Hi Everyone
So here we are—Issue 2!
Last time there was a lot about knitting and not much about crochet, so this time I’m going to start off with that and see where it takes us.
Not all of us crochet, some because we don’t know how, others because we’ve tried it and didn’t particularly enjoy it. I’m someone that can do it, but don’t choose to do so often. It’s been a good way of using up yarn. If you look at earlier posts you’ll see some of the blankets I’ve crocheted in the last year or so. They almost all went to the Care Home where my Mum is and I’ve seen them in use when I’ve visited. I must admit that the edges were a bit wavy (I’m sure they won’t notice!). I saw a tip that may solve the problem in future. Instead of always going in the same direction turn the work so each round is worked in the opposite direction. It would also mean that the blanket was truly reversible. Not tried it yet, but when I have more yarn to use I’m going to give it a go.
Here’s a few links to websites that you might find useful.
Granny squares don’t have to be sewn into a blanket. You can make almost anything out of a square. Having searched on line I found all sorts of decorative squares too, not just the traditional ones. Put either “granny squares” or “afgan squares” into your search box and be amazed. You’ve only got to look at our earlier pics for the beautiful ones Janet makes to see what I mean.
I’ve used up lots of yarn crocheting and am now down to bits and pieces, or I should say was. The granddaughters are home from school and getting bored. So I’ve popped the remaining yarn in a box and my daughter picked it up from the doorstep when bringing us shopping. We’re all keeping our distance as advised by Government. There were lots of other crafts in the box too, including some knitting needles and crochet hooks of course, so I suspect it won’t just be the kids having a go.
But back to crochet. For those of you that can’t yet crochet there are lots of videos on YouTube to show you how. As usual some are better than others, so if you don’t get on with one try another. What better time than now to give crochet a try!
Of course there are lots of other things you can crochet, and some are much more advanced. There’s lots of free crochet patterns for scarves, shawls, wearables and accessories, so all you need now is ideas and motivation! Use Google or similar to find the freebies and also check out Ravelry as there is over 100,000 free patterns to choose from. Please remember that you can’t copy and share a pattern even if it is free, but you can share a link to a pattern.
When you find a pattern you like don’t forget that the terms and stitch names used by the UK are different to the US, as are the hook sizes. Crochet Abbreviations There’s lots of other useful info on this site too, including how to increase and decrease. Those of you that can already crochet will find some fancy stitches on this website too, like crocodile stitch and popcorn stitch. Click on “Home” on the abbreviations site and then find the section for crochet.
Hook sizes I’ve linked to this site because it gives the “old” English sizes as well as the metric ones. If you have inherited hooks then they may only have the old sizes stamped on them.
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Browsing the world wide web
At the moment I seem to be spending plenty of time browsing the internet. Here’s a few websites for you to check out:
Interested in crochet, tatting, lace, as well as knitting and many other crafts. Then why not while away a few hours looking through the Antique Pattern Library . Their collection of books dating from between 1700’s and 2000’s and many have been scanned. As they are out of copyright we can browse and download (many for free!) for our own use. Don’t be put off when they refer to “recipe”; that’s a pattern to you and me. Also they rarely give a tension, sizing or diagram or picture.
There is a website with history and info on 'Knitting Nancys' Did you know that you can include beads in your cords knitted on a knitting nancy?
There are now lots of websites with ideas of things to do during “lockdown” and other times when your bored or stuck for ideas. Here is just a couple of them to start you off. Talvi Knits by Susanna Winter and Bored Panda.
Don’t forget that we do need to do some exercise and get some fresh air too. Not easy when most of us are reluctant to go out except for essential shopping. So here’s a few exercises approved by the NHS. Sitting Exercises, Strength Exercises, Flexibility Exercises, Balance Exercises. If you can’t get out in a garden or on a balcony then position yourself near an open window or door (if weather allows!) and you should get fresh air at the same time, plus ventilate your home.
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And now something for the knitters amongst us.
For a long time machine knitters have added beads to their knitting when and where wanted/needed. They don’t thread them all onto the yarn before they begin knitting as most hand knitting patterns call for. So here’s a tutorial for hand knitters showing how to place beads just where you want them without all that hours of threading (and dropping) beads. Don’t mix techniques though as the two different methods place the bead in a slightly different place within the row. The “thread on first” method puts the bead between the stitches whilst the “add as you go” method puts the bead on the stitch itself.
Did you know that most European countries have their own identifiable patterns and construction of knitting? To start you off here’s a site about Norwegian knitting and one for Portuguese style knitting.
You could also research Latvian, Estonian, Danish, Chinese and Icelandic and probably other countries too.
Did you know there were a number of different styles of knitting? Most of us use the English throw method. There is also the “flick”. Shetlanders tend to use a knitting belt to support their needles and other parts of the country use a “stick”. If you like knitting two colour fairisle but don’t like having to change the yarns in your hand, then take a look at the Continental knitting style as you could then hold one yarn in each hand. There are You Tube videos out there too. Another plus for Continental knitting is that, once mastered, it is supposed to be quicker. Something else new to master perhaps.
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Some of you will have heard that Andee Knits has closed for the duration, including her mail order service. Andrea writes that the products she sells are not ESSENTIALS and therefore put postal workers, delivery staff, customers and her family at an UNNECESSARY RISK. She’ll reopen as soon as she can safely do so. Andee Knits sells things for the hand knitter as well as machine knitters.
The Naval Children’s Charity at Portsmouth has contacted me. They are a children’s charity especially for children with a parent serving or ex-serving in the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Reserves and Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The reason for emailing is that they are looking for help from knitters. The charity publish a range of books and like to send a knitted character with each book but they need more knitters. Patterns for a penguin, rabbit, and family are online as pdf’s and can be downloaded for free. Don’t send them yet as their offices are currently closed. Hold on to them till this is all over. They can reimburse postage and wool costs if needed.
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My Stay and Home and Keep Busy List
How long is your list and how many things have you ticked off?
One thing that was on my list but not mentioned in the last Newsletter was my Christmas blouse alterations. (I hate alterations and mending!) The blouse is red and has penguins with Christmas hats on it. Just a bit of fun but ideal for festive season and doesn’t seem appropriate for other times of the year so it goes back in the wardrobe and gets forgotten. For the last two years I’ve worn it and fidgeted with the sleeves as they kept sliding down over my hands, and the fabric was such that the sleeves never stayed turned back or rolled up. They were always wet or brushing things on the table. Simple solution—take a tuck in the narrow cuff and move the button over a bit. Only a 10 minute job but it’s been sitting around for the last three months. I refused to put it away or it would still not be done next Christmas. Well I can now report that I have ticked it off my list. The blouse is now back in my wardrobe ready for 2020!
Remember the Victorian misers purses I was wittering on about last time? Well I’ve found a few more books which include similar patterns. Again in the Southampton University digital library Look for the ones with “silk” in the title. My version of the misers purse is now finished, so I can ü that off my list. Photos in the show and tell section. It won’t be wasted as it can go on Guild stands at exhibitions as it can be touched and used to explain the purse to children especially those studying the Victorian era.
A few weeks ago I also came across a website with a crochet necklace idea. I knew I had just the right bits and pieces to try it out on and something in my stash which would probably work. Needless to say I’ve had a go so now ü against that one too. (pictured in the show and tell). There are other crochet necklace ideas out there too so this could be something to put into the programme for 2020/21.
No, I haven’t ticked off nearly everything yet. My list is far too long for that. And I haven’t prioritised either. Just dipped in and out as the mood takes me.
Things I’ve found interesting in the last few weeks (knitting/crochet related only!)
· Copying, including and printing other people’s work as your own went on in the 1800’s and into the 1900’s too [from Sally’s dissertation](and still goes on today!)
· There are 441,017 patterns available through Ravelry but couldn’t find out how many of them are free! Ravelry is free to join and once you have there’s lots of different groups to join or visit as a guest. You don’t need to show your full name, where you live or picture of yourself or any other personal information.
· Facebook has over 40 groups for machine knitting, almost 100 for crochet and goodness knows how many more for hand knitting. That’s the ones in English, there will be more in other languages. You can join up to 6,000 groups but after that you need to leave one to join another! What’s your favourite?
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Show and Tell
Now that’s finished Julia has moved on to crocheting this one stitch striped blanket. Of course you could plan it out so that the colours repeated, but it might be more fun just to dip your hand into a bag and use whichever colour comes out next. I’m looking forward to watching how it progresses.
Carole has messaged me to say that she is trying to finish one thing at a time. One project has been finished and she has sent a photo. This cardigan was an attempt to use up some oddments of 4 ply and she made the pattern up as she went along so had to reknit the sleeves and front band. There were so many ends to sew in—38 every 10 rows on the body. Carole asked if she was nuts or a glutton for punishment and added that next time she wanted to use up yarn she would knit stripes!
Carole’s next project is all one colour so there should only be 6 ends to deal with. There are several others in the pipeline too.
Carole added that she buys yarn from Lovecrafts. She’s always been satisfied with the yarn and it comes in net bags which are very useful, and not just for her knitting!
Sally sent a photo her current (still) WIP. It's a lace top which she’s been chipping away at for possibly a whole decade now! No excuses now not to keep going! Only limitation has been her hands, which start to complain after 6 rows of the pattern repeat, so it's slow going.
I did try to make a closer pic so you could see the beautiful lace pattern, but it became too pixelated and showed no detail.
This last couple of weeks I’ve been crocheting and knitting. I can never stick at one thing for long so often have 4 or more projects on the go. Some are quick, some aren’t. Some I can do with people around, others require more concentration.
Since the last Newsletter I’ve knitted this pair of socks. They are a bit of an experiment as the yarn is 4ply “Soft and Silky”; a Women’s Institute yarn exclusive to Hobbycraft. It does feel very soft and silky but I wonder how it will wear. It’s 100% microfibre acrylic. I couldn’t break it with my hands. I’ve put a rib stitch pattern on them and done them toe-up and with an afterthought heel.
A very quick project has been this crochet necklace. It’s based on something I saw on a website called The Whole Knit and Caboodle. In amongst all my craft stuff I found a necklace that I have had for a while but never used. I think I had originally intended to use it as a handle for a bag, but it’s a soft metal and any strain would have opened the loops and it would have fallen apart. I’m sure it cost very little as it came from a budget clothes store. The yarn is a ribbon yarn from my stash. 
Remember the bit about the misers purse in the last Newsletter? Well that’s been completed too. I thought it would take ages to knit, but it was something you could almost do without thinking about it. The beads were from my stash. I think the tassel could be improved but not now. I need to buy a large bead for the tassel so it will have to wait. The yarn is Drops Lace (70% alpaca—30% silk) and I used size 2mm / No. 14 needles.
That’s all for now folks. Hopefully some of you will have finished items and send me photos of them for the next issue.
and carry on
Knitting or Crocheting!
Just remember, you’re not stuck at home, you are safe at home. One word can change your attitude, one cough can change your life.—Timber Hawkeye
Stay safe and keep well.
