Posted by begules on 2005-01-03 19:48:44
Post Subject: It's a long island, but such small minds
Any knitters/craftsters/funky ladies (or men) on Long Island wanting to get together for a stich n bitch or any other activity. I would love to learn to knit but I'd be into any kind of fun crafting.
Posted by lucimama on 2005-01-14 09:40:45
Post Subject: I'm in Bloomington
And I'm seldom here at GetCrafty, but there are a bunch of Bloomingtonites over at SuperNaturale (the other webchild of Get Crafty). We're planning a get-together in about ten days to learn to knit. Anybody wanna join us? Come see this.
Posted by Hearth~n~Heart on 2006-10-14 09:10:40
Post Subject: New, sort of.
I had actually registered quite a while ago, but never really introduced myself. I've browsed blogs, been inspired, intimidated, and encouraged. Same here at the forums. I've crocheted the longest, then learned to sew - I'm always learning to sew, and am trying to learn to knit. Although normally it feels as though I'm playing swords with myself - and not all that well, either. Still, I press on.
I have 3 children, though only my daughter lives with us full time. I'm married to, well I think the only man on earth who could possibly put up with all my quirks. Never blinks an eye when I claim the kitchen table for weeks of crafting frenzy, never rolls his eyes when I'm dragging a project with me where ever we go for weeks on end - he drives, so travel time to me is the gift of crafting time :-)
I guess that's about it for me right now.
Patty
Posted by Roxi Roller on 2004-08-18 10:07:37
Post Subject: whos getting crafty in detroit?
Hi there! I am new to this site and very excited to meet inspirational and exciting crafty ladies! I get so excited over the thought of crafting that i often don't know what to do with myself. pretty much i am obbsessed with collages and promise myself i will learn to knit any day now.
anyway, i am looking forward to all of you, but any one here in detroit that would be interested in merging ideas?
Meaghan xo
Posted by craftytricks on 2005-02-10 10:28:15
Post Subject:
My first step up after making scarves was to make a hat. It was good to learn to knit in the round and how to decrease and measure for my head and that type of thing. If you want something a bit more advanced than that, you could try a teddy bear. I got a neato book for Christmas with patterns for knitting teddy bears and it's really fun. Some are very simple and small and a good place to start out. I've made two so far and each one used less than a skein.
it isn't so hard if you have someone to start you off, believe me, it was much easier for me to learn to crochet than to learn to knit. awesome article, thanks for sharing!!!
this site has some good videos ... http://www.stitchguide.com/stitches/crochet/index.html
and of course martha stewart aka marfa has a nice lil guide ...
http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml;jsessionid=JFDAZWCSBQIVFWCKUUWSJ0WYJKSS2JO0?type=content&id=channel172174
Posted by E. Bess on 2005-12-27 22:31:08
Post Subject: Royalty free knitting instruction illos?
Okay, here be quite possibly the most random question ever. This is one for those ladies in the house who know something about how craft books are written.
I'm putting together a proposal for a craft book, and I'd like to include some basic instructions on how to knit. We're talkin' basic -- like, long-tail cast on, knit, purl, k2tog, maybe a make-1 or a yarn over, and that'd be pushing it. Is there a source for those illustrations used in "how to knit" books, that one could use legally without paying someone? Or heck, even if such a thing existed for use that one WOULD have to pay for... I wouldn't even know where to look.
I guess I'm saying that I need to find some illustrations for a learn-to-knit section. Where do they come from? :)
I've got my partner, who is a comic book artist, lined up to make some illustrations, but I'd rather not ask him to reinvent the wheel. Seems like such a thing should be out there, it's in every knitting pamphlet at the craft store...
Posted by CraftyChicaAZ on 2004-06-12 14:45:05
Post Subject:
there's a new learn to knit dvd that i got, i'll let you know if it is good. i want to learn too! stitch n bitch book is great too, its by debbie stoller from bust magazine.
Posted by merrydeath on 2005-01-10 13:08:33
Post Subject: knitting with pencils?
this might sound like a stupid question, but keep in mind that i have no clue about knitting. (and the only stupid question is the one you don't ask...or something like that....) ^_^ so...can you knit with pencils? like, say you wanna knit and you don't wanna buy the needles for it or something. or you're bored and you find two pencils and yarn...has anyone done this before? is it possible? hahaha, just curious. who knows, if it can be done, maby i'll try to learn to knit with pencils. ;)
Posted by elfkunkel on 2004-12-15 18:01:58
Post Subject: Another Knitting Virgin
I, too, want to learn to knit and crochet. For Yule, DH has offered to get me items to learn to knit.
I think that a kit would be good, but I am not truly certain. I have looked at the interactivity of the websites, and I have the C&C Crochet kit which is proving helpful and educational.
I think the circular needles would be good, does anyone know of a kit specifically designed for those?
Posted by Katrin on 2004-07-28 15:08:00
Post Subject:
Yes, what Headbunnie said.
A purl stitch is just the back side of a knit stitch - nothing mysterious about it at all. To purl, hold the yarn in front (the side facing you) and stick your needle through the front of the loop instead of the back.
Stockinette stitch is alternately knitting and purling each row as you turn the work around, so that the piece has a uniform-looking "front" and "back" side. It's good for sweaters, but not for scarves, because the stitch shape makes the edges curl.
Knitting each row and never purling makes garter stitch. Looking at the finished piece you see alternating rows of knit and purl on both sides. This is better for scarves because it lies flat.
As for a scarf taking a long time, I'm afraid the only remedy to that is practice until you learn to knit faster. I think scarves seem tedious because it gets boring just knitting the same straight line over and over. If you're a new knitter and want to practice on something that's faster to finish, I suggest using smaller needles and making wristbands or coffee-cup sleeves. They're much more quickly gratifying than a scarf.
Posted by crochet hooker on 2004-07-01 02:55:15
Post Subject: Cool knitted poncho pattern?
Hey Ladies,
I saw the coolest knitted poncho on a woman in Minneapolis a couple of weeks ago and have become consumed with this quest to learn to knit and make one.
Do any of ya'll have a pattern for a cool, knitted poncho or know where I might find one? This one was lace-like--very loosely knitted and not at all functional, now that I think about it. But so damned cute.
I'd like to find one like that and a nice heavy pattern for winter.
Posted by happyhats on 2005-09-28 00:28:02
Post Subject:
I certainly don't think all farmers are horrible. The boy's grandfather is a farmer, and everyone I've known with a small farm treated their animals kindly. I think it would be great to have your own sheep to sheer, I'd love to if I ever learn to knit, but I was afraid after this that mulesing was necessary or that clipping sheep wasn't a humane practice after all.
Posted by purple_glitter on 2004-08-20 13:43:15
Post Subject:
1. how did you learn to knit? how old were you then and old are you now?
I started knitting just over a year ago at age 19 (I'm 20 now) because a couple of my friends started to knit. My mom taught me how to cast on, but I taught myself the rest - first from and old-school 'Learn to Knit' booklet my mom had floating in her collection of knitting needles, then from Stitch 'n Bitch.
2. knitting = nesting? is your knitting a way of getting back to simpler times?
Not really. Maybe on some level, but I knit for the creative process. Knitting is very relaxing. I love making things with my own hands that I can wear, so I suppose knitting is my way of fighting the corporations.
3. in regards to the current resurgence in knitting, when do you think it started and why?
I agree with Debbie Stoller's explaination as well, though I would extended at least a portion of knitting's revival beyond just feminism to activist groups in general. Environmentalism, human rights, and fair trade all figure into the knitting equation, in my opinion - but maybe I'm thinking too much ;) I know people who knit as an anti-corporation movement, but I also know people who knit because they saw other people doing it and they thought it looked cool. Knitting also has the benefit of being fairly inexpensive compared to other crafts.
4. do you have a crafty group that you meet with? how often? why do you dig it?
Not so much a crafty group, but i sometimes sit around and knit with a few of the people I work with. It's pretty cool.
5. where do you go online to discuss/learn/share your craftiness? how do these sites inspire you in ways that real life conversations don't?
Truth be told, this is the first crafty site that I've ever visited.
6. is there a subversive element to knitting? a punk rock element? or simply a DIY smugness?
I think knitting has all of those elements and more.
7. why do you knit?
I knit because I enjoy the creativity, I enjoy making things, and because it's so gosh darn relaxing.
8. what other crafty things do you do besides knitting?
Beadwork, origami, sewing, calligraphy.
9. the future of knitting- is there one or are we just kidding ourselves?
Knitting has survived this long, I can't see people just abandoning it.
10. do you prefer to knit alone or with other people? why?
I usually end up knitting alone because I knit quite a bit on the bus, between my university classes, and at work, but I like knitting with other people if only for the conversation. I've taught people new knitting techniques while knitting with other people, and that was pretty cool.
11. true or false: can craft save us all? (elaboration here would be nice, but not necessary.)
True. It leads to self-fulfillment.
Posted by CraftinFool on 2004-08-19 09:46:54
Post Subject:
Hi Betsy: Very cool project. I love that you found a way to merge academic work and crafting. Nice!!
Here's my answers:
1. how did you learn to knit? how old were you then and old are you now?
I learned to knit this year. at age 31. I have been crocheting since about 15 but couldn't get the hang of knitting and finally successfully taught myself.
2. knitting = nesting? is your knitting a way of getting back to simpler times?
It could be, although I don't think I consciously chose it for that reason. But now that I think of it, I didn't learn to knit until after we bought our house.
3. in regards to the current resurgence in knitting, when do you think it started and why?
I think the pace of many of our lives has gotten too frantic, and many find knitting to be soothing and/or meditative. I believe it is often in reaction to info overload.
4. do you have a crafty group that you meet with? how often? why do you dig it?
I don't have a crafty group I meet with in person, although there are 2 stitch -n- bitches in my area I may look into.
5. where do you go online to discuss/learn/share your craftiness? how do these sites inspire you in ways that real life conversations don't?
I am a big participant on this site, for crafty inspiration as well as general advice and venting. I have also grown to love craftster, which has a lot of specific instructions and pictures of projects. There are tons of other crafty sites I have bookmarked, but those are the only 2 I go to regularly.
6. is there a subversive element to knitting? a punk rock element? or simply a DIY smugness?
I couldn't say about the subservice element, since I am a beginner. But it does seem that with the resurgence of knitting, some of the younger knitters want to knit in their own way, and make hipper things than toilet paper cozies. Like, the Stitch -n- Bitch projects have a lot of punk rock-type projects. I have to be honest, in terms of the smugness, I did sense that some of the pattern contributors in the Stitch -n- Bitch book had somewhat of a smug attitude. Like, they'd say things like, "I'd never knitted before and one night I was bored and I created this fabulous intarsia pattern using needles I made out of tuna cans, and knitted it up in one evening, and the rest is history!" Whatever!
7. why do you knit?
It's fun. It's portable. It's relaxing. It's cooler looking than crocheting. I needed a new challenge. I wanted to make my husband a Harry Potter scarf.
8. what other crafty things do you do besides knitting?
I crochet and cross-stitch and embroider and do origami and other paper crafts. I like to make marble magnets and paint stuff. I also create web sites.
9. the future of knitting- is there one or are we just kidding ourselves?
I definitely think there is. People love it to the point of obsession and I'm starting to see why! It's been around so long; I don't see it fading.
10. do you prefer to knit alone or with other people? why?
So far I have knitted mostly while other people around but not with other knitters, because I don't know any. But I like to knit while visiting, I even knit at the movies and concerts.
11. true or false: can craft save us all? (elaboration here would be nice, but not necessary.)
false. I want to think so, but it could only be a small part. Beyond crafting and creativity, what will save us is more tolerance, more social programs, democrats back in the white house, and true equality for women in the workplace. But it's a great part of the picture!
Posted by decayedsea on 2005-09-30 19:35:51
Post Subject:
I'm left handed, but it never even occured to me to learn to knit left handed, so I don't. I have always used scissors right handed and the only real thing I have issues with handedness over are computers and mouses. I don't feel my right hand is as accurate as it could be, but it's noticibly stronger than my left, so switching the computer over to left was awkward and I had to switch back.
how about this? he can go to a yarn store in your area and get a gc with enough money that you can go there and pick out your own stuffeses? they are often willing to help you learn to knit gratis ...
i have some actual kit suggestions but i want to do check before i give you the urls :)
Posted by anjowin on 2004-11-08 14:50:07
Post Subject: knitting virgin
help! I am desperately wanting to learn to knit. I am going in for surgery next week and will be laid up mat home for 4 to 6 weeks so I thought that knitting would be the perfect craft for me to do from bed. I bought a knitting kit at Target yesterday but.... Will some of the knitting divas please break me in. Thanks in advance.
Posted by lovechicken on 2005-02-07 17:54:22
Post Subject:
I can totally relate to your frustrations & excitement as you learn to knit tootsiecat. I'm teaching myself how to crochet currently & using a book that I can even recall the name of right now. I think I'm going to do one of the classes at Michael's, too. Do you get excited when you start looking at all the cool things you can eventually do? I had to stop myself over the weekend from buying the fantastic $4.77 yarn & settle on the $1.88 sale stuff b/c I know I'll be screwing up for awhile. The yarn I got had a cool chevron scarf pattern on it, that I'm trying to make, but I think I'm being overzealous as it's an intermediate pattern. Back to 'beginner' I must go!
Posted by ClaraLea on 2007-02-16 20:28:44
Post Subject:
Well, this a teensy bit snarky, but my number one question is:
How do so many people learn to knit an entire scarf before they learn that stockinette CURLS??
};-)
So, I guess my suggestion for the book would be to emphasize the nature of the different stitches, and have a small section on how to add a border to a scarf (or other project) if you accidently knit it in stockinette but don't want it to curl.
Posted by sallysunshine on 2006-08-16 06:35:52
Post Subject:
Do most people learn to knit way before they learned to purl? I learned to do them both at the same time. I recommend learning how to purl, because I wonder if it's really the scarfness of the scarves that's bothering you, rather than the fact that doing exactly the same thing over and over again gets boring.
I'm currently working on a blanket that is knit in smallish individual squares. (Each square is 21 stitches and 34 rows, I think.) At the end of it, I'll sew all the squares together. It's a nice project because when I'm bored I can take a break, work on something else, and go back to it. Also, the squares are pretty portable, and knitting something huge on circular needles seems a bit daunting to me right now. Having said that, I'm using a lot more than six balls of yarn, and it's a major investment of both time and money. I've completed about 20 of 81 squares. I'm going to be working on this one for a while.
Posted by baltica on 2004-10-21 17:21:04
Post Subject:
I'm definitely way more into knitting than crochet, mainly because I've been stymied in my attempts to learn the latter, beyond making rows of single and double crochet. I think I just need to find someone experienced to sit down with and show me some crochet techniques. I've seen diagram upon diagram on how to make a granny square, for instance, and I still don't get it. I was able to learn to knit from books just fine, not so with crochet.
Posted by meexie on 2004-10-20 21:00:23
Post Subject:
are the patterns in the interweave mag too advanced to start with? is there a good book/mag/website to get the basics under my belt?
It's really hard to draw a line and say if a pattern is too advanced for anyone - some people can teach themselves and have a sweater a week later, some people make potholders for months.
Book: I really like Maggie Righetti's Crocheting in Plain English.
Website: Learn to Knit and Crochet has basic instructions, lots of links, and answers to lots of questions.
Posted by CraftinFool on 2006-04-04 13:39:49
Post Subject: "Happy Hooker" - new Stitch -n- Bitch crochet book
Thoughts? I got it from the library the other day and I haven't had a chance to do much more than skim thru it yet.
But my first reaction was that the how-to info looks great, but I wasn't all that jazzed about the patterns. To me it seemed to reflect the reason why I finally decided to learn to knit atfer years of crocheting: there just seem to be more good-looking knitting patterns than crochet ones. So many crocheted items to me still look grannyish and that's how a lot of the patternsin this book looked.
But there were a few patterns I liked, including a granny square bag thingy.
Posted by pudding on 2005-03-10 02:54:25
Post Subject:
Congrats for your courage!
And thanks for helping inform the world at large that women's labour is not free, but has VALUE.
del
I second that!
And by the way, $60 was very reasonable. Without trying to offend your coworker too much, it sounds as if she was hoping to simply get an inexpensive scarf, cheaper than something store-bought, rather than appreciating the handmade and unique qualities of the product. Do you think she wants to learn to knit because she thinks it will be easy and cheap to whip up a scarf? (I'm sorry if I am way off track)
Posted by sarahmarie_420 on 2005-11-02 11:58:01
Post Subject:
I know this is a little belated, but I had to throw my 2 cents in. Target knitting kits SUCK! I bought the one to make the halter top & the instructions were so unclear and filled with mistakes that I just ended up having to wing it. It didn't turn out the way it looked in the picture but hey, now it's an original! I'm a pretty seasoned knitter, so it wasn't a huge deal, but there is no way in hell that a beginner could figure out that mess. Learn to knit, my foot!
Posted by sarahmarie_420 on 2005-11-02 11:58:30
Post Subject:
I know this is a little belated, but I had to throw my 2 cents in. Target knitting kits SUCK! I bought the one to make the halter top & the instructions were so unclear and filled with mistakes that I just ended up having to wing it. It didn't turn out the way it looked in the picture but hey, now it's an original! I'm a pretty seasoned knitter, so it wasn't a huge deal, but there is no way in hell that a beginner could figure out that mess. Learn to knit, my foot!
Posted by katieod on 2005-03-10 12:33:18
Post Subject:
Pudding: Do you think she wants to learn to knit because she thinks it will be easy and cheap to whip up a scarf? (I'm sorry if I am way off track)
i think she definetly underestimates the time it takes to produce a hand knit item but if she knit herself i'm sure she would understand why i would charge that amount. i do think she thought she could get something handmade for cheap. i also think she likes the idea of having something handmade but doesn't want to commit to the price! i'm predicting that i will never teach her how to knit because now she knows the time comittment involved.
i have to admit i was very nervous when i quoted the price to her but am proud that i didn't get shy and only ask for $10. it's better to please myself than to please others-- meaning i have to look out for my best interests first!
Posted by Anonymous on 2005-03-10 08:07:33
Post Subject:
Congrats for your courage!
And thanks for helping inform the world at large that women's labour is not free, but has VALUE.
del
I second that!
And by the way, $60 was very reasonable. Without trying to offend your coworker too much, it sounds as if she was hoping to simply get an inexpensive scarf, cheaper than something store-bought, rather than appreciating the handmade and unique qualities of the product. Do you think she wants to learn to knit because she thinks it will be easy and cheap to whip up a scarf? (I'm sorry if I am way off track)
Thirding this.
Why is it as soon as anybody hears you knit/sew/crochet or do a traditionally female craft people expect you to do it cheap or free. If I was good at woodwork, I am certain nobody would just expect me to make them a bookcase for free or the cost of materials. Hell, people have even offered to pay me to put Ikea furniture together, but expect me to repair their clothes or knit them something for free.
Posted by LolitaContrer on 2004-08-20 17:25:13
Post Subject:
When I was learning I couldn't quite understand the Purl stitch either. My problem was that I wasn't bringing the yarn to the front of my work b/f attempting the stitch. Meaning you physically take the yarn and move it betwen the two needlke points to the front so that it's hanging fro the front not the back. I thought that as long as I moved the ball of yarn it would magically work;-) Good luck. I llearned from a book that had good pictures, I think it cam ein a Learn to knit kit from Michaels.
Posted by quixotic on 2004-08-19 07:25:53
Post Subject: a few questions on knitting, from a knitting nerd. *UPDATE*
it's good to exercise your creativity.
i'm currently writing (not to mention fretting over) my dissertation, which is about knitting and its current resurgence. now that knitting is no longer something we have to do (in order to clothe ourselves and loved ones), why are we doing it?
if you have a minute, please consider the questions below. it would help me in my research a great deal and is relatively painless, i promise. and yes, despite what it may seem, i am way over 12 years old.
1. how did you learn to knit? how old were you then and old are you now?
2. knitting = nesting? is your knitting a way of getting back to simpler times?
3. in regards to the current resurgence in knitting, when do you think it started and why?
4. do you have a crafty group that you meet with? how often? why do you dig it?
5. where do you go online to discuss/learn/share your craftiness? how do these sites inspire you in ways that real life conversations don't?
6. is there a subversive element to knitting? a punk rock element? or simply a DIY smugness?
7. why do you knit?
8. what other crafty things do you do besides knitting?
9. the future of knitting- is there one or are we just kidding ourselves?
10. do you prefer to knit alone or with other people? why?
11. true or false: can craft save us all? (elaboration here would be nice, but not necessary.)
if there's anything else you would like to add on this topic, feel free. if you could send your answers to betsy@craftivism.com, i would be grateful.
thanks again for helping me with this research. and for making craft rock.
x
betsy
p.s. i'm sorry if you see this more than once. it's my intention to get a wide variety of answers, not to annoy your every step on the web. feel free to pass this on to anyone else you think might be interested.
Posted by crystaleternity on 2005-10-11 07:19:24
Post Subject:
when I asked around online, everyone said, "Why don't you just learn to knit?" So I did, and have been loving it ever since.
I can knit, I realised this morning I still remember how to do it and everything, I just can't remember how to cast on and off! I've got instructions that were photocopied from a book inside a sketchbook somewhere, but I can't find it.
Posted by neato pirates on 2004-08-20 22:39:39
Post Subject:
1. how did you learn to knit? how old were you then and old are you now?
i took a class at my middle school... i think i was about 12 and im 16 now.
2. knitting = nesting? is your knitting a way of getting back to simpler times?
its relaxing and isnt stressful, so yes i guess.
3. in regards to the current resurgence in knitting, when do you think it started and why?
probably somewhere in 2000 or 2001 becuase everything was so predictable, and diy was just so much neater.
4. do you have a crafty group that you meet with? how often? why do you dig it?
my highschool has a knitting club... ithink it sort of died, but the school year has just begun again, so i think i might start it up again.
5. where do you go online to discuss/learn/share your craftiness? how do these sites inspire you in ways that real life conversations don't?
here and on lj communities becuase you can ask questions and people who are just like you answer you and tell you how to improve your skills.
6. is there a subversive element to knitting? a punk rock element? or simply a DIY smugness?
its deff. hardcore to knit now... i think the girls who actually stick to knitting are hardcore if they make really neat and complicated things... my friend katie made a kitty ear hat and a little matching purse and shes totally rad.
7. why do you knit?
its simple and relaxing and people always wonder how i ever made something so cool out of a piece of yarn... it feeds my ego.
8. what other crafty things do you do besides knitting?
i sew purses alot, but i like making dresses and skirts.... tutus are my favorite. i stencil shirts too.
9. the future of knitting- is there one or are we just kidding ourselves?
yes! i like to think maybe im part of that, as a younger generation of knitter.
10. do you prefer to knit alone or with other people? why?
both... knitting alone is good for those times when your stressed out of your mind, but social knitting is warm and cozy; it gives you alot of time to talk.
11. true or false: can craft save us all? (elaboration here would be nice, but not necessary.)
TRUE! people today like to think that their these crazy cool individual people, but really their wearing the same thing as the next joe someone behind them, and they think that the only way to be them selves and be cool is to keep on buying mainstream stuff... craft, diy, its a mindset... your making something that no one else in the world has, no one elses is exactly like it. your wearing something that has come from you, made by you, and it gives that garment meaning, and makes you truely neat and indivual. no, i didnt buy my top at hottopic, i made it, and that means im cool!
Posted by xuli on 2004-09-11 15:41:42
Post Subject:
1. how did you learn to knit? how old were you then and old are you now?
My best friend taught me how my senior year in college. I was 21. I'm 27 now.
2. knitting = nesting? is your knitting a way of getting back to simpler times?
No. I like MlleEmily's answer about not romanticizing the simpler times -- I was going to say the same thing.
3. in regards to the current resurgence in knitting, when do you think it started and why?
I have no idea.
4. do you have a crafty group that you meet with? how often? why do you dig it?
Yeah, every couple of weeks. I dig it because going somewhere where people bring their projects to show off motivates me to finish mine.
5. where do you go online to discuss/learn/share your craftiness? how do these sites inspire you in ways that real life conversations don't?
Um, getcrafty.com. These sites inspire me in a way that real life doesn't because there's just such a wealth of knowledge out there that isn't possible in real life. Among my real life friends I'm pretty much the craftiest one, the one people go to in order to find out how to do stuff, but I consider myself pretty non-knowledgable about most crafts, and online there are so many people who know so much more than I do, so when I have questions I have a base of people who much more knowledgable than I am about something to help me out.
6. is there a subversive element to knitting? a punk rock element? or simply a DIY smugness?
It depends. Knitting for me has definitely helped me to shop less, which is sort of subversive, but knitting also attracts a lot of yarn snobs.
7. why do you knit?
It's a creative outlet and it makes me feel self-sufficient. Plus, I can make things that are nicer and cuter than most of the stuff in stores. (Like the poncho I made myself -- it cost me $10 in yarn and it looks way better than any of the supertrendy ponchos that my friends have bought at Macy's. Ha! Listen to my DIY smugness. This should be filed under the answer to question #6.)
8. what other crafty things do you do besides knitting?
I'm learning to quilt. I crochet. I used to sew when I was a kid, and am trying to get back into that. I also cook a lot more (and better) than a lot of people; does cooking count? I've done lots of random crafts from time to time, like making candles from remnants of old candles, but I wouldn't say I "do" them in the sense of doing them regularly.
9. the future of knitting- is there one or are we just kidding ourselves?
Of course there's one. It's fun. Anything fun has a future.
10. do you prefer to knit alone or with other people? why?
Both. I like hanging out with friends and talking and knitting, but I also like zoning out in front of the TV and knitting alone.
11. true or false: can craft save us all? (elaboration here would be nice, but not necessary.)
Posted by Katrin on 2004-08-20 01:36:47
Post Subject: Re: a few questions on knitting, from a knitting nerd.
1. how did you learn to knit? how old were you then and old are you now?
My mom tried to teach me when I was way too young to get the hang of it, and I spent the next several decades convinced I was incapable of learning the skill. I finally asked her to teach me again at age 37, and it finally stuck. It'll be two years in December.
2. knitting = nesting? is your knitting a way of getting back to simpler times?
"Simpler times," I'm not sure. It's more my way of getting in touch with the productive part of my creative side, as opposed to the imaginative part that comes up with ideas but never executes them.
3. in regards to the current resurgence in knitting, when do you think it started and why?
I'd have to do lots of thinking about sociopolitical trends and theories to come up with an answer to that, and it's just a little too late at night right now. Short answer: I like Debbie Stoller's explanation.
4. do you have a crafty group that you meet with? how often? why do you dig it?
I've been saying for years that I'd like to have a craft group, but all attempts at starting or joining one have failed. I'm still hoping to find a group that's a good fit.
5. where do you go online to discuss/learn/share your craftiness? how do these sites inspire you in ways that real life conversations don't?
Mostly just Getcrafty nowadays, and I occasionally read Craftster but don't post there. I have less time to participate in craft discussions now that I have a job. Most of the craft-related conversation I encounter in real life consists of "Oh, you're so CREATIVE! I could never do that!" or "You should sell those!" (with no idea what that entails) - one of the reasons I'd like to find a group of like-minded people.
6. is there a subversive element to knitting? a punk rock element? or simply a DIY smugness?
I'm sure there are people who approach it from all of those viewpoints. Maybe I do sometimes feel a bit smug about making things myself. But also I like to show that hey, this is just something that ordinary people can do if they want to.
7. why do you knit?
Because it's fun, a way to relax while still doing something productive. Wearing something I know I've put a lot of work into gives me a sense of accomplishment.
8. what other crafty things do you do besides knitting?
Drawing (cartooning, illustration), sewing, bead (loom) work, designing & making accessories from recycled materials
9. the future of knitting- is there one or are we just kidding ourselves?
There will always be some people who like to knit, and some who just aren't interested. I think the more we keep knitting in the mainstream and public eye, the more people will be aware of it and consider learning when they wouldn't have otherwise.
10. do you prefer to knit alone or with other people? why?
I've mostly just knitted alone, so I can't really say. I like the idea of knitting among people of various experience levels, to share knowledge with one another.
Posted by boheme-anne on 2004-12-29 20:43:34
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Oh I have a whole pile of things I want from myself this year but at the top of list is:
exercise more and stick to a exercise plan come hell or high water!!!
Drink more water
Learn to knit correctly and very well and make something other than a scarf (which I notice soapandwater wants too!)
Learn how to crochet
Sew better and more often
Come up with a solution to walking my dogs at the same time ( I have two goldens that are bad on walks togeter...I think it's stupid to take them one at a time)
Posted by siouxsie_homemaker on 2004-08-20 19:52:04
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1. how did you learn to knit? how old were you then and old are you now?
I learned to knit about 9 months ago. I am 24, and neither my mother or my grandmother are knitters or even into any kinds of crafts.
2. knitting = nesting? is your knitting a way of getting back to simpler times?
Sort of. I am really into learning how to do basic things for myself instead of having to depend on our consumer culture to feed and clothe me. I also think that because of this heavy consumerism, traditional women's crafts are dying out. I think this is terrible, and that women need to reclaim them and keep them going for future generations.
I also think knitting is a wonderful outlet for artistic expression, for rejecting cookie-cutter pre-made clothes, and as a fun way to pass the time.
It's sad that unless you're very resourceful, that it can actually be more expensive to make things for yourself than it is to buy all your clothes at chain stores. The fact that these companies employ children and adults for pennies an hour to make their clothing and products is sickening, and our finacial dependence on it is put upon us and is also self-created. I would rather scrape-up some yarn and needles to make myself my own blankets and sweaters and hats so I don't have to buy sweat-shop made products.
3. in regards to the current resurgence in knitting, when do you think it started and why?
I think part of it is the idealic "new domesticity", and part of it is sort of the post-riot grrrl DIY movement. Third wave feminism sort of open the gates for girls to get into makeing things for themselves and let them do "girlie" things and let them know that it was okay.
4. do you have a crafty group that you meet with? how often? why do you dig it?
I go to a knitting group at a local bar twice a month, and I helped organize a ladies social group that meets once a motnh and we do crafts and have a feminist book club. I love love love it. Not only is it fun, but it gives me a great feeling of community and a wonderful place to teach others and learn new skills.
5. where do you go online to discuss/learn/share your craftiness? how do these sites inspire you in ways that real life conversations don't?
I go on this site, and the craftster site. I find that there's a bigger world wide community that's on the net. it's neat. I love real life groups and on-line groups.
6. is there a subversive element to knitting? a punk rock element? or simply a DIY smugness?
For me, doing crafts felt very subversive in a way. My mother is a total tomboy, and growing up I never learned to sew or cook. I had to teach myself everything when I got older. I feel like I kind of missed out a bit because of this.
I also feel that durring the heyday of 2nd wave feminism (60's-80's) that women were focused on breaking out of traditional women's gender roles in order to assert their idependence and gain more civil rights for themselves. They did wonders for women, and I don't want to trash on them in the least, ebcause I highly repect those women, but I don't totally agree with how they went about things. Unfortunately, in this quest of breaking out of their bonds, I think it went a bit too far in rejecting everything classically "feminine".
I am all for re-claiming femininity and finding power in it, not just opression. Make-up, heels, knitting, sewing, baking, can all be wonderfully empowering and fun for women.
I think there's been more of a focus in modern feminism is accepting a variety of women and lifestyles.
In rejecting baking and sewing and going for ready made items, we've becomes horribly dependent on consumerism to take care of us. It's in no way liberating to me.
7. why do you knit?
It's sort of meditative, it gets my creative juices flowing, and it's wonderfully useful.
8. what other crafty things do you do besides knitting?
I make rugs and quilts out of recycled and new fabric.
I want to learn to make toys, improve my knitting and sewing skills, and learn to spin yarn.
I also can't wait to have some land in order to grow my own produce.
9. the future of knitting- is there one or are we just kidding ourselves?
I think their absolutely is a furture to knitting. We can't rely on our country to forever be the rich super power that it is. Once day Americans will need to be more self-sufficient and rescourceful.
Also, I think that knitting is univerally appealing to all generations.
10. do you prefer to knit alone or with other people? why?
Either is wonderful.
11. true or false: can craft save us all? (elaboration here would be nice, but not necessary.)
Certainly. Because crafts aren't just silly instructions on how to decoupage everything, or make decorative items alone. Crafts are making things that our the foundations of our daily lives.
Posted by MlleEmily on 2004-08-21 03:50:16
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1. how did you learn to knit? how old were you then and old are you now?
My mother taught me when I was about ten years old.
2. knitting = nesting? is your knitting a way of getting back to simpler times?
It's very relaxing, I'll say that much... I'm not one for thinking that the so-called 'simpler times' were actually much simpler, or better in a lot of ways. I think that's a pretty romantic view, a myth that politicians are always keen on trotting out when they want to et more conservative.
3. in regards to the current resurgence in knitting, when do you think it started and why?
I was going to say this current world conflict thing making everyone want to stay indoors and do homey, crafty stuff... but the knitting resurgence occured before all that. People do seem to want the satisfaction of making something unique, in a kind of backlash to mass-produced consumer goods. Nothing you can buy seems really all that special when you see someone else wearing it on the bus... and the fact that something can be bought by anyone with the money makes it consequently less exclusive and appealing... the very thing a lot of mass-produced goods claim to be (ie labels, brands). It's like all the stores push this idea of exclusivity and how wonderful it is to have unique items... and then these very stores can't deliver on that promise, so people perhaps are trying to get the uniqueness that's been so exalted the only way they can... by creating something new themselves.
4. do you have a crafty group that you meet with? how often? why do you dig it?
I have been to a Meetup for knitting three times, and really like it. I go because I'm a knitting obsessive and talk about it with a vehemence that's very dificult for non-knitters to tolerate.
5. where do you go online to discuss/learn/share your craftiness? how do these sites inspire you in ways that real life conversations don't?
I go to supernaturale.com, crafster.org, and this site. I think being able to view a lot of different patterns and finished projects from people from very disparate geographical locations is cool-- it makes me feel connected to a larger knitting community, however illusory this may actually be.
6. is there a subversive element to knitting? a punk rock element? or simply a DIY smugness?
No. Are you kidding? This sort of talk's actually been pissing me off lately. The political status quo ain't changing 'cos you knitted something. That requires just a little more effort. There are those who'll tell you knitting is some sort of feminist act too, which is ludicrous. It's not feminist or anti-feminist- it's just bloody knitting!
There's a lot of talk among third wavers about the misguided second-wave feminists who bashed stay-at-home moms and homemakers, and I really just do not think that was ever the case. If anything, Betty Freidan at al were more about telling people to appreciate what women did and NOT dismiss it as mere 'women's (ie worthless) work'. They were never about the denigration of housework per se, just that it shouldn't just fall to women to take care of what is really very hard work and that women ought to be allowed to have equal say in political life and economic outside the domestic realm. The third-wavers attack on second-wavers on this particular point is completely unfounded.
But I digress...
Maybe knitting can be personally transforming, in that you learn to appreciate things in a more non-commercial way... although even that's suspect, given most people have to buy their wool at a store and there's a whole element of fibre snobbery. I'd go with the DIY smugness theory before I'd
say the other two.
7. why do you knit?
It's super fun! I love having made something myself! People tell me I'm clever (or tell me I must have too much time on my hands, nasties!). It's also a good way to watch a lot of television without feeling guilty- hey, as long as I'm knitting something, that's DOING something, so the guilt of spending six hours straight watching the Six Feet Under DVD set is assuaged. And it's just so relaxing and zen.
8. what other crafty things do you do besides knitting?
I love to sew my own clothes, fabric collage, decoupage, basically anything creative. I a bit of crochet too.
9. the future of knitting- is there one or are we just kidding ourselves?
Well, I don't think anyone will stop knitting... as far as craft fads go it will ebb and flow with the mainstream but people will always knit I think. I think it's relative simplicity augurs well for it's continuing practise, whereas some trraditional hand crafts have disappeared almost completely (I'm thinking of certain types of lacemaking, and embroideruie and passementerie) because they really require some pretty hard-core learning to be done well.
10. do you prefer to knit alone or with other people? why?
I can do either. Knitting in a group is fun more for the chatting about knitting and getting tips and seeing averyone elses project than actually getting much done!
11. true or false: can craft save us all? (elaboration here would be nice, but not necessary.)
Only Jesus can save us all... just kidding. But a critical look at consumerism and mass-production wouldn't do anybody any harm... although as I've said, hand-made stuff can be a source of just more competitiveness and snobbery, if you're that kinda person.
Posted by ada on 2004-08-20 18:14:33
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1. how did you learn to knit? how old were you then and old are you now?
I was taught the basics (casting on, knit stitch, casting off) by an aunt, I think I was around 7-8 years old. I'm 27 now. I started knitting again, re-teaching myself from books and websites, when I was 23.
2. knitting = nesting? is your knitting a way of getting back to simpler times?
Not so much. Well, most crafting is fairly home-bound (although knitting is one of the more portable ones) so it often does seem to be linked to nesting and to people who like hanging round in craft-friendly environments which are often homes. For me, knitting was not about simpler times but more about learning to do something that seemed a bit magical, in the way that things you half-recall from your childhood can be. It was the joy of mastering something rather esoteric. I suppose there is also an element of nesting in another sense of the word - I was attracted to the soft, tactile, playing-with-yarn side of knitting - sort of like an adult version of playing with soft toys.
3. in regards to the current resurgence in knitting, when do you think it started and why?
For me it seemed to start in the late 1990s. Why, I don't know. I think one element is that aspect of learning a somewhat mystical craft - I know for my mother knitting was utterly boring, partly because it was so expected that you knew how to do it - but for me, since she (and most women of her generation that I knew) did not knit, it was a special and unusual craft to learn.
Maybe also there's something about learning a hands-on craft that appealed to people; our society is heavily based in information and text and brain-based activity, something like knitting - using your hands, taking your time - is a good antidote. A bit like all those professionals (lawyers, financial workers) who, according to the popular press in the UK, want to retrain to become plumbers, carpenters, etc.
Also I think there was a (more mundane) element, of fashion tastes swinging back to finding hand-made-looking, 'rustic', items attractive - so if you made your own scarf, you would feel comfortable wearing it.
4. do you have a crafty group that you meet with? how often? why do you dig it?
Nothing regular. I have been to a few different groups in my town, but it is not very satisfying, it's difficult to arrange meeting times and the fact that you all knit doesn't mean you will all 'click'.
5. where do you go online to discuss/learn/share your craftiness? how do these sites inspire you in ways that real life conversations don't?
I do most of my knitting chat and communication on-line, I guess, though a lot of it is vicarious, reading other people's writings. I go to a few discussion boards, this one and crafster sometimes and also supernaturale, I read some of the livejournal knitting groups, I belong to some Yahoo knitting groups. But mostly I read blogs of crafty people, usually knitters - loads of them, I have a list of about 30 that I read regularly (once a week or so).
I mostly prefer this to real-life conversations about knitting, because you can just dip in and out for those things that you find interesting - I'm someone who likes to learn by reading, so I find it easier to post questions on-line, and I find it a bit frustrating to talk about my knitting with people who are at different technical skill levels because either I feel out of my depth or I get tired of people being amazed that I know how to fix a dropped stitch.
6. is there a subversive element to knitting? a punk rock element? or simply a DIY smugness?
Hmm. I often feel like I am not subversive enough for other knitters of my age, because I like to follow patterns and don't like to design my own, and because I mostly make fairly functional and traditional things - clothing etc. - I get the feeling from some knitters I meet that it just isn't very hip to follow the traditional knitting 'rules', as it were.
Putting that to one side, there is definitely a subversive element to knitting in relation to consumer culture - why spend so much time on something you could buy for less? On the other hand, it's not like most knitters I know are outside of consumer culture - given the stashes of wool from various well-known knitting brands, and piles of paraphanalia (needles, magazines, etc.). (And yes, I certainly include myself in this description.)
7. why do you knit?
Mostly for the meditative aspect of knitting. Knitting takes up just enough of my brain's attention that it stops worrying about the rest of life. Also, I like the tactile, hands-on nature of it, I don't do much else in my life that uses that side of me.
8. what other crafty things do you do besides knitting?
Some sewing and embroidering.
9. the future of knitting- is there one or are we just kidding ourselves?
Not sure how to answer this - what do you mean by 'the future' of knitting? I'm sure it will always be around as a craft, I guess there will be more or less people interested in it at different times, because life goes in cycles.
10. do you prefer to knit alone or with other people? why?
Alone. Or with other people when doing someting non-communicative, like watching TV. Because people often behave as if it is rude for you to knit while they talk, a bit like texting on a phone.
11. true or false: can craft save us all? (elaboration here would be nice, but not necessary.)
False. People craft for all sorts of reasons; it is the motivations and attitudes that determine how our world will be, not the activities attached to those.
Posted by Katrin on 2005-10-10 20:57:23
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You can make bigger tubes, using exactly the same technique as the spool, with this, if you want to buy the thing. The "long loom" pictured on that site is easy enough to make yourself - nail two boards (like 1x2s), a foot long or however long you want parallel using shorter pieces of wood as cross pieces. Then pound a row of nails into each long piece.
Wrap your yarn around the nails in a zigzag pattern and loop each previous row over the next, just like with the spool. This makes a long flat piece, like a scarf. My sisters and I used to play with those all the time as kids.
Of course, this was exactly the kind of thing I was searching for a few years ago (I don't think the Knifty Knitter existed yet), but when I asked around online, everyone said, "Why don't you just learn to knit?" So I did, and have been loving it ever since.
Posted by saffronwoman on 2005-04-20 00:16:54
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I have two, a 10 yo and a 7 1/2 yo. When they were little it was impossible for me to do any crafting or painting or just about anything.
My youngest (daughter) would get into anything and everything. If I was touching it, it made it necessary for her to touch it too. If I was painting on it, she needed to too.
She destroyed SO many of my things when she was little because of her desire to be just like me.
Now that she's older, she's a joy. She's learned to sew by watching me. She paints, sings, sculpts, want to learn to knit (can't teach her, we'll have to wait for grandma). Life is not just easier, it's more fun doing crafts next to each other.
My son was always respectful of my stuff, but he learned also. He's a draw-er and a sculptor. Amazing stuff comes out of his head. He's made his own dolls and even learned to do some basic cooking - all by watching me.
Anyway, this long diatribe is just to say - hang in there. It WILL get easier as the kids get older. I know that desperate feeling of needing to do something artsy/crafty. Find something small and portable (I started journaling/drawing when they were little and it made all the difference). Life changes and as the kids get older they will still need you, but in different less time consuming (sometimes) ways.
Posted by stella on 2005-01-31 23:58:05
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Stitch & Bitch isn't really my style, but i like that it's getting more people into knitting. i'm not a fan of all the size-35-needle-novelty-yarn stuff out there, but it's just not "me". if it makes people happy, that's great. i wish there were more men out there knitting. my dad is a knitter (he learned recently) but he's the only male knitter i know.
for me, knitting isn't any more about feminism than anything else i do. i knit because i love to, not because i think it's making a statement or it's trendy. in a sense, because i AM a feminist, everything i do is about feminism, but i guess that's a little philosophical.
here are your questions, answered:
If you knit, why did you start?
my grandma taught me to knit when i was 8, but i started again when i was 14 because i started spinning and i wanted to do something with the yarn.
Do you identify as a feminist?
yes.
What does knitting do for you? Why do you like it?
knitting is intuitive and meditative for me. i like knitted objects and i like knitting them. i like to connection to the women (and men) in the past who have knitted, and the connection to women's history.
How do you communicate with other knitters (knitting group, online forums like this, etc)?
my mom, dad, and sister knit. we have some knitting friends, but none are near my age. knitting isn't a social activity for me.
Why do you choose to connect in this way?
because i like to talk about knitting, but like i said, the act of knitting is not something i do socially.
Do you think knitting today is different than it was several generations ago? Does it serve a different function?
yes, it is different. mechanically, most of today's knitting is done at a larger gauge with thicker yarns. most people learn to knit because they want to, not because they have to to keep warm or make money. most people (at least in mainstream america) knit as a hobby. in the past, people *had* to knit sweaters and stockings, because they needed them to wear or it was part of their local economy. most knitters i see these days are more into making fun scarves than socks for daily wear.
Posted by Katrin on 2005-02-14 20:54:47
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How do women define 'feminist?'
I'll use the dictionary definition of "feminism": The theory fact of political, economic and social equality of the sexes.
What role does knitting play in a woman's life? What does it do for her?
Where "a woman" = "me", it plays the role of a creative outlet, one of many. I enjoy designing and making artistic objects that challenge my skills, express my personality, and are also practical.
Do most girls and women who take up knitting today do it with a "Stitch & Bitch" mentality (meaning associate it with girl power and feminism)?
No idea. Most of the people I know who have recently taken up knitting have done so because it's a creative pursuit that interests them. Its current resurgence in popularity has made it accessible to people who would enjoy and excel at it, but might never have thought to take it up otherwise.
Why does knitting suddenly have the cult following that it does? Or has it always been like this and I just didnt realize it until the past few years?
It goes in and out of fashion. I think it was out of style for an unusually long time (more than a generation) until recently, so fewer people remember the last time it was popular.
If you knit, why did you start?
My mother tried teaching me as a child, but I was too young - I grew up believing I was incapable of learning to knit. Still I wanted to do something like knitting and was searching for some substitute technique to produce similar results. Finally someone asked me, "Why don't you just learn to knit?" and so I asked my mother to teach me again.
Do you identify as a feminist?
Of course.
What does knitting do for you? Why do you like it?
See above - it's yet another creative outlet, a way to keep learning new skills and making unique objects that are both artistic and functional. I also like that it's portable and can be done almost anywhere
How do you communicate with other knitters (knitting group, online forums like this, etc)?
I've recently joined a knitting group. I've tried to start another group with some neighbors; we talk about it, but it's never gotten off the ground. I read knitting and craft forums regularly but am not as involved in them as some members are. Friends and coworkers have expressed interest in learning to knit also, and I look forward to the opportunity to help them.
Why do you choose to connect in this way?
Those are the ways I would connect with people for any activity or subject.
Do you think knitting today is different than it was several generations ago? Does it serve a different function?
The biggest difference is that now we don't need to knit. It's easier, faster and often cheaper to buy clothing than make our own, and so that makes knitting (and sewing, etc.) something of a status symbol. Knitters have not only a special skill, but also the time and money necessary to engage in it. It's fortunate that we have the choice to create our own clothing; if it were still a necessity, it would (paradoxically) probably be devalued as unimportant work, and the emphasis would be on producing more volume (drudgery) rather than on innovation and creativity.
Posted by amygdala on 2006-11-05 09:49:32
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I resent the implication that because I didn't learn to knit at age 5, I'm a trendoid. My mom never did a lot of the traditional crafty stuff - no sewing, knitting, baking, or whatnot - so she couldn't teach me. So I picked up embroidery and then knitting when I started grad school as a way to unwind a bit. I guess I'm guilty of liking some of the new, trendy pattern stuff (I mean, I love the Sublime Stitching patterns and they're certainly not traditional) but I don't think I should be scorned for it. I mean, I had to teach myself all of it. And I did start with the Debbie Stoller and more "hip" stuff (though I really hate the skull motif thing everywhere, myself), once I got comfortable with my skills I branched out and started getting into Elizabeth Zimmerman and Barbara Walker.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't think it is fair to judge people who do buy the trendy stuff. Not everybody is lucky enough to have had a grandparent or mom to teach crafty skills, some of us have found out on our own and that seems to entail a little bit of foundering. Just because I may not be doing the "trendy" stuff anymore doesn't mean that it wasn't important and useful as a way to get me interested in the craft and then move beyond and start doing my own thing.
Posted by moon_lemming on 2005-09-28 00:18:03
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I'm wondering how full our local theater will be Friday night . . . I'm not sure about the level of interest around here. I'm ordering tickets online just in case, though.
can't wait! although now I wish Friday were a little further away so I could learn to knit a HAT by then -- that's so cool!
I don't think I've avoided spoilers this avidly since . . . I'm not sure, but it probly involved Buffy.
Posted by craftfetish on 2006-10-24 10:09:04
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My grandmother was an amazing knitter. She had very classic taste - so her Aran fisherman sweaters would knock the socks off of any "modern" knitter.
Pulling out the hand knit stockings she made for each of us is my favorite part of Christmas. You can see how her gauge started to loosen with each new grandkid as her hands became arthritic (not such a bad thing as bigger stockings hold more :) but I am always touched by the idea that she knit through pain for me) I know what a labor of love they were for her to make for us and I wish she were still here to give me some pointers. Part of the reason I wanted to learn to knit was to be able to make a similar heirloom for the next generation.
And it was my mom who actually taught me to knit. Granted some of the sweater patterns she used in the 80s look dated to me now, but that was "contemporary" knitting when she did it. I suspect many of the patterns I have bookmarked (or dog-eared in SnB) for my to do list will look totally passe in 20 years.
So, the reason I have rambled on about the crafty matriarchy in my family is that I'm with you about some marketing being insulting to older crafters.
I get the idea behind "this ain't your grandma's" but I think the same point can be made without dismissing previous generations.
Everything old is new again.
Or, age-old crafts with a modern spin.
Or, a new look at a familiar art.
Or if you simply can't leave grandma out of it - why not "Your Grandma may have taught you to crochet, but I bet she didn't tell you how to make this"
Okay, so I don't work in marketing. But you get the idea.
Crewel seems to be the next craft set for a revival. Maybe they can do a better job of marketing without resorting to age-ism.
Posted by anthrogirl on 2006-11-12 11:35:31
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I resent the implication that because I didn't learn to knit at age 5, I'm a trendoid. My mom never did a lot of the traditional crafty stuff - no sewing, knitting, baking, or whatnot - so she couldn't teach me. So I picked up embroidery and then knitting when I started grad school as a way to unwind a bit. I guess I'm guilty of liking some of the new, trendy pattern stuff (I mean, I love the Sublime Stitching patterns and they're certainly not traditional) but I don't think I should be scorned for it. I mean, I had to teach myself all of it. And I did start with the Debbie Stoller and more "hip" stuff (though I really hate the skull motif thing everywhere, myself), once I got comfortable with my skills I branched out and started getting into Elizabeth Zimmerman and Barbara Walker.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't think it is fair to judge people who do buy the trendy stuff. Not everybody is lucky enough to have had a grandparent or mom to teach crafty skills, some of us have found out on our own and that seems to entail a little bit of foundering. Just because I may not be doing the "trendy" stuff anymore doesn't mean that it wasn't important and useful as a way to get me interested in the craft and then move beyond and start doing my own thing.
Hey. I'm 44 and taught myself crochet at 43. I'll probably teach myself kinitting at 45, in a few months.
Everyone who didn't learn a skill at a certain age isn't a trendoid. What makes a person a trendoid is if she treats people who don't share that skill, or don't do it to the same extent that she does, like they aren't people. There are some people who only take things up BECAUSE it's trendy- I'm thinking of the characters in Absolutely Fabulous, who only do popular things, not things they like, and drop something the moment it's not in the limelight.
I've had long-time knitters treat me like crap too, and tell me that crochet 'isn't that complex'. It is easierto learn than knitting, and many of the patterns produce a stiffer material than you will get with knit patterns. But when you sit down with these people and ask them questions, they usually never learned things like hairpin lace, Tunisian crochet, and filet crochet- all of which take a lot of patience and skill, and all of which use crochet as the basis.
As for fair- yes, I do think it's 'fair'. It's fair to see if someone is truly interested, or just passing through- we base our friendships on that, don't we? We don't invest as much time and energy on those who are passing through. But should we be hateful? No. What I look at is how much a person is interested in crafting, not what craft that person is doing now. A lot of people try out ideas and then find one or several that suit them, but still do the others once in a while. But human beings are not only free to make judgments, it's the way that they find friends and companions. Trends will very often lead people to what they will love. It's only a problem when they get nasty and rude about it.
Posted by lu-lu-gee on 2005-10-11 02:00:22
Post Subject:
Totally agree, becca 13- why'd ya go and make me cry, Joss? In front of my hubby and a dozen of his Browncoat coworkers, no less!
Seriosly, we saw it the day it opened- fantastic movie! Strange thing is, I never saw Firefly while it was on Fox because Fox showed the series out of order, never showed some episodes, and basically screwed the series. Once the series replayed on Sci Fi channel, I was hooked! Now that we've bought the DVD set, we have my nephew hooked, too. I get to see Serenity again tomorrow- taking the nephew to see it for his b-day (any excuse, right?).
BTW... I saw the Jayne hat pattern-must go learn to knit now. Hubby and not-born-yet son need matching Jayne hats!
Posted by DanVera on 2005-11-28 18:24:23
Post Subject: The writer writes
Well, I wrote that history on the MenKnitting site.
I read this conversation a few days ago. Didn't really see a reason to write in. I find part of this discussion humorous. I approach that website very much from a place of feminist cultural theory. I believe communities deserve to have places where they can gather and share their stories. I firmly believe that as a feminist (yes, you heard me) and as a Latino Gay person living out a multitude of minority experiences in this country. What I wrote on the little history page of the MenKnit site was this:
There is a great history of men who knit. In fact most historians agree that knitting probably began with men. The thinking goes that knitting grew out of the knitting of fishing nets.
According to The Complete Encyclopedia of Stitchery by Mildred Graves Ryan, most historians agree that knitting was probably spread by Arabian sailors and merchants who traveled throughout the Mediterranean. These were most likely male sailors. In fact there are a number of knit patterns that date back to these Arabian forebears.
Now, I'll stand by my points about Debbie Stoller's book providing an inaccurate history of knitting. I still think its a great book. It is in fact included on the "LEARN" page of the website for folks who are looking for resources on where to begin.
As for men knitters wanting applause, this is ridiculous on the face of it. Let me make a few pronouncements here about what women knitters want.
Well, actually, let me not make any pronouncements. Because I find gross generalizations to be disgusting and oppressive whoever is wielding them. The same could be said for comments about what "male knitters want."
You will find male knitters who do their own thing and have knit for years and never talked about it. You'll find new male knitters who need some assistance just like all other beginning knitters. But, applause? No. Actually most of the male knitters I know roll their eyes when another knitter (usually a woman) makes a big fuss about their knitting. "Where did *you* learn to knit." "*Why* did *you* learn to knit." I can't count the number of times I've been with a group of knitters and been asked that question only because I'm the only male knitters. It does lead one to feel like a circus freak when all you want to do is knit.
But if you want to know why the website exists, I am reminded of the email I received last month from a school teacher in Arkansas. She had taught her gradeschool kids to knit. It helped with hand eye coordination and following instructions. They all, boys and girls, took to it well. Then the kids went home and the parents of the boy students were enraged that the teacher had the temerity to teach her boy students how to knit.
This teacher was writing me to thank me for the website. She liked the pictures of boys and men knitting and yes, the history. But she was also asking for advice. She said she felt "crushed" because she could see that the boys we confused. They had felt "so proud of their accomplishment." And now some pointy-headed, stuck-in-some-1950s-genderbox, parents had destroyed all of that.
Yes my sisters. People do still get knocked for knitting. There are different kinds of repression and they are all horrible. Please embrace people taking up craft. Don't piss all over it. Its rude and unnecessary and bad manners. MenKnit.net is one small website. If it has gleaned so much attention, ask all the women writers and editors who have chosen to give the attention. I can tell you for one that we've received NO interest from male reporters. What does that tell you?
As for people using the term "femi-nazis": I find it unsound for crafty people to be using terms invented by Rush Limbaugh. I mean, consider the source. Ugh ugh ugh. Not to mention its insulting and misogynistic and seeing as how it's coming from that homophobic, anti-choice, zealous windbag Limbaugh even more repugnant.
Posted by happyhats on 2006-01-01 03:42:43
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I liked my Christmas presents because they were all things I actually enjoy and will use. I got lots of smelly bath stuff, a great magnetic bookmark, liquer and champagne flutes, other glasses, some clothes, and the Golden Girls Season One and Two, which I watch contantly. I only got a few knicknacks-two Wizard of Oz related and one a windchime- and since they are stuff I really enjoy I like displaying them. Oh, and I got the knifty knitter because I want to learn to knit. Wish me luck!
Posted by Katrin on 2004-05-20 12:09:29
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I think I've told my learning-to-knit story several times...my mom first tried to teach me when I was very young (like, four or five). I just could not get the hang of it, and I spent the next three decades or more convinced that my brain was incapable of grasping the basics of knitting.
I remembered playing with "knitting" looms and frames as a kid—a pair of boards with nails that made a long scarf, or a spool that knitted a narrow tube. Those were easy for me, and for years I wondered how to make a bigger "spool" to create a tube of fabric, for instance for a skirt. Finally about a year and a half ago I posted this question on GetCrafty. People said, "Why don't you just learn to knit? It's the same thing!"
I'd never thought of it that way. So when I was visiting my parents for the holidays, I asked my mom to teach me again. This time it stuck—the basic principles are remarkably simple. What I'd thought were essential intricate steps were actually little extra techniques, helpful but not necessary at first, and which came easily with a little practice.
For anyone seriously wanting to learn to knit but with a phobia like I had (and without my mom to teach them), I recommend Stitch 'N Bitch by Debbie Stoller. It really does deserve all the hype it's gotten. It's the only knitting book I've ever found with written instructions and diagrams that make total sense to me when I'm trying to learn something new.
Posted by bookish on 2004-09-15 13:02:16
Post Subject:
Hi,
I'm in Denton which is just about 20-30 min out of Dallas. I've lived here for several years but I still hit the fabric stores etc. on my own. I would love to be involved with searching out new crafty places! I sew a lot of my own clothing, quilts, and I would love to learn to knit.
Posted by soapandwater on 2004-06-07 10:37:57
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I'm glad you notice, Xuli! But you have to admit, it's easy to get lost over there sometimes. Or at least overwhelmed.
I don't post as much on the craft board, mainly because I'm a terrible crafter, but I love reading them. To me nothing feels better than inspiration, but with the bigger a board gets, the more you get posts like "How do you learn to knit?" over and over and over. So far, so good over here!
Posted by pink_moustache on 2005-01-11 00:55:39
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my mom taught me how to knit (she's an awesome knitter) when i was 5, but i didn't knit until the spring of 2004...I'm 21...so it's been how many years, who can do math here? ...yet I still remembered everything.
I used to speak one more language as a child, but I forgot it almost completely when I stopped using it when I was like 9 or 10. Yet I remembered knitting...our memory is funny.
I selftaught myself crocheting in summer of 2004. In my opinion, crocheting is way easier to learn than knitting. Right before/after xmas (I don't remember) I taught a friend of mine to crochet in 2 hours. At the end of the evening she could chain, double crochet...treble...she could crochet in round, flat, she could crochet little flowers and she grasped the concept of free form crochet...all of that in 2 hours, considering that she's a leftie and I'm a rightie...that was a bit of an issue in the beginning, but we figured it out. So, it's easy to learn.
I like combining both, knitting and crocheting in my projects. i like the drape of the knit fabric...there're a lot more patterns for knitting that I like...crochet clothing items, unless it's a hat or thin lacy mohair shawl, tend to be too stiff for my taste. But crochet details are awesome for decorating...
Crochet is more portable, you deal only with one stitch at a time, so if you lose it...it's just one stitch...not 154. But you can knit without looking after a little bit of practice ( i love it...because I can knit during long night rides in a car, or while watching tv.) It's really not difficult to learn to knit with your eyes closed. Probably you can't really do it when knitting lace, but if you're doing something in simple garter, or rib....it's really easy.
with crochet, you have to constantly look at your work...
'nyway...somebody on Glitter once mentioned that it takes 15%...or was it 30% less yarn to knit an item than if you crochet it...
Posted by acebeader on 2005-02-17 09:50:19
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My name is Antonia, and I live in Iowa. I am 28, and getting married (to an amazing man, who loves my craftiness!!!) on May 28th....less than 4 months to go! I am originally from a little north of Milwaukee, and I miss Wisconsin. We have a 3 1/2 year old boxer named Titan, and he's the only baby for now! I love sitting in our backyard watching him run and play, he's so much fun.
My main hobby is beading, and I love to make homade cards, seashell wreaths and mirrors, cross-stitch, and almost any other craft. I love to take pictures, and carry my camera everywhere. I have yet to learn to knit or crochet.
A lot of my collecting is craft related, I love buying paper, stickers, ribbon, rubber stamps, and odds and ends. I also collect way to many seashells, and have to mail them home whenever I take a vacation by the sea! I love water, and even our wedding is having a beach theme...it's right by Lake Michigan, and it's like the ocean for me, since I gre up near there! I also collect these little resin birds made by Russ (sold at Hallmark and little fun stores), and they have long metal legs...they are so cute!
I also love to read, just about anything. Most of my reading is done to unwind, so I like lighter books. I love music, and again, just about any types...from Lyle Lovett , REM, to Kelly Clarkson :) I enjoy watching TV, but always am crafting while I watch!
Posted by Lyssalicious on 2005-02-17 01:43:43
Post Subject:
Yay! I love these kinds of things.
Name: Alyssa
Location: Chicagoland
Age: 22
Single, no kids
Pets: 1 dog (at home), Molly. She's Buddhist. She goes by the name of the Molly Lama.
I collect:
CDs, buttons, photos, probably a lot of things I can't think of.
I'm really only moderately crafty. I love making those cassette single notebooks. I like doing magazine-picture wallets, too. Also, I make a beast of a mix CD. I love cooking.
If I could learn to not procrastinate, I'd be a much better person.
I gave up eating meat really impulsively, and I've only eaten it once in the past eight months. That one time was when I was in Japan and I decided I could have a couple pieces of fish, because Japan is all about that, and then there was an Unfortunate Incident and my vegetarianism was reinforced.
I want to learn to knit ridiculously badly, but I don't have the patience to learn.
Traveling is probably my favorite thing ever. Fingers crossed that I get to go back to China and Japan this summer!
There are 115 days until I graduate from college. I'm a political science major (international politics focus) and an English lit. minor. Right now I'm obsessed with Oscar Wilde. I'm re-obsessed with him, I should say. I love tying books and politics together. Right now I'm planning a paper on Oscar Wilde and the aesthetics of socialism.
I journal like it's my job, online and in paper form.
I am a huge slob. Right now my room is really disgusting.
I'm a treehugger, but I don't really like the outdoors. I'm such a city girl.
I'm a Scorpio, on the cusp of Sagittarius, 21 November.
I grew up in Minnesota. I still live there when I'm on breaks from school. I hate the cold, but I really love the Midwest.
The amount of karaoke I have done in my life is probably abnormal.
Posted by soapandwater on 2005-07-24 17:20:46
Post Subject:
i know that's just me and other public schools are different, but i feel strongly that no one shouold be forced to learn something they're not interested in-they most likely won't really learn much anyway. we need to give kids more credit for knowing what they're naturally drawn to, stop trying to homogenize everyone so much, and allow room for exploration of a wider variety of relevant life skills.
I agree with letting students focus on what they do best. I went to a school that allowed me to have an hour and a half of creative writing everyday for four years. I got to take the hardest English and History classes I wanted. We also had an alternate math class that taught basic math skills and skills where math would be used in daily life. And I learned how to compute interest in my advanced math classes. And I know I'll NEVER use permutations except when I'm bored. That's not the point, though. It is AMAZING to be able to conquer what you think you couldn't do, and doing things that aren't natural to you helps hone your skills in general.
The life skills I didn't learn in the classroom, I learned and am learning outside of it, on my own and from family and from just living. I didn't learn to knit in school, but I did learn how to understand graphs of loss and profit in economics. In my math classes, I learned about everything from M.C. Escher to Archimedes.
What if someone didn't want to learn how to read and comprehend literature? Is that a good enough excuse to say, "You don't have to read books. You can just go look through a microscope instead." There is something to be said for learning things you don't want to do. Plenty of high school students have to write five page papers in their English classes, whether they want to or not.
Posted by purpledoor on 2007-02-19 10:54:15
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I started a shop last November selling knitting patterns and stitch markers. I have not sold a ton of stuff, but like someone noted, it's pretty cheap to list items...I have sold enough to cover all the listing fees I've incurred so far, so at least it's not a loss.
I agree that alot of the stuff you see on Etsy is underpriced. For example, my stitch markers seem to be priced on the high side compared to a lot of others on Etsy. I am charging enough to cover materials/fees/reasonable hourly wage so I'm not sure if other folks just have amazingly cheap supply sources or are willing to work for less or just make markers much faster than I do. I also have seen handmade beaded stitch markers that are similar in style to mine in shops around here for double what I'm charging on Etsy, so clearly people are willing to pay more for this kind of product. Craft pricing is sort of a sore topic with me...I think too many crafters place a low value on their time and labor and it makes me sad. Plus it leads non-crafters to believe that making stuff by hand is cheap, or quick and easy. I have had people offer to pay me to knit them a sweater and when I say it will probably cost at least $400 plus yarn cost they flip out and think I must be charging some crazy hourly rate. When I explain that actually I expect to make around $10/hour they decide I must be really slow (most other knitters I know think I'm quite fast, so...) or just don't believe me or whatever. Well, guess what, it does generally take 40 hours to make a nice adult sized sweater and if you don't want to pay for that you can learn to knit yourself!
Posted by kateastrophe on 2007-02-07 21:35:14
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I'm totally bumping this because it is quite relavent for a research paper I am starting. Basically, I want to explore how modern women (and men!) have reclaimed domestic arts (specifically knitting, since it is the most prevalent in contemp sources such as BUST.)
I was wondering if any of you crafty people would like to fill out a short questionnaire for some of my first-hand research. No rush or obligation really, but it would be much appreciated!
Age:
Gender:
Race/ethnicity:
Hometown/region:
Profession and/or area of study (if applicable):
When did you learn to knit/crochet?
Who taught you or how did you learn?
What other domestic hobbies do you have, if any? (Cross-stitch, baking, spinning, etc.)
How many male knitters/crafters do you know? How many female? (If applicable)
Do you craft for yourself, loved ones, for a profit, charities, etc.?
Does your crafting hold any significant political meaning to you?
Posted by cukpi on 2004-10-03 14:16:05
Post Subject:
Hi - My name is Kathleen and I am 27. I have most recently started on making my Christmas cards. This summer I have been trying to learn to knit - finally my scarves have stopped looking like shawls. I also have been trying to catch up on all the backlog of scrapbooking I have been meaning to do - it never seems like there is enough time. I currently reside in Nutley, NJ.
Posted by KittenHasAWhip on 2004-05-23 01:59:03
Post Subject: Re: introduce yourself
who are you? what floats your boat, where do you live and what makes you crafty?
My name is Tracey. I'm 21 years old and a senior at a tiny li'l liberal arts college in MD.
Things that float my boat include but are not limited to my wonderful boyfriend, stickers of all sorts, free concerts in DC, watching weird cartoons like The Oblongs, reading people's LiveJournals, watching people juggle and wishing that I could, collecting purses and handbags and winter scarfs, playing board games and video games and word games and games of all sorts, and poetry!
What makes me crafty is my love for counted cross-stitch despite my lack of finished projects. I start them, get distracted, begin another, and repeat. I love to papercraft! :) Scrapbooking, card-making, the occasional origami penguin when the mood strikes. I write, read, and speak poetry. Writing can be considered a craft I think. I'm constantly creating messes and rearranging and attempting to declutter them and reorganize which seems to always lead me to a crafty project. I tried to learn to knit, it was terrible. I cannot knit. So I tried to learn to crochet. I thought I understood it, apparently I didn't. So I cannot crochet either. I also try new crafts. I'm terrible in craft stores, I could spend hours there. And I just bought one of the new DMC Linea embroidery kits in the hopes of keeping my hands busy since the semester is over and I'm left with the television and junk food in the kitchen.
Sorry for the rambling. It's late.
I must admit that's no excuse for me, I always ramble. I'm loquacious, which is just a fancy-schmancy word for talkative :)
Posted by malinka on 2004-06-08 18:36:09
Post Subject:
Hi I'm Malinka
I'm 30yo and I live in Melbourne, Australia.
I went to glitter a few times but lurked more than posted. I aim to change this now, because I don't spend enough time procrastinating on the web. No really, I plan to post more because this seems like a great supportive community that will be all the better the more people get into it. I love reading about the creative and caring things people here are into, and it inspires me to do more of these things myself. I posted a thingy in the cooking forum about finger food ideas for my wedding *my first new-topic post* and I can't believe the time people who don't know me at all have taken out to share their ideas. Mush mush, I know, but there you are.
I love:
*my fiancee (tee hee--newly engaged)
*cooking
*trying to garden (definitely a novice at this)
*coffee in the morning
*crime fiction
*books
wow that sounds kinda dull
um
*going to farmers markets
*Coopers beer, the best in Australia, chemical-free
*buffy, I know she's gone, but I can't let go
I'm definitely a feminist too. I guess my mum and my stepmum and my grannie, who are not at all oppressed housewives, taught me a lot about crafting and so I've always seen it as a means of expressing myself and my love for people, and achieving great stuff that's not about work and money. I love cooking a great meal, just for my boyf or for a whole raft of people, and I love that my grannie crocheted each of her grandkids a rug when we moved out of home.
At the moment my main crafty things are cooking and gardening, and the kind of creative living thingies people here talk about. I used to sew a lot, and am busy getting back into that. My first, new project, which I hereby *pledge* to finish my the end of this month is a bag for a friend's birthday. It's a sturdy fabric with a chinesey-flower and water print, and I'll also put a little beading on it. I also want to learn to knit and crochet. I have knitted a couple of times before, but have completely forgotten how.
That's more than enough blather from me.
Happy to meet you all
