General Chat

As this seems to be a dying art. I haven't done any for a number of years but two of my grand-children Elleise and Melissa were overjoyed at the poncho's I made them (taught myself croched 30 yrs ago) So much so I have now picked up my knitting needles and having a go at that by making young Elleise a cardie for school. Do children nowdays know how to knit, as when I was young it seemed we all knew, and was one of the few things we could do on a Sunday sitting on the front step, as we wern't allowed to play noisey games on the sabbeth. Lynn

Funny you should say that Lynne, I found an old crochet blanket, that my Nanna did the other day, and I wondered the same thing, my daughter is going to have a go, (don't laugh, but she has just bought a book on e-bay, Ladybird, How to crochet, she is 22!), so am now getting a hook and some wool!..

Hi Lynn I do a lot of hand knitting and also have a kniting machine but the machine doesnt come out as ofter as the neddles do, I would love to learn how to crochet but cant seem to get the hang of it. Margaret

Christine ...I do hope your daughter finds it ok. Thats how I taught myself at the age of 25. I was expecting my 3rd child and saw a smashing baby jacket made up in a knitting wool shop but decided to have a go at doing it myself, so purchased a book on how to croched. Tell your daughter to start on something small and I'm sure she will get on fine. What I found funny was that last week when looking for my hooks etc I came accross all the knitting and crochet patterns that I had bought years ago and some were priced in the old money of shilling's and pence. Margaret... We ...now don't laugh will have to have a crochet circle....The thing with when you crochet is that it grows so very fast and you only have one stitch to worry about and even if it comes off the hook it doesn't prove a problem Lynn

Lynn Yes lets start crochet lessons good idea Margaret

Think my Nanna must have made hundreds of blankets in her time, but the wool was a lot cheaper then, we seem to have a shortage of wool shops, I can remember walking in there, and all those lovely colours, I always used to like the furry wools! (long time ago, when I was about 6or7!), and those lovely rainbow ones!.

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 :-)

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

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

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 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 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

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

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)

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.

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 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.

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

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

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