Saturday, August 22, 2009
Letter Cloths
I LOVE these letter cloths. It's a good example of a super simple project that still has a lot of "wow" factor. I made one of these for my youngest. I plan on knitting up several more with the intention of making them into pillows.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Etsy Lust Friday
Friday, August 14, 2009
Etsy Lust Friday
Surely by now everyone has heard of etsy.com, but if you haven't then I encourage you to check it out. I love it because you can always find something creative and original. I'm pretty thrifty in general and try not to spend money on unnecessary things, but a girl can dream, right?
So here's just a few of the wonderful treasures I've unearthed over at etsy.com. Take a peek and maybe you'll find a few treasures of your own!
1. These lockets are amazing. I love the detail. Actually, everything from this seller is beautifully done!
2. This seller is currently on a break, but I adore these monogrammed baby shoes. I purchased a set for my youngest and we received compliments everywhere we went! Soft shoes are preferable for little feet and for the same price as you'd pay at Target, you get a shoe that is made in the US!
3. One of these days I'm going to buy one of these purses. They cost a little more than I'd pay at a big box store (because I'm CHEAP), but they are so cute and unique and handmade!
4. I've never been one to wear hats, but this one is so darn cute, I'm tempted to start...
5. And last, but certainly not least...if it's at all possible to fall in love with an inanimate object, then fallen I have. This journal is amazing. I'm not sure if I could even write in it or if I would just sleep with it under my pillow every night....
So here's just a few of the wonderful treasures I've unearthed over at etsy.com. Take a peek and maybe you'll find a few treasures of your own!
1. These lockets are amazing. I love the detail. Actually, everything from this seller is beautifully done!
2. This seller is currently on a break, but I adore these monogrammed baby shoes. I purchased a set for my youngest and we received compliments everywhere we went! Soft shoes are preferable for little feet and for the same price as you'd pay at Target, you get a shoe that is made in the US!
3. One of these days I'm going to buy one of these purses. They cost a little more than I'd pay at a big box store (because I'm CHEAP), but they are so cute and unique and handmade!
4. I've never been one to wear hats, but this one is so darn cute, I'm tempted to start...
5. And last, but certainly not least...if it's at all possible to fall in love with an inanimate object, then fallen I have. This journal is amazing. I'm not sure if I could even write in it or if I would just sleep with it under my pillow every night....
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
God Is a Knitter
A beautiful passage for knitters and non-knitters alike.
| New International Version |
Psalm 139
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
1O Lord, you have searched me
and you know me.
2You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O Lord.
5You hem me in—behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.
6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
7Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths,a you are there.
9If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
11If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
12even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
13For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
17How precious tob me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake,
I am still with you.
.........................23Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
I think everyone should know the basics of knitting just so they can fully relate to this verse. The very idea that God himself "knit" us together. How personal. How intimate. How intentional. If you've ever knitted then you know how much thought and time and effort goes into your projects. You plan carefully by selecting the right needles and the perfect yarn. You labor over your work, counting stitches, checking gauge, making corrections as needed. You know that even if you don't use a pattern, you still have an objective, a goal for your project - you have a vision of what it will become. And no matter how small, when it's done, your project is precious to you and, even in a small way, a reflection of who you are.
If you've never thought about God like this I encourage you to learn more about him. He promises that if we seek him, the Master Craftsman, the Ultimate Knitter, he will make himself known to us.
Learning to Knit
The following advice stems from my experience so your mileage may vary. Take what works for you and leave the rest!
If you want to learn to knit but are feeling overwhelmed here are a few things that would have helped me in the beginning!
Learn the Basics
1. Find a knitting mentor. Most people would be thrilled to share their knowledge with you. And if they can't, for whatever reason, they would at least be happy to give you a few pointers. I think this is the best way to learn and it's always nice to be able to take your project to someone when you run into problems. If all else fails, look for a knitting store and see if they give classes.
2. Look online. There's a wealth of information out there! I've found YouTube videos that will show you what you need to learn, step by step. When you find your first pattern, make sure you know what all of the abbreviations mean and understand them all.
3. As a last resort, you can always buy a book. You can find lots of "learn to knit" books in the knitting section of your local hobby or craft store. Or see what's available at the library.
Keep it Simple
1. Don't begin knitting with an immediate objective in mind. I've met so many people who decided, out of the blue, to learn knitting so that they could "whip up" a large project for a friend/family member/co-worker who was getting married/having a baby/whatever....in 4 weeks! Then they get frustrated and end up throwing in the towel because it was too stressful. Don't get in over your head. Knitting is a skill and it does take some time to learn and get good at!
2. Don't get sidetracked by all the fancy stuff. Find a free pattern online (see Keep it Cheap below) that only requires you to know how to cast on, knit, and cast off. A dishcloth is a great first pattern because the type of yarn you'll be working with will be easy to work with. Those fancy yarns may look great, but can be a major headache even for advanced knitters! Also, I always recommend starting with a variegated yarn. The varied colors make it easier to see and count your stitches! Purchase the needles and yarn suggested by the pattern. You can use that to learn on and then unravel it and use it for your first project. Get a small tote bag to stash it all in and you are good to go!
3. Start by just knitting. Learn to cast on, knit, what to do when you drop or add a stitch and cast off. Cast on 10 stitches and then knit back and forth back and forth back and forth. Don't take time to unravel or start over. Just keep at it, even if you drop or add a stitch. This may seem like a waste, but once you've got the hang of it, it's really neat to see the progress you've made. Make sure to count your stitches after every row and then less frequently as you go on and start to get the hang of it.
You'll know you're ready to start your first project when:
A. You can knit fairly quickly without dropping or adding stitches.
B. You can keep the tension uniform. This means that your work will be even, no big loops or oddities throughout the work.
C. You can recognize the "right" side of the work from the "wrong" side.
D. You can tell when you've dropped or added a stitch and know how to correct it.
E. When you are putting a stitch back on you'll need to make sure you twist it the right way before sliding it on the needle. If you put it on backward it will effect how the project looks.
When you are satisfied you've acquired the basics, simply unravel it all and start anew with a project.
Keep it Cheap
Knitting, like lots of crafts and hobbies, are often taken up by people just to be dropped later when they've grown frustrated or tired with it, or just plain ran out of time. Their loss is your gain! You can find knitting supplies at yard sales, thrift stores, Craigslist, Freecycle, eBay. I've had good luck at discount bins in hobby and craft stores, too. Heck, if you get the word out, you might even score freebies from friends and family! Don't forget to get your patterns online, you can bookmark patterns and print them out to take with you. I usually just google "free scarf knit pattern" or something similar, and get plenty of results. I've had great results with big companies like Lions Wool and with fellow blogging knitters - just be sure to read the comments first because sometimes people will point out corrections or hints and those can make your project much easier!
Move Forward Slowly
After you've leaned how to knit, then learn how to purl. Then increase and decrease...the list goes on and on. Learn a new skill, practice, put it to use on a project, and then move on to the next thing. This will save you so much frustration in the end because you'll give yourself a chance to really learn each new skill.
Happy knitting!
If you want to learn to knit but are feeling overwhelmed here are a few things that would have helped me in the beginning!
Learn the Basics
1. Find a knitting mentor. Most people would be thrilled to share their knowledge with you. And if they can't, for whatever reason, they would at least be happy to give you a few pointers. I think this is the best way to learn and it's always nice to be able to take your project to someone when you run into problems. If all else fails, look for a knitting store and see if they give classes.
2. Look online. There's a wealth of information out there! I've found YouTube videos that will show you what you need to learn, step by step. When you find your first pattern, make sure you know what all of the abbreviations mean and understand them all.
3. As a last resort, you can always buy a book. You can find lots of "learn to knit" books in the knitting section of your local hobby or craft store. Or see what's available at the library.
Keep it Simple
1. Don't begin knitting with an immediate objective in mind. I've met so many people who decided, out of the blue, to learn knitting so that they could "whip up" a large project for a friend/family member/co-worker who was getting married/having a baby/whatever....in 4 weeks! Then they get frustrated and end up throwing in the towel because it was too stressful. Don't get in over your head. Knitting is a skill and it does take some time to learn and get good at!
2. Don't get sidetracked by all the fancy stuff. Find a free pattern online (see Keep it Cheap below) that only requires you to know how to cast on, knit, and cast off. A dishcloth is a great first pattern because the type of yarn you'll be working with will be easy to work with. Those fancy yarns may look great, but can be a major headache even for advanced knitters! Also, I always recommend starting with a variegated yarn. The varied colors make it easier to see and count your stitches! Purchase the needles and yarn suggested by the pattern. You can use that to learn on and then unravel it and use it for your first project. Get a small tote bag to stash it all in and you are good to go!
3. Start by just knitting. Learn to cast on, knit, what to do when you drop or add a stitch and cast off. Cast on 10 stitches and then knit back and forth back and forth back and forth. Don't take time to unravel or start over. Just keep at it, even if you drop or add a stitch. This may seem like a waste, but once you've got the hang of it, it's really neat to see the progress you've made. Make sure to count your stitches after every row and then less frequently as you go on and start to get the hang of it.
You'll know you're ready to start your first project when:
A. You can knit fairly quickly without dropping or adding stitches.
B. You can keep the tension uniform. This means that your work will be even, no big loops or oddities throughout the work.
C. You can recognize the "right" side of the work from the "wrong" side.
D. You can tell when you've dropped or added a stitch and know how to correct it.
E. When you are putting a stitch back on you'll need to make sure you twist it the right way before sliding it on the needle. If you put it on backward it will effect how the project looks.
When you are satisfied you've acquired the basics, simply unravel it all and start anew with a project.
Keep it Cheap
Knitting, like lots of crafts and hobbies, are often taken up by people just to be dropped later when they've grown frustrated or tired with it, or just plain ran out of time. Their loss is your gain! You can find knitting supplies at yard sales, thrift stores, Craigslist, Freecycle, eBay. I've had good luck at discount bins in hobby and craft stores, too. Heck, if you get the word out, you might even score freebies from friends and family! Don't forget to get your patterns online, you can bookmark patterns and print them out to take with you. I usually just google "free scarf knit pattern" or something similar, and get plenty of results. I've had great results with big companies like Lions Wool and with fellow blogging knitters - just be sure to read the comments first because sometimes people will point out corrections or hints and those can make your project much easier!
Move Forward Slowly
After you've leaned how to knit, then learn how to purl. Then increase and decrease...the list goes on and on. Learn a new skill, practice, put it to use on a project, and then move on to the next thing. This will save you so much frustration in the end because you'll give yourself a chance to really learn each new skill.
Happy knitting!
Knitting Fitfully
I love knitting. I learned to knit right before I got pregnant with my oldest son, who just turned 5. It's been a journey of starts and stops with lots of projects started and abandoned. Ideas and obsessions have come and gone. At times I've been discouraged, dismayed, frustrated and sometimes just plain out of time. But I've kept on because I've learned that some things are still worth doing even if they are done imperfectly.
I crave knitting. I truly miss it if I go too long without a project. If knitting is mentioned in a book or shown in a movie, I pick up on it right away. I see sweaters, hats, scarfs, dishtowels, blankets, shawls, and think, "I wonder how hard that would be?"... Most of the time the answer is "too hard" but sometimes I locate a free pattern, find an online tutorial, learn something new and am rewarded with a treasure.
My style of knitting would probably fall in a "knitting for the rest of us" category. I don't eat, sleep and breathe knitting. I have other loves and hobbies. I can't bear to spend oodles of money on yarn and gadgets. I've never paid a dime for a pattern and hope I never will. Thus far I've been successful at finding free patterns online. I've rarely paid full-price for needles or yarn either because I've hit a sale, used a coupon, or gotten lucky at the thrift store.
With two boys, I just don't have the time for complicated patterns. Sometimes I just want to knit for the sake of knitting and see my work come to fruition in a reasonable amount of time! I need to be able to set my knitting down at a moment's notice and be able to pick it back up and know where I'm at. I've learned that, for now anyway, fanciful, complicated yarns and intricate patterns just aren't in the cards for me. Some day, when the boys are older, maybe. Who knows, maybe not!
So, if you like to knit, or would like to learn, and often feel overwhelmed by all of the information and expectations (that we place on ourselves), drop by. Share your projects and tips and I'll share mine!
I crave knitting. I truly miss it if I go too long without a project. If knitting is mentioned in a book or shown in a movie, I pick up on it right away. I see sweaters, hats, scarfs, dishtowels, blankets, shawls, and think, "I wonder how hard that would be?"... Most of the time the answer is "too hard" but sometimes I locate a free pattern, find an online tutorial, learn something new and am rewarded with a treasure.
My style of knitting would probably fall in a "knitting for the rest of us" category. I don't eat, sleep and breathe knitting. I have other loves and hobbies. I can't bear to spend oodles of money on yarn and gadgets. I've never paid a dime for a pattern and hope I never will. Thus far I've been successful at finding free patterns online. I've rarely paid full-price for needles or yarn either because I've hit a sale, used a coupon, or gotten lucky at the thrift store.
With two boys, I just don't have the time for complicated patterns. Sometimes I just want to knit for the sake of knitting and see my work come to fruition in a reasonable amount of time! I need to be able to set my knitting down at a moment's notice and be able to pick it back up and know where I'm at. I've learned that, for now anyway, fanciful, complicated yarns and intricate patterns just aren't in the cards for me. Some day, when the boys are older, maybe. Who knows, maybe not!
So, if you like to knit, or would like to learn, and often feel overwhelmed by all of the information and expectations (that we place on ourselves), drop by. Share your projects and tips and I'll share mine!
What's In A Name?
I have to admit "fitful" wasn't my first choice for a knitting blog name. I loved "intermittent knitter" or "interrupted knitter", but those were both taken. I did a bit of digging around on dictionary.com and thought the word "fitful" justly describes my take on this yarn craft. Hubby thought the meaning described my temperament while knitting and I laughed and decided that worked well, too!
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