Saturday, September 18, 2010

knitting

Over the past few weeks I have been trying with all my might to learn a new craft, one which I never imagined I could experience even the teeniest degree of success. Mum and Nana used to knit my brother and I jumpers and vests, and Oma was a super knitter, knitting dolls clothes and jumpers for all the grandkids up until arthritis set in a few years ago. As for me, I tried knitting during uni, and recall getting told off during a lecture for not paying attention (which is silly, because I truly absorb spoken detail better when my hands are busy) but aside from making a bottle green scarf the knitting thing ended soon after. 


After watching multiple clever Brown Owl girls knit adorable kids clothes, I plucked up the courage to try again and this time fight my fear of learning how to read the dreaded knitting pattern. I'm generally an optimistic person and can follow a crochet pattern quite well but the thought of following a knitting pattern almost almost brought sweat beads to my brow.


I chose to begin with a Panda baby cardigan pattern and it's been .... an interesting adventure. There has been lots of referring to borrowed library kitting books, watching youtube videos (repeatedly) on what the HECK to do for certain obscure instructions, and a knitting night at mum's, counting and re-counting, and attempts at drawing the pattern as a grid - which I found helpful.


I'm about 2/3 through and have one major problem - it's curling ...alot. The pattern asks for stockinette stitch and some garter at the cardigan edges. Perhaps I am a tight knitter, but its curling heavily and I can't imagine that it won't continue to curl once its sewn up and on a little body.


 I have read of a finishing technique called 'blocking', but can only find it's use to get the clothing size correct. I will definitely block at the end as it's VERY handmade looking lol, and it might reduce this a little... but can't imagine this curl flattening out.... any skilled knitters out there with any suggestions? x

3 comments:

  1. Hey Tracey, a couple of quick questions. What are you knitting with? Acrylic curls a lot and cannot be blocked. Wool also curls but flattens out with blocking, and cotton can curl and is also fixed by blocking. Remember that green cotton cabled neck warmer of mine? It practically curled into a tube once I had finished knitting it but with a bit of blocking it sits totally flat. Once I've worn it for a while the edges do curl but handwashing it and lying it flat (reblocking it essentially) sorts that problem out.

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  2. I have nothing to say regarding knitting (crochet all the way for me :)) but your Blythe is adorable! I love her blouse - did you make the pattern yourself? I have recently started making clothes for my Blythes ... or at least I'm trying too!

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  3. I've had that problem, I find that once all the pieces are sewn together, the shape holds the curling down quite a bit, and once its buttoned on a little body, it won't have anything like the freedom it does when its laid flat. Keep going, and good luck!

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