Wow! Thanks for the overwhelming response to yesterday’s musings on knitting and crochet. You guys are awesome! I could see how either knitting or crochet would be a welcome change of pace from sewing, especially now that sewing is my life’s work! (Which I wouldn’t change for the world!) It’s relaxing and portable, so I could knit anywhere. It would give me something to do with my hands while watching tv or taking the train. And like sewing, there is a whole community of awesome, helpful knitty people out there!
I also appreciate all the comments in favor of not knitting. It makes sense to stick with what you know and what you’re good at.
Right now I want to keep the momentum going on the pattern business, anything that slows down progress there is not a good thing! Like a few of you said, I need another hobby like a hole in the head.
Plus, I have expensive taste in fabric, it’s likely that I will have expensive taste in yarn as well. I’m with Indigorchid in the “nice yarn is totally worth it and makes the end product look so much better”- camp. And there’s only so much space in the Sewaholic household for more craft supplies… especially as the pattern business grows! (Mr Sewaholic agrees. Especially since we have patterns taking over the dining room and living room right now!)
I did join Ravelry though, as TasiaKnits – come be my friend!
Things that rock about Ravelry at first glance:
- Yarn reviews. Does it pill? That’s my main concern. If I spend hours (days? months? years?) making something it better not get pilly on me.
- Free patterns! Yay! Soooo many cute knitty hats. Exactly what I wanted!
- As soon as I signed up, a complete stranger sent me a welcome message. Knitters (like sewists) are awesome too!
- It finds your closest yarn shops. How awesome is that? Talk about feeding the addiction!
- There are fun abbreviations for knitting, too. LYS – local yarn shop! If I do take up knitting, I’ll have to build a KNITionary as well.
- It’s really, really inspiring. You could spend hours just looking at the patterns and the finished projects (and secretly wishing you could just message someone with ‘make me one!’ )
I think if I do get into knitting, I’ll start with things that don’t have to fit. Hats, scarves, loopy cowls – that way I get the feel of knitting and see if I like it. Plus then I’ll see results, fast!
Speaking of results – here’s what I’ve been up to this weekend:
- I caught up on my blog reading. Whew! You guys have been BUSY.
- I’m hard at work on the next pattern for Sewaholic Patterns. More on the next pattern soon!
Things that didn’t happen yet, that I’m hoping to tackle today:
- Mastering the neck opening on Mr Sewaholic’s shirt. I couldn’t get his attention long enough to get a muslin on him again and correct the fit. Today, hopefully. It’s getting very close to Christmas!
Well, that’s it for me! I hope to have a Christmas Shirt Update for tomorrow. Hope you’re all enjoying your weekend so far!
I meant to stop by and leave me 2 cents on the “to knit or not to knit” question yesterday, and the completely got away from me! Such is life during the holidays, I suppose.
At any rate, I am a knitter and crocheter and found your blog after getting my first machine and taking up sewing this summer. I do have a hard time balancing the two – after all, I’m a better knitter but sewing is so fast by comparison – but in the end I can’t imagine doing one without the other now that I have both. As a matter of fact, I just got your Pendrell pattern in the mail a week ago and I’m already plotting some hand knit cardigan and self-stitched blouse combos for the months to come. :-)
So, to answer your question: yes! Please knit! I guarantee you’ll love it and we knitters are always happy to have more folks join the community. Cheers!
Hi Tasia, If you start handknitting and find it too slow or if it takes up too much of your time, you could consider getting a knitting machine. A knitting machine doesn’t do everything for you but you can use it to create beautiful knitted fabrics and then use your sewing skills to make up the garments – a technique that machine knitters call ‘cut and sew’. I agree that handknitting is much more relaxing, but as you are so busy with your sewing and patterns, you might find it too time-consuming. Perhaps you could knit smaller projects by hand and use a knitting machine for larger items.
I befriended you. Yey! Also, I simply cannot wait to see what you have in store for the next pattern! So excited!
Check out http://www.purlbee.com/
They have really beginner friendly tutorials and great starter projects.
Since your “hobby” has now become your business, (welldone with that by the way!) perhaps there is a vacancy in the hobby department! That’s if you can restrain yourself from approaching knitting with the same vigour and commitment with which you pursued your sewing, and treat it AS a hobby.
If you’re anything like me, you’ll find that difficult!
Another thought on knitting: it’s okay to use moderately expensive yarns for sweaters if you restrict yourself to only purchasing what you need for your next 1 or 2 projects. Each project takes long enough that the cost is actually spread out over a few months (at least with the time I have for knitting). I just started sewing and I can see how the cost could skyrocket because projects are completed so much faster than with knitting. So I wouldn’t let the cost be a deterrent. And you can always treat yourself to really expensive yarns for mittens, scarves, hats, socks, and other projects that only take one or two skeins of yarn. Keeping your purchases limited will also cut down on the storage space you will need. :) I’m off to friend you on ravelry right now!
I crochet and love it! There are so many amazing free patterns but eventually you’ll be making your own. YouTube has great tutorials as well.
I was reading your post “life after sewing” (Iam still confused: y life after sewing?! you’re not giving up on sewing or anything I hope!) and I saw all the lovely feedback thoughts you received and now I’m on Ravelry too as “magdamagdadesign” … see you there too TasiaKits!;)
Hugs,
Magda
Ah yes… the addictive place that is Ravelry! lol. I have probably spent way too much time on that site, favoriting things, reading reviews and generally getting into all kinds of trouble as far as project-dreaming goes! I second Misty about restricting your yarn intake to whatever 1 or 2 projects are currently on your needles, if knitting is indeed something you decide to take up. (Which I have to admit, is a nice break from sewing!) I don’t even have a yarn stash to speak of–I just buy what I need for the projects I know I can accomplish in the next 4 or so months. Helps make more room for fabric! haha!
‚ô• Casey | blog
Hi Tasia,
I, like you, hadn’t ventured into the knitting world but really wanted to when I came across a book about knitting vintage patterns. I had a go, found it extremely hard and decided that sewing will always be my first love. I haven’t given up, just decided to put it on hold until I have more time. I really wanted to have something that I could do curled up on the sofa next to DH though so I decided on embroidery. I love love love embroidery and have bought lots of books and spent hours surfing online. The lovely thing about it is the meditative quality and also that you can embellish what you sew making pieces that are even more unique. I find sewing/ knitting/ craft of any sort completely addictive : ) xx
I just befriended you as well :)
Unfortunately for me I didn’t look at yarn reviews that well and just made two pairs of mitts out of silk/wool yarn that pilled the first time I wore them, so sad! And lesson learned.
i don’t knit myself (yet my favourite fabrics to sew are knits!), but tried to learn to knit a few years ago. i’m ‘just not that into it’. but i recognized quite a few of the posh yarn brands that i saw and bought @ three bags full at dressew for $1.99 a skein.
my grandma had a knitting machine, but i never saw her work it, and i haven’t the foggiest idea how it works. how wonderful it would be to quickly produce fabrics to ‘cut and sew’!
More new pattern news soon please!