Hope we're all having a great weekend!
Compared to the last week, it's a bit cold and windy today. Ideal weather for staying in and crafting! Maybe I'll finally work on some new cross-stitch charts today - I think it's time I did ;)
Anyway, before that, I thought it was time to show off my knitting skills.
Long-time followers will recall that last year, I taught myself to knit. Each year I like to learn new crafts and I think I was determined to proof to people who say if you can crochet you can't knit and visa versa!
After my stitching, I love to crochet, and I'm very happy when I've got my favourite hook in hand and I'm working up my latest project. It's as addictive as stitching, and like my stitching, I have too many UFP's!!!
So onto the knitting. It doesn't come naturally, holding two needles instead on one hook, feels alien, and I really have to concentrate on what I am doing. The work is less forgiving that crochet, so if I drop stitches, I tend to cry and give up!
Despite these frustrations, I was determined to master the craft and prove that I can knit just as well as I can crochet!
I'd mastered the basics - cast on, cast off, knit, purl, rib - now it was time to learn to increase and decrease (essential for shaping).
The first project I chose was called "Stanley the Snake"! It was in UK magazine, Let's Get Crafting Issue #47. An easy project for any beginner to practice! Here are some shots of my work in progress:
The actual knitting of Stanley was straight forward stocking stitch (knit one row, purl the next). The increases/decreases were fiddly as unlike crochet, you have different types, which give a different finishing effects!
Then there was making up! Again, unlike crochet where you work in the round and the project is contained as you go, with knitting, you work in one piece and sew up at the end! Mattress stitch was fiddly to master and I had to have a friend show me how to do it!
He took some doing, but I finally got him made:
I don't think he turned out too bad in the end :)
You can find the link to the magazine's website HERE (no pattern though).
Whilst I was recuperating from my hand surgery last year, I paid a visit to see the lovely ladies at the Trinity Church Stitch 'n Chat group, who meet up every Monday. It was nice to see them as now that I work Monday's I don't see them so often.
When I was there, they were making knitted sheep for the Messy Church Nativity. The premise being that 11 sheep are hidden in local shops round town. The object is to find and name all the sheep with the 12th sheep being at the Nativity service in church.
With my hand still strapped, it was quite frustrating sitting there surrounded by people knitting, but I swiped a copy of the pattern to make my own sheep (cause he looked really cool).
When my hand had healed enough to start crafting again, I decided to make one!
Here he is:
He's affectionately known as "Legless Wonky Eyes", due to the fact that I had a few issues with his legs and his ears were sewn on in such a way that his eyes look wonky!
I've worked his body using a gorgeous acrylic yarn by Sirdar called "Sandstorm", which is flecked and gives him a lovely fleecy look :) Check it out HERE.
You can download the sheep pattern HERE.
Finally, we have Kevin the Penguin:
He was a freebie kit given away with Let's Knit magazine (October 2014).
His beak and his feet were a bit of a bitch, but the rest of him was easy to make.
So that's it for today, I think that I have rambled on far too long and you're probably all bored by now.
I'm off for a bacon sarnie :D
Till next time ... keep Kalm and cross-stitch!
