A personal touch: Advice for a knitted present

[Preacher Man 10]

i know the top is out of my league, was just impressed to the quality of clothing you can make yourself!

 

when you say seaming do you mean sewing two bits together? i reckon i could do that with minimal blood on the teddy. but you right and its no point getting ahead of myself. i just know my mum would put it on the fireplace (not in it), if i made her a little teddy!

[Guest]

i know the top is out of my league, was just impressed to the quality of clothing you can make yourself!

 

when you say seaming do you mean sewing two bits together? i reckon i could do that with minimal blood on the teddy. but you right and its no point getting ahead of myself. i just know my mum would put it on the fireplace (not in it), if i made her a little teddy!

Yes seaming is joining the knitted pieces. It's not quite as straight forward as with sewing clothes made from non-knitted fabric on the sewing machine though, and there's certainly an art to it.

 

Have you thought about getting someone to knit something for your mum for you instead?

[littleblue 10]

What about crocheting a small blanket? You could get one done in 10 days or so, and its fast and easy but looks good. Wouldn't cost a lot - need about 300-400g wool (double knit) and a 4 or 4.5mm crochet hook.

 

for the crocheters about: Ch 120, tr into 3rd from chain then tr all the way. Cont until long enough.

[Preacher Man 10]

littleblue, did you just make all those words up

 

 

hecate, the point is i make it myself because that will mean so much more to my mum so i cant really get someone else to make it!

[Guest]

...hecate, the point is i make it myself because that will mean so much more to my mum so i cant really get someone else to make it!

I know, and I think it's a great idea, but you really are going to have to persevere and be prepared for it to take a lot longer than you think. Sorry to assume that you have a short attention span .

 

Anyway, have a think about what your mum would like (colours, chunky or finer wool etc), then get yourself to The Wool Baa, as it's a good idea to see the yarn 'in person' (see how soft or scratchy it is etc).

 

How about something like this? It's perfect for a beginner. Ignore the yarn recommendations, because it's a simple pattern that can be adapted to whatever yarn you want to use.

[AmelieB 10]

Beginners should stick to something with no or minimal shaping and preferably no seaming, unless you can persuade someone else to do it for you.

 

I have to say I think that is totally wrong. Beginners should knit what they want to knit, not something just because it's easy. Yes, shaping and seaming takes a bit more effort and time, but the end result is far more satisfying than just a long strip of garter stitch. I don't believe that anyone should be told "you can't knit that because it's too hard for you".

 

Knit what you want, Preach dude, and if you get stuck then there are loads of people who will talk you through the problems and get you back on track

[medusa 16]

I think that making things is always better than walking into a shop and handing over your credit card- it shows love and time and energy committed in doing something lovely for someone else.

 

I once knitted one of my colleagues a blanket for her baby, and took it everywhere with me whilst I was making it (it was 2 ply and 6' square, so it took a few months), including on a tour of Zimbabwe and Zambia.

 

At the time I wasn't aware of a tradition that they have out there of putting wishes on things that are being knitted for babies, so that the wish is carried to the baby. While I was out there, the blanket was blessed by several different religions, and wished with strength, health, wealth and luck by lots of different people. When it was finished I sent it off to my colleague with a little book full of photos of the people who had blessed it, and with the instructions that whatever else she did, she wasn't to wash it before it wrapped her baby (who turned out to be a gorgeous little girl named Chloe) in it, in case she washed the good wishes out.

 

Home made things are personal- far more personal than anything you can buy in a shop. Good luck on making your mum smile Preach.

[Guest]

I have to say I think that is totally wrong. Beginners should knit what they want to knit, not something just because it's easy. Yes, shaping and seaming takes a bit more effort and time, but the end result is far more satisfying than just a long strip of garter stitch. I don't believe that anyone should be told "you can't knit that because it's too hard for you".

 

Knit what you want, Preach dude, and if you get stuck then there are loads of people who will talk you through the problems and get you back on track

Fair enough, and I agree to a certain extent. Though to be fair, I didn't say 'you can't knit that because it's too hard for you', and I did qualify my comment about beginners sticking to the basics by saying 'If you'd really like to make a hat, you can learn the techniques involved if you're feeling brave'. Given that Preacher admitted to having the potential to 'sew his fingers together' given the chance, I think the suggestion of mastering the basics before moving on was justified.

 

IMO, if a beginner starts off on something that is beyond the basics when you don't have the basics down - especially if it's to be a present which they really want to get right - then there's more chance of throwing in the towel.

 

I wouldn't suggest that he knit 'a strip of garter stitch' (though that isn't a bad idea for the first practice swatch, of course). My suggestion was a ribbed scarf, which would provide enough practice on the knit and purl basics to give him the confidence to move on to something else later.

[AmelieB 10]

I never mentioned you - I was referring to the general attitude towards new knitters that many people seem to have. I personally believe that a new knitter is more likely to abandon a dull project than a hard one. A scarf is a heck of a lot of knitting, and after the stitch has been learned then it is a very dull piece of knitting. By contrast, a project that requires a variety of techniques is more likely to hold interest through to completion.

[Guest]

I never mentioned you - I was referring to the general attitude towards new knitters that many people seem to have. ...

You quoted my post and said that 'I think that is totally wrong'. Given that, I assume that you thought that the attitude I expressed in my post was typical of what you think is wrong.

...I personally believe that a new knitter is more likely to abandon a dull project than a hard one. ...

I agree, though I maintain that some new knitters are perhaps just as likely to abandon a project that they find frustrating.

...A scarf is a heck of a lot of knitting, and after the stitch has been learned then it is a very dull piece of knitting. ...

A scarf needn't be a lot of knitting. Large-ish needles and a chunky-ish yarn would ensure that a scarf knitted up in a relatively short period of time. At least quick enough to ensure that the novelty of knitting for the first time, and the enjoyment of learning something new, doesn't wear off.

...By contrast, a project that requires a variety of techniques is more likely to hold interest through to completion.

I agree with that too, though I wouldn't necessarily suggest such a project for a brand new knitter who has yet to pick up the needles. This is particularly the case with Preach, who had intimated in a previous post that he's a bit of a klutz when it comes to sewing .

[littleblue 10]

littleblue, did you just make all those words up

 

 

hecate, the point is i make it myself because that will mean so much more to my mum so i cant really get someone else to make it!

 

Not at all!!

 

Right, this crochet lark is easy and the blanket will be quick - what about making a striped one that is more of a knee blanket for wrapping up in whilst watching tv or in the car?

 

If you would like some help with it I'd happily talk you through it. Although its only one stitch its really relaxing and looks fab when you finish it

 

It will look like this at the end (mebbe not the same colours though )

[medusa 16]

I agree littleblue- a crochet blanket with no shaping could be the fastest thing to do, with the least learning of new things- but your link doesn't work honey.