General Chat

Istill knit and crochet, but not as much now the children have got older. We were taught to knit and sew in school when very young, and by age of 10 would have knit a dolls complete outfit, a hat and scarf for ourselves, and mittens with a cable cuff! Crochet I taught myself at about age 13. My Mum and Gran and all my aunts could knit, but I was the only one who could crochet. I was so proud! My Mum died a few months after I married, and I took all her needles, wool and patterns. Some of the patterns are now well over 50 years old. The cardigan and matinee coats for babies are really beutiful, so fine and detailed. I knit all my childrens things from those patterns. The prices are amazing 3d. & 6d. I also still use my Mums row-tally on the end of needles. Lord knows how old that is! I even have the pattern for the christening robe my Nan knit for me, it was knit in silk wool. It was used for all my brothers and sisters (nine of us), and my two boys were also christened in it. It still came up white when I laundered it. Now my niece is looking for a crocheted poncho, and I remember doing loads of them first time they were in fashion!

Hi Lynn I knit, i'm making a shawl for grandchild due in march,(its a 1940's pattern that was my nans) and the usual hats bootees, mittens and cardigans, it was only last year i was doing it for katie, she's 7 months now. I can't crochet i was never taught, but i am going to see if i can get a pattern for knitting a poncho for Katie, i think there great and i can remember mine as a kid. i taught all 5 of mine to knit even the 3 boys, though they haven't done any for years. lol sandra

My grandmothers neighbour taught me to crochet 39 years ago. I still crochet but prefeer to do very fine cotton work, things like doilies, table cloths, trimmings for bedding etc... I haven't done any for a while though. My great aunt taught me to knit but I'm not very good. My tension is all over the place although I can do a presentable moss stitch! I like to sew but have only made some feely bags for school so far this year. Wish I had more time for these things. Viv

I was just going to comment on no replies from men, saw one from John and realised he was really Bec! How confusing. My daughter is pestering me for a poncho as she has found an old photo of her brother in a poncho I made taken 30 years ago. I must show my son and his family! Jacky:-)

If any of you live down south, there is a knitting exhibition every January at Sandown Racecourse. It lasts 3 or 4 days - usually Thurs to Sunday, and there are vast amounts of wool there to suit everyone, from cheap and cheerful to designer yarns. If you are looking for wool you can buy it in binlinerfuls! There are also machines, wool on cone and cross-stitch/tapestry stalls. Very easy to get carried away!! Janice(with a house full of wool)

I want to learn how to crochet/knit!!!!! Any tips on where/how to start? There's noone around me who can show me so it will have to be a case of teaching myself! Thanks becx

Unfortunately, I don't know, she was called "Desiréé", poor woman could still be there, last time I saw her they had propped her up in a chair in the entrance to the Art annexe with an empty wine glass in her hand... rather appropriate I thought. She could still be there wondering if anyone is ever going get her a "top up" !!! G xxx

Gee... whatever happened to the dance hall tart.....Have visions of years later the fingers coming adrift and threadbare and the tampons falling out........LOL Lynn

Yes I do..... both .....I have a degree in Fashion / Textile Design .... When I was at Uni I did, as part of a project, a 7 feet tall old dance hall tart.... she wore a red bask and black fish-net stockings, she had long black ringlets in her hair and had very gordy make up and stripey bloomers and long full length gloves ..... the whole thing was crocheted!!!! the fingers were so hard to stuff I had to use Tampons with applicators so that I could get to the ends of them!!! Nowadays I do a little more conservative items like cable knit jumpers etc. lol ;-))) G xxx

I love hand knitting, but never seem to find the time these days. When I was in my teens (55 now) I made my dad a six colour fair isle sleeveless pullover, and he has still got it and wears it occasionally. My fiance is a professional musician, and I have made him a pullover with his stage name on the front and a keyboard on the back. He want another one now in a different colour. He thought I was very clever making up the pattern myself on graph paper. That is another thing I love doing. I know you can get computer programmes to do it, but I still prefer the old way with graph paper and pencil.

I've always knitted. My Grandma taught me at a young age. When my own daughters were little they had lodas of knitted garments. Then I taught them the basics but that's as far as it went. When the grand daughters came along the knitting needels came out again but I haven't done any for ages. I have a jumper for myself which has been on the go ages. I taught myself to crochet when I was pregnant but can only manage blankets. I have had a go at mats but not for many years. You certainly can buy wool & patterns on the net. Try a Google search. We only have one shop which sells wool and a stall on the market. The woman who has that tells me that a lot of younger woman knit nowadays. I think quite a few celebs have made it popular by being shown knitting.

I'm more into dressmaking - don't you get a real sense of achievement when you make something? I am working as a volunteer in a primary school one day a week and, after we've done baking, I intend to move them onto crafts.

Lynne I have never mastered the art of Crochet. My mother tried to teach me but apart from helping to make squares for a blanket years ago when we had a winter of power strikes I have never managed any thing more. I have a house full of beautiful crotcheting my mother did. She also really enjoyed crotchering babies clothes. All our friends benefitted! I can knit but have no mum there now to pick up dropped stitches or help with other difficulties. I spend a lot of time making bobbin lace and I am really enjoying a City and Guilds Honiton Course. I felt I needed a challenge! Would love to crotchet though because as someone said it grows so quickly. Rosemary (Essex)

Yes, I do some knitting. Not very intricate patterns as I used to do. I can knit socks on 4 needles without a pattern. They go very fast. I can follow knitting patterns in Dutch and English, but I learnt to crochet here in the Netherlands and now cannot read a crochet pattern in English. What a topsy turvy world I'm in! There was a time here when it was difficult to find a shop that sold knitting wool because of all these fleece jumpers etc. on the market. A great pity, children should be taught the basics of knitting, sewing and crocheting at school. Sylvia

I was taught to knit and crochet when I was about 7 or 8 years old. My aunt's friend taught me to crochet and then I taught my mum. Strangely, mum's knitting is tighter than mine and her crochet looser. I don't do much of either nowadays except for crocheted baby shawls. Heather

Mum is in her 90s now and in recent years has made 157 Teddies for Tragedies. They were made to a set pattern in stocking stitch, collected and sent out to orphanages and hospitals or other places to give comfort at home and abroad. When we were children she made socks and gloves for us for winter besides the usual cardigans etc. We had knitting lessons in school, kettle holder or dish cloth was the choice and I have known a local school here recently offer an after school club for knitters.

I don't knit that much anymore but feel like getting my needles and wool out of the loft.Last year I bought wool to make cushion covers and throws in aran but still haven't done any yet.I used to be quite creative but don't seem to have much time now.I seem to spend a lot of my spare time doing genealogy!I've never really got into the way of crocheting.Have a nice pattern to make Christmas tree ornaments out of fine white cotton but feel I need to know about basic crochet before I tackle anything like this. Wendy

Mum used to do a lot of knitting and taught me the basic knit and purl stitches when I was about 8. When I was in my late teens I took it up again and taught myself how to do cabling and Fair Isle. My eldest daughter used to have a lovely selection of jumpers and cardis when she was little and I had quite a few myself. I used to do a bit of crocheting too but I always find it difficult as I'm one of those strange poeple who doesn't know whether to use their left or right hand! As has been said, there aren't as many wool shops as there used to be. We have a chain of stores in up here called Boyes and they sell wool but thats about it. Does anyone know if you can buy it on the internet? Jeanette x

Well I don't mind trying to explain basic stitches...as there arn't many but will it go down ok on the boards? Lynn

I love handknitting,my mum taught me when i was 7 or 8.She also taught me how to crochet but I could never get the hang of it. Now my 7 year old son wants me to teach him how to knit.My mums got a knitting machine and when we go to visit her my youngest boy(5y o) loves to sit and watch her and guess what he wants from Santa?lol Anna :-)