.” This is a bed jacket worked in a complicated lace pattern using fine mohair yarn on tiny needles. Yeah right, Mum. Maybe if they issue an extra few hours in the day…
With Christmas fast approaching I’m having my annual brainstorm about what gifts to make my friends and family. For years now I’ve been giving handmade birthday and Christmas presents to my nearest and dearest, but recently I’ve started to get a bit more selfish with my crafting time. I realised that although I’d spent the best part of five years on my hobby, I didn’t have a single item of clothing I’d made for myself. Just one lowly scarf. Things had to change. I put a moratorium on handmade birthday presents, freeing up my time for most of the year. However, for me Christmas shouldn’t be a time for crass commercialisation, but for giving simple, handmade gifts. If I don’t do the knit/crochet thing, then I’ll end up making a ton of truffles!
Pattern links
Here, then, are my top pattern links for quick and easy gifts:
Techno cosies are probably one of the quickest gifts you can make, and everyone has at least one item that could use one. There are so many beautiful free patterns over at Ravelry here: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/search#photo=yes&craft=knitting&view=captioned_thumbs&availability=free&sort=best&pc=electronics
However, you don’t need to follow a pattern. So long as you know the dimensions of the item it’s easy to improvise (This pattern shows you a simple technique for a crochet case). I made this gorgeous crochet phone cosy on the left by making a foundation chain as long as the base of my phone, then working half double crochet stitches in a round, going into each side of the original chain. The striping was simple too: just use a stripy sock yarn! This year, however, I’ll be making my sister the zombie variation instead 
Xmas decorations can be cute little gifts you can slip into a card and send to friends in far away places. A few years back I made loads of crochet snowflakes (you can see some in the picture on the right), using free patterns sourced here: http://www.crochetpatterncentral.com/directory/snowflakes.php I honestly couldn’t tell you now which ones I actually made, but there’s something here for all crochet skill levels. Make them in fine white cotton yarn and block them using a solution of PVA glue, then sprinkle on glitter as they dry. Beautiful! You can also find a whole bunch of free knitted ornament patterns here: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/search#photo=yes&craft=knitting&view=captioned_thumbs&availability=free&sort=best&pc=decorative
But what about the crafter herself? (or himself–sorry Cole!) I decided that as well as making presents for everyone else, I wanted to make myself something too. I’m going for a dressmaking project instead of a knit or crochet one. See, I bought this fabulously camp piece of fabric (left) last year and it’s just dying to be made into an apron…
Are you a selfish or a selfless crafter? And what are you making for people this year? Better yet, what are you making for yourself?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Josephine Myles first learnt to crochet when she was eighteen. After making one beret that turned into a teacosy and frustrated at the crappy choice of yarn in her local shops, she decided the craft just wasn’t for her. Fast forward ten years, and having a bun in the oven prompted Jo to pick up her hook again to crochet some teeny-tiny baby things. Fortunately, by this time the world had caught up with her and there were all kinds of sexy yarns out there to indulge in. A few years later she taught herself knitting and dressmaking, and she hasn’t looked back since.
When she’s not busy with yarn or sewing machine, Jo can be found with her head in a book, pottering in the garden or running around after her daughter. She should probably get back to writing the steamy manlove novels, shouldn’t she?
Jo’s website and blog: http://josephinemyles.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/JosephineMyles
Facebook author page: http://www.facebook.com/josephine.myles.authorpage
Ravelry profile: http://www.ravelry.com/people/Anna-Jo
Hat photograph shared by Yersinia under a Creative Commons Licence. All other photographs © Josephine Myles
Tam
I got a hand knit hat last year as a secret Santa gift, made with alpaca wool from alpacas I actually touched in person. I wear it all the time. Well, when it’s cold, I’m not a huge hat wearer.
I’m not a crafter really. My aunt made me those crocheted snow flakes years ago. I love them and still have a few left. I guess I’m more of a baker. I have made dog biscuits for family pets, spelled out my cousin’s kids names in gingerbread, made BDSM gingerbread men for a friend, those kind of things. This year I’ll be lucky if I have time to buy gifts. Thank god for the invention of on-line shopping.
Josephine Myles
Ooh, that sounds lovely! Alpaca yarn is so beautifully soft
I consider baking to be a craft. The BDSM gingerbread men sound like a hoot! I usually make things like biscuits for friends–if I give them anything at all. It does get ridiculous if you feel you have to get presents for everyone.
Tam
Tam
Eh crap. The link didn’t work in your version of WP. LOL
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvtczzNsVz1qbgbv6o1_500.jpg
Josephine Myles
LOL! These are fabulous–I want to make some, but I’m not sure how many of my RL friends would find them funny rather than creepy
Cole
OMG that’s awesome!!
K. Z. Snow
I love glittery crochet(ed) snowflakes! I have a whole collection of them, gleaned from craft fairs and resale shops — because I couldn’t make one to save my soul.
Josephine Myles
It’s great to know there are other crochet snowflake fans out there! I’ve never seen any at craft sales. Perhaps they’re more popular in the States than they are here. I do like to buy a handmade tree ornament or two every year, though. This year I’ve already bought a few wooden fretwork snowflakes. You can never have too many snowflakes, I reckon
Cole
How do I not have any of these things?! I’m going to have to make some, I think…
Josephine Myles
Definitely! There are a few knit snowflake patterns out there too, but not nearly as many as there are crochet. You’ll have to brush up on your technique
jayrookwood
I always make loads of stuff for Christmas, a lot of which (basically anything not involving alcohol) gets sold for the charity my aunt is involved in. She’s a puppy parent for Canine Partners, which is a really great cause.
This year I’ve made spiced apple & rosehip, bramble, hawthorn, and mixed berry jellies, plus about two gallons of rosehip syrup, and I helped my aunt make several dozen lavender bags. The spiced apple & rosehip jelly has cinnamon and cloves in, and is deliciously christmassy. I’m also going to make ginger beer – the real stuff made with ginger beer plant.
For 2013 I’ve got about 2 pints of sloe gin steeping in the cupboard (plus another four pints for subsequent years) and there are also plans for maple sherry, maplejack, cider, applejack, rosehip rose, lavender wine, and lavender, blackthorn, black-&-whitethorn and hawthorn & rosehip jellies for next year. I’ll also be turning old curtain rings into Christmas tree decorations, I’m also thinking about making a jar of rumtopf for next Christmas – if I can find a strong enough rum. I might make a batch of cherry-sloe liqueur chocolates – you melt dark chocolate and dip frozen stone-out dark sweet cherries into it using cocktail sticks, then squirt a little sloe gin into the cherry down the hole left by the cocktail stick before sealing with a blob of chocolate. Plus I’ll probably make some plum chutney, and loads of pickled beetroot if there’s a good crop of plums and beetroot.
For 2014 there’ll be more sloe gin, plus the sloes from the 2013 gin will be combined with brandy, sugar and some of the sloe wine to make sloe port. I’ll also have plum brandy, plum & brandy jam, and plum chutney – assuming mum gets two good years on her plum tree!
For 2015 I’ll hopefully have my first batch of elderberry wine ready.
I’ll also be making many gallons elderflower champagne and ginger beer at some point for my brother’s wedding – assuming I can find enough champagne bottles.
Josephine Myles
Wow! You do love your preserves, don’t you? One of these years I’m going to make sloe gin because I do love drinking it. The hubby and I used to do a lot of winemaking, but fell out of practice after Daisy came along. Would be nice to get back into it now we’ve got a garage to store all the demijohns in. My absolute favourite was Meadowsweet wine, which is incredibly heady and intoxicating.
The sloe port and the cherry-sloe liqueur chocs sound absolutely wonderful. I’m salivating just reading about them! And I know just how good the plum and brandy jam is
Cole
OH please invite Jo and I over for a party? That sounds amazing! I’ve never actually considered before now getting into the alcohol process in any way, but it’s something that I’d like to try, I think. Plus, I think it is fun to have a really long process that you get into. It means more the longer you spend on it, no matter what it is, don’t you think?
jayrookwood
One thing I’m really looking forward to trying is the applejack. You can’t buy the real stuff any more (the stuff sold as “applejack” in the USA is actually cider brandy, and I don’t think it was ever available in Britain anyway) so you have to make it yourself. I’ll be making the cider for it with a blend of crabapples, bramleys and the delicious cox-like eating apples from my parents’ tree, and it’ll be heavily oaked so should taste good.
The cherry-sloe chocs are a slight experiment. I’ve done them before without alcohol (absolutely delicious) and with kirsch (even more yummy) so I’m fairly confident. I’m thinking about leaving them for a few years so the sloe gin’s flavour has more time to develop. I read somewhere online that over time the gin takes on more and more flavour from the sloe stones, so becomes increasingly almondy as it ages.
I’m a big fan of classic taste combinations like cherry & almond. Another personal favourite is my version of Rhubarb Fool, I combine sweetened whipped double cream with finely sliced crystallised ginger, and cooked rhubarb with about half as much creme fraiche as cream. Fold the two together lightly and you get a really nice marble effect – and a delicious ginger zing when a piece hits your tongue
(Can you tell I love cooking?)
Cole
LOL yes! I can tell
I LOVE rhubarb fool! If you were just starting out, would sloe gin be one of the easiest things to make, or the hardest??
jayrookwood
Sloe gin is a doddle – if you ignore the blood, sweat and tears (emphasis on the blood) that goes into picking the damn things in the first place. Blackthorn itself isn’t too bad, it’s the dog-roses and brambles it often grows with that shred your hands.
The recipe I use is a 4-2-1 mixture of gin, sloes and sugar respectively. I have 1.8L clip-top kilner jars, so each one gets 1L of gin, 500g of sloes and 250g of granulated sugar. Freeze your sloes overnight before you add them to the jar (this saves you from having to prick them all) then add the sugar, followed by the gin. Seal, shake twice a day for a week, then leave for at least two months, preferably longer, in a cool dark place. That gives you about 1.25L of sloe gin (just over 2 UK pints / 2.5 US pints). I use 37.5% ABV (75% US proof / 66% UK proof) gin, so the liqueur comes out at roughly 30% ABV (60% US proof / 52.5% UK proof). Using clip-top jars is quite important, as they’re easier to open. I used jars with screw-top lids last year, and they were a right bugger to open when I wanted to decant the gin!
Josephine Myles
I’m guessing sloes are going to be harder to get hold of over the US, as they’re native to the UK and Europe. Perhaps you can order dried ones, though, or put out a plea to find if any locals have it in their gardens? There are a few nurseries in the US selling blackthorn, so if you’re up for the wait you could plant some. It does look beautiful as an early spring blossom on otherwise naked branches.
Watch out, though–blackthorns are particularly nasty to be scratched by, and the wounds are notorious for turning septic. They make a great security hedge!
jayrookwood
Blackthorn is naturalised in North America, and other than the extreme south, north and desert areas, there probably aren’t any places where it won’t grow since it’s fairly tolerant of climate.
Dog-rose and bramble wounds can also turn septic, and haws leave a nasty nicotine-like stain on the skin, so I always wash my hands with vodka when I get home irrespective of what I’ve been picking.
Cole
Food for thought (or drink *grin*)
Thanks you two!
Josephine Myles
I adore cherry and almond too. Bitter almonds taste incredible. I know it’s the cyanide flavour I love and there’s something a bit disturbing about that, but it is wonderful! Anything with Amaretto in is sure to be a big hit with me.
jayrookwood
I’ve just added another make to the list: Christmas pot-pourri. I’ve already got cinnamon quills, star anise, allspice berries, cardamom pods cloves and bay leaves, and later today I’ll be drying lime & orange slices, rosehips and slices of fresh ginger root. I’m trying to think of other things I could add, so any suggestions gratefully received! I wish I’d thought of it earlier in the year as my parents have lilies that have gorgeous seed-heads which would look great in this. There are instructions for the dried orange slices here:
http://cookquiltmakeandbake.com/2011/12/07/make-dried-orange-slice-ornaments/
It’s well worth having a look at their site as they’ve got loads of Christmas make ideas. Here’s one you might like, Jo & Cole:
http://cookquiltmakeandbake.com/2011/12/14/make-knitted-stocking-christmas-ornaments/
Josephine Myles
I’m going to make some of those orange slices for our tree! We’re having a real one for the first time in years, and I’m fairly sure I won’t have enough decorations to cover it.
As to what you could add to the pot pourri… small pine cones? Honesty seed heads? Beech nut cases?
jayrookwood
I did think of Honesty, as my aunt has some, however they’re probably not robust enough to cope with the other things I’ve put in. I’ll be keeping my eye out for pine-cones though. I’ve not seen any beech-nuts this year.
Something else for the tree: pick a load of rosehips, dry them alongside the orange slices, and thread onto strong thread or fishing line to make garlands. You could add quarter-slices of orange as well.
Cole
OOOOH I love those little knit stockings!!
Cole
OMG I love that fabric! That’ll make a great apron
I don’t knit for very many people. My yarn buying resources are so small that I only knit something for someone if they come with me and choose the yarn. I feel like that also helps them be involved with it, like they’re designing it (and they can help me design it) so that I’m sure they really want it. I’ve made the mistake of knitting random things for people I thought they’d like and generally I watch my time and money go down the drain. I know I hate that and they probably feel guilty too, so this year I’m only knitting one project for someone other than myself. I’m knitting my sister the Almeara gloves designed by Jared Flood (former blogger, now proper designer/spinner entrepreneur who I LOOOOOVE because, since he’s a guy he designs a lot of guy knits too).
And thank you thank you Jo because these last few years I’ve been getting pretty down about my knitting. I kept thinking I had to give up my knitter/crafter identity because I hadn’t done ANYthing in a few years. But I’ve been really getting back into knitting since you started your lovely posts and I’m going to do a knitting update of my own later this week
I’m currently working on both of these patterns:
Quinnipiac
Arrowhead Mittens
And I have a couple more in the queue
Josephine Myles
The fabric is awesome, isn’t it? I must get hold of more by that designer. There’s one with cowboys on, and another with shirtless construction workers
I know just what you mean about how dispiriting it is to make something for someone and then never see them wear it. I’m being much more careful now, and making sure people know in advance what they’re getting. It takes out the surprise element, but I’d rather people get something they really want. Mum picked out a dress pattern and fabric for her present, and my sister adores the zombie phone cosy and has been begging me for her own (made one for hubby’s iPod).
That’s wonderful that you’re getting back into knitting again–and those patterns are gorgeous! Jared Flood already appears to be in my favourites file, so I think you must have linked me to his designs before. He does some beautiful knitted lace patterns. And you know, I don’t think it matters how often you practice a craft, really. I mean, I still consider myself a mosaic artist even though I haven’t made one in over eight years. “Former mosaic artist” sounds way too final, and I’m sure I’ll make another one at some point in the future
Cole
Cowboys! I vote for Cowboys!
Yes, I love Jared Flood and I think I have mentioned the Brooklyn Tweed brand to you before. I love his lace patterns as well, and he has a penchant for turning shawls and things into beautiful blankets with using worsted instead of a lace or fingering weight.
Have you ever seen any of Stephen West’s patterns? Look him up on Ravelry if you don’t know him, I like a lot of his too
Josephine Myles
Thanks for the rec–love his Thendara shawl. I definitely need to make me one of those. Also, he’s really cute!
Cole
Yes he is very cute! He reminds me of a friend I used to have, who went to Oxford actually and was a Londoner.
Daybreak has always been my favorite of his shawl/scarves, but there are some new interesting ones in the last 6 months too! He’s so prolific, I swear he must knit SO fast.
New favorites are Glacier Sweep, Geysir Stretch, Aurora Expanse, Barndom, and Featheron.
Josephine Myles
Actually, I’m rather taken with the Outdoorsy Type fabric now I’ve seen it. You can check out all the Pin-Ups collection here: http://www.ahfabrics.com/collections/category/318-pinups
Cole
I like the lumberjack!
Cel
I have been knitting for a long time but have made very few things for myself. I have a harder time with motivation to finish if I don’t have a deadline. Or I start something for me and then an unexpected need for a gift comes along and the lovely, soft and warm bed socks go to someone else…
I have a large collection of crochet snowflakes, too. They are the major decorations on my tree whenever I put one up.
Cole
Yes, I have a hard time sticking to a project as well. Also, I mostly knit just to knit, so I’ll often do have a project off the cuff and not be happy with it and frog it, starting something new and never finishing anything. Usually with socks! But I usually try to keep at least one solid knit project, one colorwork project and one intense cable project going so I can knit different styles when I get tired of the one I’m working on.
Josephine Myles
Oh yes, don’t deadlines make wonderful motivators! I give myself deadlines for my own stuff, like wanting something ready for a party/event in the future. I need that kick up the arse. Perhaps I should be telling myself I need to get my cardie finished for New Year. That could work…
Snowflakes are such a pleasing shape. I’ve always been enchanted by them. I remember cutting them out of paper and sticking them all over the living room windows every December when I was a kid. Will have to do that with Daisy this year
Finn Marlowe
The Zombie phone case was hilarious! Thanks for the link, that made my day. Makes me want to dig out the crochet hook.
Josephine Myles
Hi Finn! I hope you have a go at it–the zombie phone case is super quick and easy to make, and you can have great fun with the face and hair. I made one for my husband’s iPod earlier in the year, and I used a yarn with microfibre content so it helps keep the screen nicely polished. I keep thinking I should make a zombie rabbit one next–wouldn’t be hard to make a couple of ears to sew on…
Cole
Speaking of iPods and smart phones now… have you seen this? They make conductive thread now, that you can knit into the fingers of gloves just as you might knit elastic thread into the cuffs of socks, etc. So you can still use your iPhone or any device with your gloves on! I’m buying some for my sister’s gloves
Josephine Myles
That’s amazing! I do have flip top mittens, but the thumb is still covered so it does make using my phone a challenge. I definitely need to get some for if I’m ever brave enough to try knitting proper gloves.
Cole
That always bothered me too, so the last pair I made with a Mitten Flap, I made a Thumb Flap too
Josephine Myles
Just discovered yesterday that my thumb on those mitten flap gloves is nearly worn through. I either need to darn it or buy some new gloves. I’ll never knit more in time
Elin Gregory
I miss crafting. I used to do ceramics, had a little studio until it was needed as a woodstore, and made patchwork quits, crochetted [I can't knit], embroidered, did lots of painting and drawing. But it’s the hour thing – there’s not enough of them. Now i just bash out the occasional drawing when I really feel the urge. However, since my daughter has just spent a month working as being a zombie I think I’ll have a go at the zombie phone case. Thanks
that’s one stocking present sorted!
Josephine Myles
Woohoo! Another one for the zombie phone case! It’s a great little pattern to make, and doesn’t take long. You can have great fun with the face, too.
I know just what you mean about there not being enough hours in the day. I used to love painting, mosaic making, drawing, patchwork, embroidery, etc, but I’ve had to let some of them slide. I do still have three quilt tops under the bed, just waiting to be finished off. One of these days…
Elin Gregory
The thing is with quilt tops, they are so big and take up so much room to lay out for the layering. Nice to have once they are done, though.
However, Jay’s Christmas plans sound the best. all that lovely booze!
Cole
Booze! = an A+ time
Josephine Myles
Definitely. I’ve already made my Christmas booze shopping list. Mmmm, plenty of rum, amaretto, gin, bourbon, brandy and creme de cacao
Angelia Sparrow
I’m a crafter who feels guilty giving handmade gifts. I crochet, and while I love it, wear it and use it, it always looks tacky and old-lady in the back of my mind when I give it to someone else. So this year, i’m stocking my etsy shop with it.
And the big fuzzy handwarmers are mine all mine.
Cole
Oh that’s a good idea! Can you put up a link to your Etsy store??
Josephine Myles
Aww, crochet doesn’t have to look tacky and old-ladyish, and I’m sure yours wouldn’t, Angelia! Have you checked out Jennifer Hansen’s crochet designs yet? (http://www.ravelry.com/designers/jennifer-hansen) She’s one of my all time favourite designers, and she does some seriously funky things with gorgeous yarns
Chris
LOL about the sock advice! Socks are pretty much what I knit. Since I have around 50 pairs of my own, I now knit socks for my SIL’s Christmas and birthday presents – she loves handknit socks and wears them every cold day. Love an appreciative recipient.
Cole
You’re sock crazy! The problem I have, is that I’m always too ambitious when I start a craft or project. I was knitting cables and fair isle within a month of learning to knit. I swear — it might not have been pretty looking, but I learned how to do it! So I can never just knit socks. For that reason I hate self striping yarn — in fact, I rarely knit with any colorway yarn unless it’s just too awesome to pass up (like ombre: these, and these!).
Chris
Does it help that I’ve dyed gradient yarn like that?
Cole
YES! I want to learn to do ombre! I’ve dyed a little bit but not a whole lot. It’s usually not really worth the trouble, I think, unless you want to do specific colorways. But if I really start doing spinning and wool processing like I want to then I need to learn to do more with it.
Chris
Dyeing is fun! I have quite the array of acid dyes.
http://www.stumblingoverchaos.com/archives/923
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/ChaoticChris/gradient-dyed-socks
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/ChaoticChris/noroesque-socks
Cole
Oooh! Pretty! I almost bought some yarn blanks once from Knitpicks, but since I don’t really like self striping yarn, I never really wanted to make my own. I would like to try the ombre type dyeing though — but I imagine that a big part of that, getting it done really well, is in the spinning and plying. So once I’m better at that, then maybe it will make me less afraid of the dyeing part!
Chris
We did start with just crappy cheap yarn and Wilton’s cake dyes, Easter egg dyes, and KoolAid until we got a bit more serious about things.
Cole
Yeah I’ve used KookAid before but I hated the colors! lol. I’ve used some food grade dyes before and I like those because I have some serious food grade powdered dyes. And I’ve used Jaquard dyes before too. I need to look online and see what else there is, I know of a few more brands.
Chris
We have a pretty much complete set of Country Classic dyes at this point, between Jeanne and I.
Josephine Myles
I wish someone would knit socks for me! I’m way too slow a knitter to keep myself in cosy handknit ones. And I’m totally jealous of your well-stocked sock drawer
Cole
I know, I’ve been lamenting this fact all week. I even bought a multi-stranded yarn guide (one of those rings that keeps the colorwork separate as you knit) thinking it might help me with tension as I try (again) to learn to knit continental. Not only is throwing throwing out my right shoulder, but I knit SO slowly because it takes so much time to knit that way. Hopefully it will loosen up my gauge as well.
Chris
I do knit continental, albeit in my own strange way… I even took a multi-stranded continental class years ago, but remember nothing about it, alas.
Cole
Yeah, I’ve got the technique, and can do it passably, but still slower than my normal way, throwing. Plus, I just can’t seem to wrap the yarn right around my fingers to hold tension. It’s always too tight and I can’t seem to gather any yarn, or it’s loose and there’s no tension at all. That’s where I was hoping the rings wound come in handy, hopefully. I’ll see when my knitpicks order comes in the mail next week!
Chris
Hmm. My tensioning involves all four fingers on my left hand.
Josephine Myles
I knit continental style too, and I find my tension varies according to the yarn and how hot and sticky my fingers are. If it gets too tight, I just wind the yarn between my fingers rather than wrapping it around my ring finger, if that makes any sense at all…
I remember it took me a couple of projects to get happy with the tensioning when I first transitioned over to continental. It is more of a challenge, but well worth persevering because it is much quicker once you find a way of holding the yarn that suits you.
Sadonna
You all are making me jealous. I learned to knit years ago and then promptly forgot it. I do have my auntie’s knitting needles (the one with the guns in the boxes of yarn in the attic) but alas, no time to take it up again these days. I’m lucky if I get my laundry done! Hopefully next year will be a little less frantic and I might be able to get back to some things besides work and reading
Josephine Myles
I hope you find some time to relax too–knitting is wonderful for that. I find it quite hypnotic at times. Unless I’m following a really complicated pattern, that is…
And wouldn’t those be great knitting needles to use? You’ll never be short of a great story to tell people while you clack away with them
Enny
LOL (literally) about the caption! Thanks for the great post! But what on earth is continental knitting?
I have to confess that knitting is too slow for my temperament. I much prefer felting although felted socks probably aren’t a good idea
Here are some things I made recently:
http://pinterest.com/ennykraft/stuff-i-made/
Josephine Myles
Glad you liked the caption–I was so happy when I found that picture and realised it was free to share!
Continental knitting is where you hold the yarn with your left hand, just like when crocheting. I do it that way and it’s much faster than the more popular English way, as you can just move your finger a little to wrap the yarn rather than having to take your whole hand around.
I’ve only done felting a few times but it’s great fun. Love your projects! I have a friend who’s a master feltmaker, and I keep meaning to sign up for her classes. Check out some of the amazing things she’s made: http://www.gladyspaulus.co.uk/#/my-work/4559049472
Enny
Wow, the stuff your friend makes is amazing. I especially love the bowls. Thank you for the link!
When I read the explanation about continental knitting, I was like “where else would you hold the yarn” which makes sense since I’m German i.e. continental
I had no idea there is another way of knitting but I found a great YouTube video which showed and explained the differences. The internet is very educational.