Ten knitterly things you don't know about me

1.  I picked up knitting so I could make things for the boys and hubby.  (hehe never mind that I make knit more things for myself than for them.) There're many more interesting knitting patterns than there are sewing patterns for guys.  And I wouldn't bother anyone with the 'noisy' sewing machine at night. 

2. I knit lever style. My right thumb, which had been sprained a few times before, takes the brunt of the weight of the needle, so ever since I discovered circulars, I haven't used straights except for very small items. This is also a reason I prefer lighter yarns.

3. I knit slower now, compared to when I first started knitting.  In the beginning I just wanted to finish whatever so I could start (and learn) something new.  Nowadays, I've got a little pile of wips. :-)

4. I rarely buy yarn at regular price.  There's always yarn on sale, and that's where the bargain hunter in me gets into trouble.  Most of my stash was accumulated in the first couple of years of knitting.  There were over 1000 balls of yarn at one point, but thanks to ebay, it's been whittled down and is now at stasis, as I buy mostly with projects in mind, and knit up what's in stash.  I hate to admit that there was at one time ten colours of Noro Cash Iroha in sweater quantity.

5. I keep my yarn labels along with snippets of the yarn in a photo album with slots.  It has been useful on occasion when I needed to check on dyelots or whether a certain yarn would be good for a different project.   

6. When I knit for someone else, I feel the need for perfection more than if I was knitting for myself.  And knitting for commission doesn't appeal to me...too much like homework.

7. I've not knitted an adult-sized garment with sleeves for anyone other than hubby and me, who would be available and subjected to numerous fitting sessions that would probably drive anyone else away. Also, see number 6.

8. I'm still trying to reconcile with the fact that I don't like sock knitting (relative to sweater or shawl knitting) but I love to wear wacky, colorful socks, and I know I'll definitely wear what I make.  On the other hand, I love to knit lace shawls, but I never use them (even the Icarus I made for myself). So I guess I don't fit in either the process or product knitter groups.

9. I much prefer knitting for my mil than my own mother.  After being a daughter for well over thirty years, I've still not grasped what my mom wants exactly. She says, 'anything goes', but it translates to 'anything goes, except...'  Many times burned, but I'll still keep trying...

10.  I've tried knitting by touch alone, and I never get past three or four stitches without getting worried I've dropped a stitch so I have to look. And when I say I knit while supervising the boys' doing their work, I'm really just there physically, and I have to stop knitting if I'm asked a question or I have to check their work. I can't really multitask with the knitting, but don't tell the boys that; they think I'm really 'watching' them. :-)

I've been knitting a lot lately, so I hope to get some posts up soon!

Comments

[Siow Chin]

1000 balls of yarn, that is really impressive! And to think that I'm constantly worried about my 200+ balls, hehe.

[mimi]

I am with Siow Chin about your 1ooo balls of yarn! :D Need to tell my husband that my "small hill"(stash) is not so bad.

I had tried many times to keep the yarn labels but could never organize them. Will keep your idea in mind. ;)

[erin]

This is such fun. I can identify with no 2 for the same reasons. I like your idea in no 5 - my ball bands are all stuffed into one bag. As for no 4 which sounds really funny, I'm still trying to picture how and where one can stow away 1000 balls of yarn. I think I should go home and count my yarn :)

[yuvee]

Oh my, and I thought my 500 balls are bad. You're my hero now! LOL ;)

[grumperina]

10 colors of Noro Cash Iroha... wow, lucky you! It must have been hard to part with it. I think we all believe we can multitask with knitting more than we actually can. Sometimes I find myself completely tuning out everything as I concentrate on my stitches...

[Agnes]

Hey, I knit lever style too. That's the only way I knew when I started ... and the only way I use now. Can't change an old habit!

[brooke]

Oh, wow, number 5 is a great idea! Loved reading this, thanks for sharing.

[handknit168]

#2 - I use straight needles as I learn to knit from beginning. Try to use circular, but upto now, still cannot handle it.
#4 - try to bid the yarns from ebay, but the postage to HK is very expensive that I give up
#6 - totally agreed
#8 - I wear what I knit but the shawl for it always falls from my shoulder
#9 - my mother always appreciates what I knit to her