I took a little quiz on-line, and I found out I am a novice knitter. Now, this is an assessment I could have made on my own, as all I have managed to create thus far in the year since I taught myself to knit are 1 2/2 scarves and 1/3 ugly baby blanket. I call the scarves 1 2/2 because there is one actual scarf and two partially finished ones. One of the partials has been abandoned. The second is a Christmas gift for my sister...meant to be gifted last year. Hey, that's the great thing about the holiday...it comes again the next year!
Anyway, as a novice knitter, I am able to successfully knit row upon row of stitches. At one time, I also knew how to purl (must reteach myself). However, I have not yet made it to the ranks of a real knitter. If I were a real knitter, I wouldn't be blogging at 10:47 at night...I would be knitting. If I were a sane person, I would be sleeping at 10:47 at night, but I think those of you who have read this far realize that sanity is not my constant companion. But I digress.
Real knitters seem to go to special knitting stores to buy yarn that costs mucho dinero per skein. I, on the other hand, head over to my local Michael's and make my selection from the bins that they have filled with a variety of yarn choices. Some of them seem fun and exotic to me until I read Crazy Aunt Purl and realize that they are, in fact, crap. However, this isn't LA, San Francisco, or NYC, and I haven't yet taken the time to search for a real yarn shop that has real knitters in it. And Michael's is really close by.
Real knitters have fancy wooden needles and needles with points at both ends and say things like "knit in the round." I have the metal needles that they sell at Michael's. Tonight, I branched out and bought some plastic needles. Wooden needles? Not where I shop!
Real knitters create swatches so that they can see how a yarn will knit up before they start creating their creation. I only know how to makes scarves, so I just start knitting...and keep knitting...and keep knitting, until I either have a scarf or run out of yarn.
I am going to branch out soon and attempt to make a poncho. The pattern calls for two large rectangles that are then sewn together to create a poncho. Before I do this, however, I do want to find a real yarn store at which to buy my supplies. If I am going to spend that much time on something, I want it to look good when I am done...hopefully before winter comes by way again.
2 comments:
maybe you can get your wooden needles and yarn online?
nicole is a real knitter, as she has knitted hats. in the round! she took some classes, I think. I have one of the hats she created and I love it.
I, however, knit only bookmarks. these are the start of scarves that I don't finish. one bookmark was on its way to becoming a bona-fide potholder before the cat got ahold of it. now my knitting needles thrust into a ball of yarn make a lovely gee-gaw in a basket by the couch. I hope no one notices that they are dusty.
I don't think I even remember how to do it. it used to make my fingers numb, so I think I did it wrong.
I'm not a knitter but I crochet and all I seem to make are baby blankets (I've only made one in my lifetime) and scarves. My familys necks will never go cold!
If only I could read a pattern!
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