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Jane
SustaYning Member
USA
4292 Posts |
 Posted - 03/21/2008 : 05:16:40 AM
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I was a lone knitter for a very long time (I taught myself in about 1979 -- I'm a little fuzzy on it at this point!). I was working as a weaver and spinner, and knitting just seemed like a natural step to take. I took a few breaks here and there, but never for too long.
A trip to Rhinebeck and discovering KR was all it took to ignite the fire again. My knitting life is so full and rewarding because of the internet and all the wonderful connections and friendships I've made -- Marg is so right when she calls it a blessing!
Jane
The knitter formerly known as jcc28
Blog: Not Plain Jane
Photos: My Flickr Album
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abt1950
Permanent Resident
3019 Posts |
Posted - 03/21/2008 : 3:05:55 PM
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I have recessive fiber genes on both sides of the family. My mother did nothing except a little social embroidery, so she must have had only one copy of the fiber gene. But my paternal grandmother, who died before I was born, must have had it-I have a couple of quilts that she made. I got the other copy of the gene from my mother's mother, who could do anything--sew, knit, croceht, embroider.
My grandmother tried teaching me to knit when I was young, but it didn't take--she wasn't the best teacher in the world. I learned and/or retaught myself several times and eventually got to the point where I didn't need to reteach myself anymore. I've knit, crocheted, and needlepointed with varying intensity over the years, depending on my mood and the availability of decent quality yarn. I stopped during the Great Yarn Drought of the 90's and only picked it up again a few years back when I saw someone at work struggling to learn. I've been kniotting fanatically ever since.
There have been a few times during my knitting career when I've been able to hang out with other fiber people, but a lot of the time I haven't. The internet has been wonderful for that--I've grown a lot as a knitter by seeing what other people are doing, and I found my current SNB by hanging out on KR.
The funny thing is that most of my closest friends from high school knit, but I never knew it until much later.
Anne in NJ
Knit long and prosper |
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shinnl1@comcast.net
New Pal
2 Posts |
Posted - 03/21/2008 : 4:04:46 PM
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| I agree that the internet has been a driving force in connecting knitters. Just look at this forum. The "good" yarns have helped too. I knitted in high school. Stopped for awhile and then decided to get back to it by taking classes at a local yarn shop. That's where I've been ever since. The yarn shop offers a variety of classes as well as Knitter's Night and Knitters Day Out once a month. These are "sit and knit" sessions that last 5 hours with food. Always very enjoyable. |
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2trees
Seriously Hooked
749 Posts |
Posted - 03/21/2008 : 4:31:28 PM
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My mom taught me how to knit when I was 10. I kept at it here and there thru high school, but NOBODY else knit, and I sure wouldn't have done it in public! When my older son was a baby, I made him a sweater and then put away the needles for a decade. We moved cross-country and got internet access, and I was stunned to see how trendy knitting had gotten. I still can't quite believe how big it is.
http://worldofyarncraft.blogspot.com/ |
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Janbie
Chatty Knitter
USA
112 Posts |
Posted - 03/21/2008 : 5:16:52 PM
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I just taught myself how to knit. Coming from a very un-crafty family - the most complicated thing I ever did beforehand was sew on popped off buttons - I think I'm doing alright. And love having the community here and at Ravelry.
The KnitWit Copywriter
http://www.knitwitcopywriter.com
http://janbie.blogspot.com
http://knitwitcopywriter.blogspot.com
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"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and take a look around once in a while, you could miss it." Ferris Bueller
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scraffan
Permanent Resident
1844 Posts |
Posted - 03/22/2008 : 4:38:09 PM
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I took up knitting after I graduated from Grad school.
I was so used to learning/studing/doing that I didn't know what to do without it.
I was looking around a craft store and an employee suggested that I go to a LYS that was offering classes.
I went and took classes. I still go every other week for knitting (not necessarily for help).
I found a lot of friends through the internet. thanks to both KR and Raverly. Thanks to Raverly I am in my first knitting competition
Also I think I accidently designed a hat!
Karen |
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Texasknitter
New Pal
8 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2008 : 12:39:50 PM
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That is so wonderful that prior generations taught ya'll to knit. No one in my family knit or crochet at all. I had to get a step-mom who was a fiber artist. She retired and knit and crochet and spun and wove. She did the most wonderful stuff. So she taught me just about a year before it became popular.
I did scarves for about a year before I had the nerve to do other things. Now I am doing and trying all sorts of things. But the best part is that I have become confident enough to teach others. I started a work group, and joined another at my library. It expanded to the net, now I have all sorts of friends.
Plus it is very calming to knit. I can tell if I start to become impatient with people that I have not knitted in a while.
Thans for all your stories. |
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Sara Sue
Permanent Resident
USA
1083 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2008 : 2:00:36 PM
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| My grandmother taught me to crochet when I was a little girl. My mother taught me to sew. My MIL always had a piece of needlework of some sort by her side. I didn't know how to knit and had always wanted to learn so when I retired in Sept. at the age of 61, I taught myself from books and DVDs and then I discovered KR. I've recently taught a friend whose husband is very ill with cancer and she and I spend a lot of time together when she gets a break knitting and relaxing. She says that knitting has saved her sanity during the hours she spends in Drs. offices and hospitals. |
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elkymama
Seriously Hooked
USA
688 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2008 : 4:57:32 PM
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The current community of knitters is wonderful. If it weren't for KR, I wouldn't be knitting at all.
I learned to knit at age 10, then stopped and started several times. An aunt taught me how to knit "Continental" in 1982 and I knit a lot for about 10 years.
I stopped knitting because I couldn't figure out why my stitches were twisted. Knitting in the round was fine. Knitting flat, the stitches were twisted and the rows were erratic. I didn't know how to correct the problem, my aunt had died, I didn't know any other knitters and I didn't find much about Continental knitting in any of the knitting books I found in the library.
In summer of '05, I visited a yarn shop while on vacation in Connecticut and was dazzled by all the self-patterning sock yarns.
I wondered if I could even remember how to cast on.
Within a month, I found Knitters Review and learned more about Combined knitting techniques than I'd ever known before. I really enjoy the online knitting community.
In January I started a knitting group in Summerville SC and have really enjoyed meeting other local knitters in person.
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jinniver
Chatty Knitter
USA
146 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2008 : 6:46:07 PM
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Reading through all the posts, I was interested by the number of people who give credit to the internet for connecting them with all of the other knitters. It stands in such stark contrast to all of the concerns about how the internet is feeding a trend of people becoming more anti-social and only communicating electronically. Yet we're using it not only to communicate electronically--as we do here--but to find fellow knitters for face-to-face contact. In fact, after complaining that there weren't any local knitting groups in my area, I visited a blog I found the link to here; jumped from that blog to another one that was linked to in a post; learned about meetup.com on that second blog; and did a search for "knitting" and my zip code. Turns out two knitting groups have been started up in my area recently!
Jen, 33 y/o Navy wife with 3 y/o son and 4 month old daughter
Last project - "Ugg" booties for my niece in black and hot pink complete! (See them here!)
WIP - Baby quilting and bedding for my daughter's crib; a long garter knit scarf with ribbon yarn
Next project - Knitted shoes for my baby girl from "Baby Knits"
The Sarah Winchester of Fiber Arts |
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Kathleen-NYC
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
444 Posts |
Posted - 03/27/2008 : 12:42:39 PM
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I grew up with some sort of needle(s)in my hands.
All the women in my family and extended family sewed, knitted, crocheted and did other handwork. My sister and I learned by making things for our dolls, then for ourselves, and then for our homes and others.
As children - we embroidered our pillowcases and towels, crocheted lace edging on handkerchiefs.
I can't imagine what my life would have been like without the handcrafts. |
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