MENU

Train Trips and Stitching

I’m working on another design that’s under contract, which
is why I haven’t been posting many progress photos recently… gotta keep it
under wraps. 
Riding on the train is prime knit and crochet time for
me.  It’s partly because there’s few
distractions.  It’s partly because
something about the movement of the train. 
And it is partly because I can turn on the music, look down at the work,
and get into the zen mode.
On the way down I’ve finished the sleeve to the contracted
project, worked a little on a vest that was hibernating and I’ve dug back out,
and also worked on another square for the log cabin blanket of alternative
techniques.
Basically, I’ve been using the log cabin blanket to work out
some different ideas.  And stashbust.
I’m starting to brainstorm for the final shawl of the four
shawls I’ll be releasing in the next year. 
We’re going toward the winter one. 
I have to balance my desire to just drape a blanket over my shoulders in
the winter with something that is wearable and flattering.  We’ll see what comes out.
What have you been working on lately?

Please. Don’t say you’re making a scarf.

Many people come into the yarn store where I work, and will say it’s their first time knitting or crocheting and they want to make a scarf.  I always try to steer them away from this.

Why?

Because a scarf takes a long time.  And especially if you are doing a garter stitch scarf or a scarf in single crochet, after the first 8-10″, you’ve got knitting/single crochet down.  Now you are going to be working that same stitch for at least another 50″.  Chances are you want to move beyond that one stitch.  Maybe learn to purl, double crochet, increase or decrease.  You start loosing interest.  And there, that scarf languishes.  You might even give up knitting or crochet altogether.

Please don’t do this to yourself.  It would be like a person who went into a weight loss program saying they needed to loose 100 lbs.  Well, you might want to loose 100 lbs, but chances are you are going to focus on more attainable, small term goals.  Perhaps just the first 5 lbs.

In a similar way, give yourself a more attainable goal.  Perhaps you’d like to make a pair of finger-less mitts.  Or a cowl.  Here’s a list of a few different projects you can do easily, as a beginner, and still get satisfaction from completing a project.

A shopping bag made out of squares.

A Pair of slippers. – they fold up really easily, and then you just whip stitch them up the sides.

Another pair of slippers.

A knitted bunny pattern – made of squares.

A garter stitch kitty made out of squares.

A teddy bear made of squares.

A small crochet clutch

Crochet slippers

Crochet Hat

Fingerless Mitts

Good luck learning, and may you set some accomplish-able goals!