So every once in awhile I think about what I'd like to accomplish out of my knitting. It's pretty amazing to me to think that so much can be done with a string, 2 sticks, and a couple loops. If you think about knitting is really just one stitch done frontwards and backwards. At this point I would consider myself to be an advanced beginner. I've mastered knitting and purling, short rows are my friends, easy lace and I get along, I enjoy doing cables, and I can handle most basic patterns. I've made hats, mittens, socks, sweaters, vest, shawls, scarfs, longies, and soakers. That being said there are so many more things that I would like to learn. Top contenders for learning next include:
Magic Loop- I can't decide if it is worth it or not... I'm very comfortable with DPNs so is magic loop really any better?Colorwork- must get over my phobia
Crochet- really I am a knitting snob but crochet flowers are really awesome...
Steeking- how brave am I really? but I really want to make this sweater.
Complicated lace patterns- including learning to read a chart efficiently
I think all of these goals are attainable but the first thing I want to work on is actually my technique. Right now I knit in this sort of modified English style which cause me to drop the needle when I am throwing the yarn. I'd like to learn both Continental and your more standard English style so that I don't have to drop that needle to throw. I think it will help me to knit faster because right now my biggest issue is that I am SUPER slow! So picking up the pace is my first priority, now I just have to sit down and practice, practice, practice.
On an entirely different note today we went to the Connecticut Sheep and Wool Festival in Vernon, CT. It is a small festival- easily half the size of NH's but it was fun. The boys enjoyed themselves, although not so much with the sheep or the wool part, their favorite parts were running through the labyrinth and playing a piles of sawdust. The festival is held at the Tolland Agricultural Center so they have demonstration gardens throughout the grounds. One of the gardens is a labyrinth made from daffodil and hyacinth bulbs -it took almost 1600 bulbs to create it. The boys had a wonderful time running through the bulbs. The pictures from this post are of the boys in the labyrinth. We won't be able to go to the NH festival this year because we will be out of town so we are exploring some of the other festivals close enough to drive to. Connecticut and Massachusetts are the only other festivals this spring, hopefully in the fall we will be able to go to Vermont, New York, and the Massachusetts Fiber Festival. Our ability to go will depend a bit on when the baby decides to arrive. I'm guessing VT might not be possible but Rhinebeck should be!
2 comments:
I must do something similar to what you're describing with throwing your yarn. I don't know how one would not drop the right needle in order to throw the yarn.
Then again, I've never done anything right with knitting anyway but it all seems to work out...
I always drop my needle when knitting, I didn't know you weren't supposed to! Guess I don't knit right, but it works for me so I'll keep going.
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