BS: Knitting Circles

Subject: BS: Knitting Circles
From: LilyFestre
Date: 17 Feb 07 - 04:22 PM

I am a relatively new knitter. I can make great scarves and shawls. I imagine I could make a wonderful blanket too, if I just had the time! I learned to knit from a friend who started a shawl ministry in this area. As of today, I have been invited to join 2 other knitting circles which sound like great fun to me!

Do any of you belong to a knitting circle? I know many of you are REALLY crafty (looking at Mmario in particular)....but do you do this alone or as part of a group or both?

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 17 Feb 07 - 04:56 PM

I knit, mainly jumpers, but alone. I learned to knit as a child after I was given a child's knitting set one Christmas.

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 17 Feb 07 - 05:37 PM

I have been known to knit (squares mainly) but prefer sewing. I have a couple of websites that encourage needlecrafts, but I don't belong to any clubs or circles.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: MMario
Date: 17 Feb 07 - 07:28 PM

One 3-D group; active in 3 online groups and belong to a few more but couldn't say I'm active in them.

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: skipy
Date: 17 Feb 07 - 07:30 PM

Why not knit a triangle?
Skipy

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: Sorcha
Date: 17 Feb 07 - 07:32 PM

Circles is easy. It's all in the needles.

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 17 Feb 07 - 07:34 PM

If it was a right angled triangle or an isosceles triangle or an equilateral triangle then it could be tessellated and made into a blanket. You can tell I've been on the wine!

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 17 Feb 07 - 09:29 PM

I am surrounded by (unfinished) knitting projects! And wool & other lovely yarns as I'm a compulsive collector of beautiful yarns (& lots of other stuff).

My addiction is coathanger covers. I started doing them when I ran out of coathangers mid winter due to excessive number of long sleeved black cotton t-shirts that needed hanging. So I bought a packet of satin covered hangers & stuff stared sliding off.

So it was out with the needles & yarns & off I went. 5mm needles, 8-ply/double knitting/equivilent yarns with 15 stiches of garter stitch this long (stretching knitting from one shoulder to other) & there it is, a wonderful cover. Experience showed that thinner yarns use 20 stitches.

I've made several dozen, my wardrobe is full, & they made wonderful presents as I use the most decorative yarns I can find!

I belong to a craft group where several members knit, but I don't belong to any knitting circles, tho I have looked at them. I'm a very loose knitter & often just knit to occupy my hands when collecting money at concerts & dances.

One of my colleagues joined one when she started knitting while she was dancing in Riverdance. It filled the time between gigs & led to many friends in Oz & overseas who swapped squares for blankets. She also creates beautiful baby clothes for friends. Her latest project was warm woolly scarves to send to cold friends living in London. The last piece I saw her working on was a similar scarf for herself as she decided to live in London & left last week!

Doing any creative craft with others is a great way to share.

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 18 Feb 07 - 05:43 AM

Sandra - you're a very loose knitter? Can you come and work with Limpit please, she's so tight you can barely move the needles!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 18 Feb 07 - 07:03 AM

brrrrr, it's too cold for me in London. Maybe Jessica can help you, just look out for a pretty blond with a lovely smile, huddled in a thick coat & a beautiful green leaf-patterned scarf!

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 17 Sep 11 - 07:58 PM

Refresh, as it's gotten nippy (we had an early frost last night!) and my knitting fingers are getting restless. What are y'all working on? I've got some lovely homespun from Brasstown, NC, and I'm making a "shawlette" for my sister-in-law.

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: Bobert
Date: 17 Sep 11 - 08:16 PM

Nah, but I just found out about a local beer drenking and farting circle...

Never mind...

B;~)

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: LilyFestre
Date: 17 Sep 11 - 10:00 PM

I can't knit any more than I could when I started this thread 2 years ago!!! ARG. Talk about a slacker!!!! A friend of mine was working on a beautiful basketweave looking kind of stitch for a baby blanket this morning...it was lovely!!! My fingers are getting itchy to start some kind of project...something that doesn't need constant counting or attention as Jeremiah has that arena covered. I need a little something I can pick up and set down easily and quickly. I REALLY want to learn how to make chemo caps.

Allison, do you prefer bamboo or metal needles?

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: Bobert
Date: 17 Sep 11 - 10:18 PM

I go for metal...

BTW, I have actually been around these things...

Go metal...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 18 Sep 11 - 05:59 AM

Michelle - coathanger covers & scarves in garterstitch are so easy to pick up & set down.

Free knitting (& other) patterns

Learn how to knit with free knitting videos!

13,328 links to free knitting patterns & tutorials

Head Huggers: Patterns List

Knitting Chemo Caps

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 18 Sep 11 - 06:26 AM

& what I'm up to -

I started a project in yarn that was too thick, so as it was well on it's way to being a scarf, I just bought more yarn & kept knitting. it's the yarn in middle of top row

In the past 3 years I've made dozens of coathangers - after making the new ones I needed & re-covering my old shabby hangers, I started giving them away to friends & then charity. One of my friends volunteers at her local hospital's gift shop & has a ready market for every hanger I can give her.

I've also made a few scarves - they all started as coathangers & were too pretty to stop, so became long thin scarves!

I'll be at a festival in few weeks where I normally collect the money so will be working on more coathangers! Probably not the scarf as it is 40 stitches wide & is well into it's second ball, with 2 more to go & is a bit too bulky to take with me.

All my knitting is garter stitch & normally straight, so doesn't need to be thought about. To I just might take my mouse pattern (shaped) & my frog pattern (straight) & make them again.

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 18 Sep 11 - 07:37 AM

Michelle, I generally prefer metal needles, and I always knit with circulars rather than straights, as clumsy me was always bumping into things with straights- even if the pattern doesn't call for circs, I find I can slide the project to the middle when not in use, and the chance of dropping stitches has gone way down!

For quick pick-up-put-down patterns, I love cotton dishrag/washcloths (I keep a few on hand for housewarming and other gifts). And simple hat patterns done in the round are great for putting away.

I've done sweaters, mittens and socks, but I generally prefer easy and quick things- scarves, shawls, stuff like that. Always wool, cotton or natural blends- I don't care for acrylic!

Sandra, I love that scarf pattern and might have to try it! Those links are great, too- I think I'll do another hat when I'm done with this shawl!

Dare I reveal where I've been dabbling when I've been unfaithful to the Mudcat? You might check out http://www.ravelry.com/, which has something for everyone! Slate magazine named it "a better social networking site than Facebook" (of course, Slate had never visited the Cat!). Plus, tons of patterns- their pattern search is a thing of beauty.

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: jacqui.c
Date: 18 Sep 11 - 08:08 AM

Ravelry is a great site - been there for a while now. I put a fair bit of my stuff up in the projects section.

Michelle - I wish we lived closer, I would love to try you out with crochet. That's an easy way to make chemo caps.

If I'm knitting I use bamboo needles - less noise and more comfortable to use. I've been making scarves to sell to raise funds for the needlecrafts group I've got going at the local women's shelter. I just picked up some yarn at a yard sale that will be great for that and, when I've finished making soft furnishings for my granddaughter's doll house (do you know how long it takes to make a tablecloth using sewing cotton!) and a shawl that I will be making while we're out with the old car all day today, I'll be back to knitting scarves.

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 18 Sep 11 - 08:33 AM

2007 - 2011 = 2 years? Maybe it's counting stitches that is the problem with the knitting? :-) Just kidding - Honest!

The daughters are both keen knitters and they take knitting to the pub with them - Found that there is a circle at the Kings Arms in Salford where they have good music nights as well. The ol' wool wrestling seems to be on a bit of a high at present - certainly in the NW UK.

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: Rumncoke
Date: 18 Sep 11 - 10:19 AM

I have about 45 knitting machines, and I still knit by hand - it is a family tradition I can't seem to break.

The machines are great when something is needed quickly.

I even take them in for repairs. I have 4 requiring 'operations' to get them working again.

There is so much stuff on the net these days.

I knit alone - except for all my friends on the pc.

Anne Croucher

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: Bettynh
Date: 18 Sep 11 - 10:34 AM

I knit socks, wool, mostly for myself. I live in a big drafty house and my feet don't get along well with shoes, so heavy socks and tevas are my winter foot coverings. Each sock takes about 8 hours to make, so there's always an end in sight. Using four or five needles isn't hard, and turning the heel is a bit of a miracle. ;-) I mix yarns, adding cotton or silk to the foot part so they are sturdy. I'll be off to the two semi-local weaving shops soon to look for yarns - I don't need a lot of each yarn and mixing weights and fibers means I can buy leftovers for relatively little money. My knitting is easy to carry with me, but I haven't found a knitting circle.

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 19 Sep 11 - 07:42 AM

Local, Betty? It was great to meet you, by the way!
I have loved knitting socks- always like to use worsted or heavier weight, not the finicky fingering weight that seems popular as "sock yarn" at the LYS (Local Yarn Shop). But lately, I like flat knitting best- just lazy, I guess.

Jacqui, do you have a "moniker" on Ravelry, or do you use your own name?

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: GUEST,Eliza (guest)
Date: 19 Sep 11 - 07:43 AM

My friend Julie knitted an entire Christmas crib for our church, including camels, sheep, cow, donkey, and all the characters. She's now nearly finished a 'balcony scene' (in a long cardboard box) of William and Kate's wedding. She even knitted the Archbishop of Canterbury!

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 19 Sep 11 - 08:09 AM

Eliza, did you friend design her pieces?

I have a booklet of Christmas stuff by Jean Greenhowe which includes an knitted nativity. I've made the sheep to add to my sheep collection!

I think it was a mistake to go to Jean;s page - too many little freebies that would be easy to knit! & sooo cute, too.

sandra - putting paper in the printer!

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: JennieG
Date: 19 Sep 11 - 08:21 AM

Another knitter and member of Ravelry here too!   The current project is a cardigan for me, I haven't tried knitting socks.....would much rather knit an Aran-style jumper (sweater), it more complex but much less fiddly.

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: jacqui.c
Date: 19 Sep 11 - 11:51 AM

Allison - on Ravelry I'm jacquimorse.

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: Bettynh
Date: 19 Sep 11 - 02:02 PM

Allison, you know about Harrisville I'm sure. The other is The Fiber Studio in Henniker, opposite Pat's Peak. Last year they had carpet warp (2 ply woolen, a little coarse but strong and perfect for heavy socks) for $5 a pound on partial cones. They sell zephyr yarn(beautiful colors, very strong since it's half silk, 315 yards per ounce, it goes a long way) by the ounce, too.

I need a warm rug for beside my bed. Maybe strips of knitting (about a foot wide) would work. If I want some shag, I've a rug hook here somewhere that I could use to add some depth. If I throw it in the washer and let it felt a bit, it should be pretty sturdy and stable.

One thing I like about socks is that I never have to purl back. Hmmm..maybe those strips could be tubes, making a double-thick fabric.

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: Bettynh
Date: 19 Sep 11 - 02:10 PM

Does anyone here weave? I have fond memories of sitting at Fox Hollow Festival with a card-weaving setup. A 5-year-old sat beside me for awhile and finally got up the nerve to ask, "Is that a machine???" I told him I guessed it was, though there's no metal involved, just a wooden shuttle, string, and some pieces of cardboard.

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 20 Sep 11 - 01:45 PM

Sandra in Sydney, yes, my friend just 'designs as she goes along'. She's brilliant, her cottage is filled with beautiful embroidery, crochet, knitting, paintings and sculpture. She even does archery! I don't think she uses patterns much. She's like my old auntie Lil, who used to knit away without even looking, fag hanging out of her mouth, and the most beautiful and creative things appeared!

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 20 Sep 11 - 01:50 PM

Ha! Have just Googled 'Knitting Patterns for Royal Wedding' and found Mail Online site, September 20th, with a VERY similar balcony scene! (Complete with two corgis!) Perhaps you could see it Sandra? (Don't know how to do the blue click thing!)

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 20 Sep 11 - 01:56 PM

There's a pattern you can buy from www.ivypress.co.uk (I think it's an Amazon one)

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: Sooz
Date: 20 Sep 11 - 01:59 PM

Thanks for the link to Ravelry, I've joined up!

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: MMario
Date: 20 Sep 11 - 02:16 PM

back when this thread started I was just beginning my "MMarioKKnits" website....

which now runs to 4600 plus members - and I've lost track of how many patterns posted....

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: open mike
Date: 20 Sep 11 - 02:29 PM

I like to spin wool yarn , though I know very little about what to do with it after i do...knit, knot, crochet, weave, etc. I have not done it for a while, but do have spindles and a wheel, and hope to do it again when i have more elbow room than i do in the motor home where i live. Fiber arts and paper making all interest me...see also: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spindlers/?yguid=254334103 and
http://www.ispindle.com/toc.htm and here is how to wind yarn
..my little niddy noddy video on myspace

I use a spinning wheel and a turkish spindle...

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: Penny S.
Date: 21 Sep 11 - 04:19 AM

Bettynh, I've found loads of patterns for French (Spool) Knitting cords, and it looks as though that would make a good woven rug. A lot of work though, unless you have a mechanical French Knitter.

Mini knitting machine

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 21 Sep 11 - 05:45 AM

thanks to Eliza -
Knitted wedding!! with corgies
one comment said 'These royal characters should be given something useful to do in life - turn them into egg cosies'.

Eliza, you have a very talented friend, & Aunty Val must have been fun, too.

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 20 Oct 11 - 05:51 PM

Refresh because it's getting colder out and I'm knitting away, and also playing for a "spirituality of knitting" service. I wish I could get going on one of the knitting songs in my head...

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: Penny S.
Date: 21 Oct 11 - 02:39 AM

I'm currently using circular knitting looms from a charity shop to knit up odd balls from my stash into odd pieces for a charity shop. (Circular, you see.) I've done string bags, fancy scarves, children's hats (one with matching bag), and am currently working on a cylindrical piece to be used as a neck warmer/hood. It's possible to vary the stitch by using the equivalent of machine tuck stitch, and this comes out slightly different if done in the round or to and fro.

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 21 Oct 11 - 08:43 PM

I've seen circular kniting looms & have never really been interested, but if could be fun, especially as it doesn't appear to need a complicated pattern. I do a lot of my (simple) knitting when collecting money for concerts & this looks like something I could pick up & put down

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: Bert
Date: 21 Oct 11 - 08:50 PM

Knitting Circles, aren't they what we used to call "Dolly down the reel"?

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: Penny S.
Date: 22 Oct 11 - 05:00 AM

The looms I have (a set of four like those in one of the pictures in your link) are very simple to use, and indeed to put down at short notice. If you are in the middle of winding the yarn on, you need to hook the last stitch over before putting down, or the whole row unwinds, but otherwise, it's ideal for work where you might have to stop mid row. Also, if the fabric doesn't work out, it's quick and easy to undo and try again with an alternative pattern. I've been finishing items in a day, usually. It's a good way of using up odd balls.

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: Bert
Date: 22 Oct 11 - 10:34 AM

I don't have odd balls Penny.

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 22 Oct 11 - 10:51 AM

"Dolly down the reel"?

don't know that name- but I do know knitting nancys which apparently have lotsa' names, including Dolly down the reel

amazing what you learn by googling - including this thread on Mudcat started by Bert way back in 2000 Kid's stuff

Subject: RE: BS: Knitting Circles
From: Penny S.
Date: 23 Oct 11 - 05:27 AM

And this short thread I started.

French Knitting