Do you knit? We don’t talk much about knitting here on BurdaStyle, being the seamstresses & seamsters that we are, but I must say I am so impressed by all of the cool knitting projects I have discovered on the site!
My mother (top right in her tube scarf) also has been blowing me away with the little sweaters she has been knitting for my niece Louisa (top left) lately. She’s really very good. I asked her about the first item she ever knit and it was a bright pink baby blanket completed at age 10. How sweet. How many of us have our mothers, grandmothers or aunts to thank for teaching us to sew and knit? I’ve tried knitting with Mom, I enjoyed circular knitting for about 2 weeks, where I didn’t have to cast off or change much- but my neck & shoulders would become so stiff after wards I gave up. Crochet was fun too, but again, my patience just went kaput. Is anyone making any projects which have knitted parts incorporated into them? Making any knit garments? Please do share!
KNITTING TUTORIALS
How To Cast Off
How To Purl & Create a Rib Knit
How To Make a Slip Knot
KNIT MEMBER’S PROJECTS
Flosiepoo’s Traditional Dutch Knitted Scarf is very cool and appears to utilize a “round-and-round” method like circular knitting!
Lauriana made an adorable Knit Short-Sleeved Sweater in horizontal stripes.
Mirela made an absolutely Gorgeous Knit & Crochet Top in neon yellow… Her Mom did the back and she took 8 hours crocheting the intricately layered front pieces.
Nimblefingers made a pretty awesome Fuchsia Knit Bangle, which is eons cooler than the ones she says are for sale at Forever 21.
Inknjoy made this impressive Rorschach Hand Knit Bracelet from an old Vogue pattern. Way to go.
Apr 29, 2010, 12.24 PMby flosiepoos
Hi all,
I’ve posted a tutorial and hope you’ll find it interesting. Let me know if you havea go at this technique and how you’re getting on, I’d be thrilled to hear of any new ‘knitters’!
http://www.burdastyle.com/techniques/dutch-knitting-or-shepherd-s-crochet
Mar 19, 2010, 07.59 PMby sherrey
I’ve been knitting and sewing for about 50years starting at age 4. At school ‘Domestic Science’ was a mandatory part of the curriculum from age 5 – 14 so girls my age had a good grounding in the basics. (only the girls – the boys got woodwork and the like and now I’m jealous of that).
Both my grandmothers were knitters, one also crocheted and the other sewed as did my mum. I was the best dressed kid on the block with outfits made from mum’s cast off Dior New Look styles – coats, dresses, hats – the lot!
I knit mostly in the winter and like so many others here tend to mulitask. I’ve started making up my own patterns although not always completely successful. I rip down sweaters and re-knit sometimes 3 times over when I get tired of something.
I was recently given a knitting machine which I haven’t yet mastered so I might save that for my retirement.
I do a wee bit of Fair Isle knitting having shared a flat with a girl from Shetland when I was a student. I even used knitting in my work at Art College where I studied Tapestry.
I hope I’ll be knitting till I pop my clogs if the athritis doesn’t get me first.
Mar 18, 2010, 02.23 AMby millytant
My mum started me knitting, but she isnt that proficient and a leftie. Her attempts at trying to teach me crochet were abysmal. I love to knit and crochet but Im mostly self-taught. I love the versatility of knit and crochet, they pack into a little bag and go with me where ever I go. I knit on my lunch break at work, its an excellent stress reliever. I have a sewing room but never get into as often as I would like. My NEXT project is to access the local weavers, spinners and dyers group and learn how to spin – now how many other bloggers are interested in weaving and spinning eh?
Mar 17, 2010, 07.11 PMby catran
I’m a huge knitter. Although I love to sew too, knitting is just more portable and, like another person said, can be done while doing other things. I make a lot of little things like hats, wrist warmers and dog sweaters but lately I’ve been tackling bigger projects like tunics and sweaters. I plan to make socks during the warmer months.
Mar 17, 2010, 06.26 PMby adunnet
I can’t remember when I first started sewing -maybe 7 or 8 years old. My mom (a seamstress) taught me the baiscs and then I just picked stuff up as I went. I taught myself to knit about 6 months ago with the Stitch and Bitch book (I highly recommend it) and started turning out loads of knitted toques for the wee people in my life. Once I got the hang of it I could make a hat in a couple evenings of knitting in front of the TV. I definitely caught the knitting bug after that first little hat for my nephew, and moved on to hats with names worked into the pattern, ear flaps, pompoms.
Then I found purlbee.com and a knitted bootie pattern. Several pairs of those later, I felt confident enough to try my first sweater. A review on purlbee of easy baby sweaters got me ordering a book with a pattern and last week I completed my little masterpiece. I’ve already started on my second sweater (newborn size -and I feel confident that I will have it done so my soon to arrive baby can wear it home from the hospital).
Sewing and knitting are great complimentary pursuits in my opinion. I love an evening on my own with my sewing machine and the quilt I am slowly plugging away at for baby, and I also like being able to sit with my sweetie on the couch watching tv, chatting and plugging away on a tiny knitted piece.
The key to getting started with knitting is to knit something that is easy (a hat knit in the round with minimal stitch techniques) and that will give you the quick gratification to make you want to take on something more challenging. Go to a good, friendly knitting and yarn shop and ask them to help you cast on and get started. Once you catch the bug, ravelry.com will have you super inspired to keep challenging yourself with more ambitious and complex projects.
Mar 17, 2010, 06.22 PMby erinaceous
I knit a fair amount, and like PookieJMcGrath keep track of those projects on Ravelry, same user name as here (www.ravelry.com). The nice thing about sewing is that I can usually finish a project quickly, whereas knitting tends to take longer because you are making the fabric as you go.
For example, I have been working on an aran guernsey for my husband for a couple of months, knitting here and there as I can. But last Saturday I sewed myself a pair of pants in the course of a few hours!
Mar 16, 2010, 03.06 AMby sheenanigans
Those are cool Crochet hooks! Who makes them?
2 Replies
Mar 16, 2010, 09.44 PMby alisondahl
Click on this link above: Flosiepoo’s Traditional Dutch Knitted Scarf is very cool and appears to utilize a “round-and-round” method like circular knitting!
(these are her crochet hooks)
Mar 22, 2010, 01.38 PMby flosiepoos
Thanks for the compliment!
My mum makes them herself. I’ve had so many people asking about it I will make a tutorial which will include a template and instructions to make your own. It may take me a little while (need to find someone to help make the video), so do pop back to check in the next weeks so see if it’s there!
Mar 15, 2010, 11.56 AMby susanne2011
I really just started knitting, teaching myself using the stitch ‘n bitch book (see http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stitch-Bitch-Handbook-Instructions-Generation/dp/0761128182/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268653759&sr=8-1). So far I can only do squares and rectangles, haha. I already found out that knitting takes a loooooong time, and that sewing gives you results way quicker, that’s why I haven’t advanced further than the scarf/iPod cover – phase. However, I did buy this book that has all sorts of vintage (40s-50s) sweater patterns and it is absolutely amazing! I am hoping that I will be able to knit those patterns at one point in my life. I would really recommend you advanced knitters to have a look at this book, it’s awesome! You can find it on Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vintage-Knitwear-Knitters-Lise-Lotte-Lystrup/dp/0500514208/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268654071&sr=1-3
Mar 13, 2010, 01.44 AMby mo-mo-sew-sew
i first learned to knit from my aunt while hospitalized for 6 weeks as a kid. my aunt lois was the eccentirc artist in the family and definitely lived by the “idol hands” motto. i vividly remember the electric blue aluminum needles and bright red acrylic yarn she brought to my hospital room. she only taught me how to do the knit stitch, no purl, no cast off, so i just kept knitting and knitting one mile long scarf!!!
i picked it up again as an adult, learned the basics from the knitting blogosphere, turned into a rabid yarn fiend and have made just about everyone i know some sort of knitted gift. knitting can be much more forgiving than sewing, a little less tailored (although you can definitely shape in knitting), but the time it takes to make one piece vs. sewing a garment can be way longer. you can also get much further into if not done with a project before you realize the fit isn’t quite working, and let me tell you pulling apart a knitted garment is far more heart breaking than ripping seams!!! then again, unraveled yarn still has limitless possibilities unlike fabric once it’s been cut. i find it much easier to knit freely without a pattern than to sew freely. i quickly graduated from the standard beginner scarves to my first few sweaters and went so far as completing a cabled aran beauty!!! only problem is, it’s never really cold enough in los angeles to wear my creations!! so alas, i have found sewing and can work on making practical pieces to go along with my heavy sweaters for that one day a year that it drops below 60 degrees. maybe after some more time and practice, i’ll be able to sew freely without patterns.
as far as combining hand knits with sewn fabric, i have been dreaming about doing just that with the burdastyle esther cardigan pattern. i think it would look so dreamy and add just a little bit of warmth to knit the plackets in a rib pattern. stay tuned….
1 Reply
Mar 15, 2010, 06.32 PMby burdastyle
What an interesting story! I am continually amazed at all of the raw talent out there and feel pretty great being a part of this all! I lived in LA and loved the warm weather, but it was definitely limiting to my wardrobe!
alison
Mar 12, 2010, 10.48 PMby pookiejmcgrath
I’m a knitter, beginner crocheter. Sadly, I learned none of my fiber and/or sewing skills from anyone in my family, although my great-aunt Paulie used to do alterations on my clothes when I was a little kid. I’m a self-taught knitter, starting with a basic lesson in casting on and kitting when I was going into the ninth grade from a friend during a long car ride. I had to find a teacher at school to teach me to cast off!
I post my projects on Ravelry too! http://www.ravelry.com/people/PookieJMcGrath
Mar 12, 2010, 10.45 PMby nenasew
I learn to sew and crochet from my mother and grandmother and I love them both. Sometimes I take crocheting when I need a mental break from sewing but sewing is my passion. I have tried to teach myself to knit but have given it up since I already know crochet and it is as sastisfying. I am so glad that we are sharing our shared interest in knitting and crocheting because I think that creative people tend to be creative in more than one outlet. I know this is a site for sewers but arts overlap and feed each other. If someone knits a nice piece and posts it on Burdastyle, I dont mind.
Mar 12, 2010, 07.17 PMby Shalyn McFaul
I do a lot of knitting as well as sewing. I’ve sewn for many more years, but my Sister In Law taught me to knit about 2 years ago, and once I got past the really tough part of learning I got hooked. I mostly knit garments such as sweaters and blouses. I haven’t posted any of them on Burda because I thought this site was only for sewn garment, and I do post all of my knitting on Ravelry.com (fantastic source, if you haven’t found out about it yet). I’ve noticed some knit things popping up on Burda, but wasn’t really sure if it was kosher for me to add my knitted stuff to here.
Mar 12, 2010, 03.18 PMby wzrdreams
I love to knit as much as I love to sew! I am very much a garment knitter so for me it is just another means to a similar end. I love the way the processes and results differ. Sometimes fitting wovens can be so frustrating and with knitting you can savagely rip something apart if it misbehaves and still save the yarn. Right now I am about 50% done with a Vogue Pattern from FW 2007… it’s a gorgeous mohair/silk/wool pullover knit side to side with a large cable running along the sleeves/shoulder/neckline. I might just share it on Burdastyle when I’m done, although I usually post my knits on Ravelry.
Mar 12, 2010, 01.13 PMby fashionqueen920
i love to sew and knit. sewing probably is my favorite, but i go through stages where i wil knit for hours at a time. I think its such a great thing to be able to incorporate into sewing as well. I crochet too and have been working on a crochet/sewn piece :)
Mar 12, 2010, 09.52 AMby mitmit
In the 6 years I haven’t been sewing, I’ve been knitting. I have made simple sweaters and scarves and a lot of other things. This winter I’ve knitted a tube-scarf, and although winter’s almost gone, I’m still not pleased with the result. Want to make some fabric-flowers to put on it. Again I have to thank my grandmother. She’s the reason why I can knit AND sew, at least the basics. The rest I figured out myself, I think ;-)
Mar 12, 2010, 09.24 AMby fosteretalk
I too knit and sew. I have a room dedicated to sewing, but generally knit projects small enough to fit into my purse such as socks. I prefer a nice wool knee sock keep the feet warm during the cool months yet they are near impossible to find. I use fingering yarn 75% wool and 25% nylon and the socks wear like iron. My husband and son wear them to work and get several years out of a pair.
Mar 12, 2010, 09.06 AMby marmota-b
I like knitting quite a lot, even though I usually make smaller things than sweaters. I never got much into crocheting. But you’re right… I owe all this knowledge to my mother. Although, with knitting (and actually with sewing too) she did one very clever thing – she taught me the very basics and then gave me a book to figure the rest out myself. It worked well in the end. :-) I like figuring things out myself. Sometimes it’s the harder way, but then I usually remember the things I learned better.
Mar 12, 2010, 12.03 AMby hokidoki
I do both sewing and knitting and love them equally. But, I have a hard time balancing my time between the two. the thing with knitting is i can multi-task when i knit like reading, watching TV etc. with sewing, i have to dedicate a big block of time so i can make some progress. but i do enjoy both a lot. my knitted sweaters definitely complement my sewn garments.