Tuesday 19 October 2010

Getting Knitty

The days are getting colder and the nights are drawing in, it's time to get my knitting needles out again. I like nothing more than knitting by the fire with a steaming mug of my aunt-in-laws homemade laurel tea.

I learned how to knit when I was about 8 years old and my skills haven't really progressed since then! I've only ever managed to knit things like this simple cowl..........

........or these very basic fingerless gloves.

I've never actually followed a knitting pattern, all those abbreviations scare me a bit (k2tog, psso, sk2p - what do they all mean???) However, if I'm going to succeed in my Challenge of the Utmost Kind, I decided that I need to work on improving my knitting skills so I can make myself something a bit more useful than gloves with no fingers!

So, I searched online to come up with an easy pattern I could follow. I thought I'd start with something really simple and work my way up. I came up with a dead easy pattern for slipper socks and at the weekend I completed the first one using wool which some friends gave me for my birthday almost a year ago.
It's a bit of a funny shape as I didn't have the right kind of wool or the right size of needles. However, it's cosy and comfy and I think very 'chic' in the granny way. Now, I just have to knit the other one..........


11 comments:

Anonymous said...

i love knitting and made a cowl in that exact color last year! funny.

right now i'm working on a doggie sweater though my skills aren't that great despite tons of practice. it's the process i love the most, i guess.

: }

Leanne was in Italy now in Australia said...

We've got to stop copying one another! I just posted about taking up knitting, and then I go to read other blogs and low and behold you have also started knitting again!!!!!
I like the colours of your sock too!

Tina said...

Oh I love knitting! Your creations are all FABULOUS Sarah! I love your cowl and yay to you for knitting a sock, you clever lady! I don't think I have ever actually finished any of the pairs I started ;) Enjoy and I hope you have a wonderful week ~ Tina xx

Helen said...

I've just posted to Leanne in Italy and then opened your home for a read and you're knitting too. I love knitting and always have something on the go. Your slippers are fabulous, you should be very pleased. checkout ravelry.com. It's an online free knitting community with loads of pattern advice, forums and groups who can help you, abbreviations are explained, almost every yarn known to man is reviewed and there is loads of free patterns including 8000 baby patterns. People post their finished garments too so you can see what they look like knitted in alternate yarns and on different shaped bodies. It's marvelous. You tube has lots of tips and demonstrations too. Post if you join, we can be ravelry friends and I'm more than happy to interpret patterns for you (and you leanne in case you are reading this).
best wishes
Helen

Sarah B said...

I am a useless knitter - I learnt when I was a kid as well. Your gloves look very proffessional so you must be doing ok. Thanks for your comment about my dress - it was so nice to see you over at my blog :)

siniann said...

These are amazing, how you did do these?:P
I'm really beginner in knitting, i have tried to make one poncho for over 1year now.. maybe I will now finish it ;)

Sara Louise said...

I really like your fingerless gloves! You'd could sell those, I'd definitely buy a pair :-)

Sarah Elizabeth said...

Thank you ladies for encouraging me to keep going with my knitting.

Helen, I'll definitely check out ravelry - sounds like a great site.

Sini - The cowl and the fingerless gloves I just made up. They are really really basic, just a mixture of knit and purl stitches.

Sara Louise - maybe I should go into business! I'd have to charge a fortune for each pair though - they took me ages to knit!

Unknown said...

I love the cowl and fingerless gloves! Gorgeous! I think you are very talented, they actually look really professional! XX!

Christa said...

Hello Sarah Elizabeth,
Thank you for visiting my blog today. I have been looking at the house you are renovating on your blog and I am very impressed. My husband works for a restoration company here in Tennessee where they restore old historical buildings. So he also enjoyed the pictures of your house. We wish you the best on your renovation and hope it will be many wonderful memories for you and your husband.

blessings....Christa

Daydream Living said...

Hi! I just found your blog, and I'm a happy follower! Knitting and I, well, we try over and over again, but nothing usefull has come out of this (yet),but I like to knit so thanks for posting this!
Maureen