Sunday, August 5, 2007

Knitting

I succumbed today and bought the new knitting series that has just come out in Newsagents. I thought I was good the other day resisting temptation but the more I thought about it, the more I wondered if I would like needle knitting now that I've gotten quite attached to loom knitting. I learnt to knit as a child but it wasn't something that really grabbed me at the time and wasn't something I ever thought I'd try again.



So I spent the whole $2.95 to get the knitting needles (although I do already have a pair), 2 small balls of wool and the instructions for getting started. The instructions were what I was really after. It's been toooooo long since I tried knitting to remember even the basics.



I've just given it a try and decided that I still prefer the loom knitting. It seems so much easier than trying to co-ordinate what feels like half a dozen items (but in reality is only 2 needles and 1 ball of wool). LOL. I'm not discounting the idea altogether. One problem I'm having with the loom knitting is that the cast on row is very loose. That's okay for some things but not so great for others. I'd like to try knitting my own facewashers and dishcloths sometime and can't see that working very well on the knifty knitter (loom) - unless I somehow learn a new way to cast on. So I think I will knit a few basic things with the needles and then see where to from there.



Knitting - I think I might make this number 3 on my "101 things I thought I'd never do" list.



Here is a picture of my latest project on my looms:




A pair of slippers in Crows colours for DS. The younger DS was very excited about these and insisted that he needed some too (even though he already owns a pair of slippers). In fact, every time he saw me not knitting his slippers he reminded me that I needed to do them. So he now has a matching pair. :-) Well, actually I changed the design a little on his and made them higher at the top (and of course his feet are not as long). I copied a sock pattern for the heel and the toe but the rest of the slipper was just guess work so it's all a bit of a work in progress.

I'm now working on a small handbag for my nieces for Christmas. Again, no pattern. So it's taking a bit of nutting out to get it how I want it. It is quite satisfying when a project does come together though. I like the fact that I can make some practical things with this hobby.

7 comments:

Kez said...

Wow, I am sooo impressed with those socks! All I remember making with those loom knitting things as a kid was a doll's scarf :)

lightening said...

tThese looms are a lot bigger than the ones I used as a kid. That helps - gives a lot more scope to what they can be used to make. :-)

Anonymous said...

Hello Lghtning Just thought I would pop in and say hi.
I have a pattern for hand knitted dish cloths that is really easy let me know if you would like a copy.

Anonymous said...

Hi Rhonda Gay
I was wanting to contact you by email about something but not sure how. Your site and Lightening's have been a great inspiration to me of late. You have given me food for thought and I even had a great discussion about it with my mother in law this weekend!
Lynette

lightening said...

Thanks for dropping by Rhonda Gay. :-) I would love a pattern for hand knitted dishcloths please.

Lis said...

Very cute!

Anonymous said...

Lightening, I am sure I read somewhere on the internet when looking for instructions regarding loom knitting on how to cast on (using a crochet hook) so its not so loose. So I am pretty sure there is a way to do this! Might pay to do a bit of surfing. I will let you know if I find it again! I don't know how you made those socks - they're so cool!
Madly Saving