Writer's Block

I can't believe how long it's been since I've blogged.  I can't seem to find the words to express where I'm at.  I came up with my bucket list of crochet and knit items, then proceeded to go right off track!  I've been bit by the knitting bug again, so I decided to try brioche knitting.  Despite finding a great video on YouTube and practicing with two colors, I just wasn't getting the results I wanted.  So, I decided that I had better go back and maintain and build some knitting skills. 

I found the Garden View Shawlette by Tracey Withanee that looked like I could handle it but be challenged as well.  I've learned to ssk and sl1k1psso!  The leaves are so fun to make.  But, I ended up turning the project into a scarf because I got within 10 rows of finishing the shawl and ran out of yarn!  Grrr.  But, it was good to start over and re-do because I caught a lot of mistakes and I really want the finished scarf to do justice to the beautiful alpaca yarn that I'm using.  My BIL got it for me when he was up in Frederick, MD, from the Whispering Meadows Alpaca Breeders.  It's just so soft, and it's so fun to work with.  I had no idea about the wonderful properties of alpaca yarn and look forward to using more of it in future projects (remember that alpaca yarn I got in Houston too?)

So, feast on these pix, and I'll be back with more news soon (and an end to writer's block too I hope!)

Slow

I might just have to move to Norway!  There's a movement there called "Slow TV", with a very basic premise:  viewers watch people engaged in an ordinary activity or traveling in real time.  No plot, not much talking, just the activity or vistas for hours.  Now, you probably know where I'm going with this -- the scenes are travels through the fjords or train trips; the activity is knitting!  Yup, Norwegians are sitting around watching people knit (I suspect they are doing some of their own while viewing ;-) And it's quite a hit there, though I doubt it will gain much traction here in the U.S.  Unfortunately, I couldn't find a clip of the actual show, but here's a YouTube video about the phenomenon:

I, on the other hand, have been watching "Fast TV" -- Breaking Bad.  I never had seen an episode during its six-year run but finally decided to renew my subscription to Netflix and give the pilot episode a try since so many friends of mine have recommended it.  Well, I am hooked!  I've made it so far to a little past the middle of Season 4 and have still avoided finding out how it all comes to a close (or does it since I have heard talk of spin-offs?!).  Don't tell me!  I am so enjoying watching it unfold, though I've discovered I can't watch more than three episodes back to back, just too much to handle.  Not sure I've ever been a binge TV watcher before but this show really could change that for me!

Koselig

Such a great term "koselig" -- it's Norwegian for cozy and snug, but it seems to be a term used for a lifestyle or environment as well.  According to the exhibit I saw at Nordic Cool at the Kennedy Center last Saturday, it means snuggling by a roaring fire with your handwork and perhaps a hot toddy or glass of wine.  How sweet is that?!  I'm trying to create a bit of koselig for myself today since Washington DC is effectively shut down for the day, though the snow was a bit of a bust.  It's all rain and slush now, with nothing much remaining on the ground.

But back to Nordic Cool.  The main reason I went to the Kennedy Center on Saturday was to see Steinunn Sigurd, an Icelandic knitwear designer who was giving a literally hands-on knitting demonstration -- she had us put away our knitting needles and try knitting with our fingers!  She's the one in the middle in the picture below:

There was a large screen projecting her demonstration videos of the technique, and she promised she'd be posting them to YouTube soon.  It was a lot of fun to work with yarn in such a different way.  The place was packed with predominantly women (but quite a few men also) of all generations, and Ms. Sigurd commented on how happy she was to see that and how hard she's working to ensure that knitwork stays alive and well.

So, after the demonstration, I went wandering around to see the Lego exhibit and came across another exhibit of Scandinavian furniture, fashion, and koselig.  I also of course had to stop by the gift shop, where I found a fabulous book on Swedish Knits. Mmm, now there's an idea, I'm going to go and koselig with my new book!

A New Frontier...

I love to crochet, but I have to admit, the knitting bug has got me!  And it's got me thinking...  Why not combine the two?!  How about using the best techniques from both to create some awesome new patterns?!  I really think that's going to be the next development/evolution in terms of crafting with yarn.  I'm hoping to get a whole new line of baby items designed soon, though of course, right now, I'm obsessed with making myself a sweater that I can actually wear in public :-) and trying not to get pulled into too many other directions (bright, shiny objects are a weakness of mine...).

As I've been working my way up the learning curve in developing more skills in both crochet and knitting, I came across this blog post on How to Read a Crochet Pattern.  The author does such a great job of breaking it down and explaining each step in a sample pattern round.  I know one of the toughest things about taking the next step after learning basic crochet stitches is being able to do something with them, and I hope this article will help you decipher that new crochet pattern you've been wanting to try.

Learning how to knit has really made me appreciate the importance of fundamentals and going back to basics, and I think it might actually help me be a better crocheter too!

Knitting Observations of a Crocheter

Well, I have to admit, I am enjoying the knitting, but I have noticed a few things that I thought I would share for those crocheters out there who, like me, are intimidated by the thought of trying to knit:

1)  I've always said it is hard to learn how to crochet, but easy to make things; it is easy to learn how to knit, but hard to make things.  Especially in the round.  It's hard to perch 3 or 4 double pointed needles to try to get something going, when with crochet, you just need one hook.  But, again, the flexible fabric that results from knitting in the round is what is going to get me my socks!  It seems that the trick is to keep the yarn tight when crossing over from one needle to the next, so I give it an extra tug before moving on to the next stitches.

2)  Another hard aspect is undoing mistakes.  If you get distracted while knitting and make a mistake, it's not as easy as just pulling out a few crochet stitches and starting over -- you have to carefully undo the stitches and get them back on the left needle and then redo.  It's also important to be sure that the loops are turned in the same directions, or it really affects how the completed stitch looks.  I came across a book called Knit Fix: Problem Solving for Knitters that has been helpful in addressing the boo boos.

3)  Knitting instructions are even harder to understand than crochet ones!  Especially European instructions -- actually, I wouldn't even call them instructions, they're more like "guidelines."  But, in a way, they give you the freedom to experiment and make the project your own.

But, having said all this, I am really starting to appreciate how the differences between the techniques can enhance the final product, and I'm getting inspired to create some combination projects.  Stay tuned!

And Twas the Day After New Year's!

And I'm barely stirring...  I have tried to unplug again and am spending my time knitting (?!) and playing this addictive game on my iPad.  It's called "Found" and I justify it by saying that it is helping with concentration and eye-hand coordination ;-)  It's free in the iTunes app store, but don't blame me if you get lured in...

And, yes, I said it, I've been knitting.  Remember how, way back when, I said that I am determined to make a pair of socks.  Well, crochet socks are just not the same.  I think crochet booties for babies are actually better than knit booties because they aren't as flexible, so baby won't kick or push them off as easily.  But, the lack of "give" in crochet socks just don't work as well for grown-up feet, so I'm going to knit a pair.  Actually, I just want little ankle length "tennis socks" so how hard can that be?!  (famous last words...).  I've still got that beautiful yarn from the Metro Yarn Crawl last year, and I've got to finish it up before I can justify buying a whole bunch of new yarn this year.

Because I am still a crocheter at heart, I've decided to make "toe up" socks because it makes more sense to me.  I signed up for Knit Toe Up Socks on Craftsy (if you're interested, please sign up through my affiliate link above, thank you :-), and since Craftsy has a new iPad app, it's so easy to watch and pause to give it a try.  The course covers all aspects of making socks -- different toe and heel constructions as well as help on making other choices along the way.  I like the instructor too, I feel like she's really trying to anticipate your questions and answer them as she goes along.  Actually, I used her suggestions to start a knit baby hat from the top -- I figured that might be an easier way to get a feel for working in the round with knitting and using double pointed needles.

I will keep you posted on my progress!