The Knitting Adventures of Knit-Man

Back into the knitting game

2010-01-12T01:45:00.000-08:00

I've started a scarf for my other half. Hope he likes it! It's one of these furry wools which, excuse my language, is a bitch to knit with. Slow going at the moment, and debating whether to start learning crochet. Gotta get back to knititng my throw soon too. I've a square half completed, so time to get it off the needles.

Also mum splashed out on a mig-guage knitting machine LK150. I'm hoping to save for an SK155 too. Reminds me of years ago when she'd knit jumpers on the machine for me.

OMG Where did the time go?

2008-05-02T04:54:00.000-07:00

Things have been a little hectic lately. I did manage to have last week off as a holiday but unfortunately not a lot of knitting was accomplished, and to top it all off there was a chimney fire. Luckily no knitting was involved - there were about 4 balls of wool in the room, but they're ok. They've survived their traumatic experience.

Shame on me! Still no pictures taken for my blog. I'm about 3/4 of the way through the 3rd square and just started a 4th one for when I get bored of the 3rd one.

Had a mini-stroke when I went into our local newsagents to get the latest issue of Let's Knit and it wasn't there! I'd already been there the day it was supposed to be out and also a few days later and no mag! Luckily my friend Nessa on the Let's Knit forums sent me over a copy. I'm loving the funky needles that came with it. The lesson learned from the experience is to subscribe.

Besides knitting news, I've been playing LOTRO (Lord of the Rings Online) and WoW (World of Warcraft). Sometimes there just aren't enough hours in the day.

Well, off for now and pictures coming soon... I promise.

The Beginning.... well sort of

2008-04-06T00:37:00.000-07:00

When I was born my mother crocheted my christening gown, which then went round the family. She'd also knit lots of items for her sister, and until the needles disappeared (dad used them to mix paint!) my brother and sister. Then came the knitting machine. I can still remember my favourite jumper. It was red with a frog on a lily-pad and some rain. Then came my own introduction to knitting on pins when I was 7...

We were to knit a teddy-bear. From what I remember (was a long time ago) it was just garter stitch. One morning I decided to cast-off myself, or rather cut-off. Once the wool was cut off the needles it promptly decided to unravel. End result: no more teddy. I think I was the only pupil who didn't have a finished teddy.

Fast forward 24 years and a new weekly magazine came out - "The Art of Knitting". It looked interesting, especially as there was free yarn to knit a throw. 90 squares in all. It seemed like a mammoth task (it still does!). I started collecting it, yet still hadn't managed to knit more than a square. Fast forward one more year, this time the unfiled issues had mounted up and I decided to tackle them. Filed away issues 8-51 and decided to cast-on the 2nd square. It was to be a ladder-effect. I managed to complete half of it and made a mistake and ended up frogging the square. Instead I proceeded with the 3rd square, and have now finally cast it off.

I still like to flick through the binders looking at the patterns. Recently I went to town and found some knitting magazines. Namely "Let's Knit", "Simply Knitting", "Knit Today" and "Knitting". Lovely patterns in them, and some even had free gifts. I then decided to join the "Let's Knit" forum. It's wonderful to be talking to so many wonderful friends about knitting. I haven't met many guys who knit - yet. I'm sure I'll come across them at some stage.

So it's back to the squares for my throw. I'm even thinking of doing a few more just to make it bigger. I love flicking through the binder to see all the different squares. I'm still a bit apprehensive about intarsia. I'm sure there's nothing scary about it, but I still feel like I'm only getting to grips with one colour! I also have a habit of making stitches.

Next on the to-do list is to learn to crochet. Mum has promised to teach me. I think it will be wonderful to be able to do the two. I suppose after that will be getting to grips with the sewing machine lol. In the next few days I'll post some pics of the 2 squares I've done. Unfortunately I don't get too much time to knit as I'm a shift-worker. Hopefully I'll make better use of my time to get more knit.