Suddenly everything has changed
Donna suggested I catalog the knitting techniques I've learned in 2007. Bless her heart for giving me something to write about and not have to come up with something myself. She's correct that in my first few months as a knitter I was all about garter stitch. Only a basketweave scarf broke up the garter party.
Here's the Reader's Digest version of what I've learned on my knitting journey for the first 200 days of 2007:
-Felting
-How to convert a hank into a ball
-How to unknit stitches
-How to rip out stitches
-How to pick up stitches
-How to pick up dropped stitches
-How to sew on a button and a pin back
-How to use circular needles
-How to use double pointed needles
-Kitchener stitch
-Knitting in the round
-Long tail cast on
-Mattress stitch
-Ribbing
-Seed stitch
-Sock knitting
-Spit splice
-Stockinette stitch
-Yarn over
I also did the following for the first time:
-Bought a knitting book
-Knit alone in public and and became comfortable doing so
-Participated in an online knitting swap
It's possible that I've overlooked some things--I've sort of written a lot this year--but that ought to be a fairly accurate accounting of my knitting education in 2007. I have a lot to learn, but I am startled to see how much I've picked up. Maybe it's easier for me because I began knitting with no expectations of what I could or couldn't do. Foolishly or not, I jumped into it and have worked hard at trying to improve and learn new things.
I've been very lucky to have a terrific teacher and plenty of help from those of you who read and comment. If I'd tried to learn by picking up a book--something that simply wouldn't have happened...but if it had--I expect I would have been easily frustrated and abandoned my efforts. Knitting is (or can be) a solitary activity, but the community is what makes it something special.
Labels: knitting, progress report
posted by the secret knitter @ 10:38 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Look at you! Once again you're way ahead of me ... I really don't know how to rip (except all the way) or pick up dropped stitches, and I've never knit seed stitch. Is it possible I can claim to be ahead of you on short rows? Have I mentioned that short rows are utterly magical?
It's amazing how many new things you've picked up. If you keep up half this pace, you're going to be super-fancy by the end of 2007.
*blush*
You're ahead of me on short rows, but it sounds like I might be able to show you a trick or two.
And I forgot that I learned how to knit into the back of a stitch, although I'd have to look it up again, and ssk.
Wow - very impressive, Mark!! You've come a long way, baby ;)
By the way, I finally put a little something in the snail mail to you.. should arrive in a couple days. Sadly, I was rushing and had no time to unpack my cards and stationary to include a little note, so please forgive me for the post-it instead.
Have a great weekend and keep on learnin' new stuff...I can't believe how much you've done in six months that I still haven't learned in all the time I've been a knitter!
Wow! Look at you! Next thing you know, you'll be knitting cables. (Way easier than socks, I think.)
You're right, though. Knitting is all about the community. A couple of other friends and I just had the same discussion the other night.
I was putting some of my books away last night and came across a suggestion for you. "Knit Fix" is the title. It shows ways to fix knitting mistakes.
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