Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Knit 147,349 Purl 248,136

Did you know there are 437 ways to knit? And just as many ways to cast on, purl, and do a lot of other stuff I don't know how to do yet.

I take my knitted cap off to you needle workers out there.

Well, it actually looks more like a crocheted dishrag that's kind of lopsided at the moment, but I can put it on my head and take it off and pretend like it's a knitted cap if that will make you happy.

What I have learned in the past few days is that there is American knitting (the kind I do) and Continental knitting (which seems very complicated) that Sis does. To give you an idea of our prowess in the knitting arena, let me tell you this:

Neither one of us knows how to purl. We're lucky to be able to cast on and actually knit. And I even found out from that hussy Elizabeth Zimmermann, she of PBS and video fame circa 1981, I am doing even the casting on the wrong way.

Well poop.

And then, the one thing I thought I did know how to do it turns out I don't.

Many years ago my great-aunt taught me how to crochet. I made chain after chain, happily crocheting away. And then I decided to branch out. I put a row on top of one of the chains! And lo, it was as if I had created FIRE.

Immediately I decided to make a rug. But after all, it was the sixties, and I was just a kid. The rug turned out to be the size of a coaster and all was well. But I learned some bad habits in the process.

Since no one was around to tell me how to put the second row on top of the first, I improvised. Now, instead of CROcheting, I CHRISchet. The Chrischet is where you pick up the back loop of the first stitch you come to rather than picking up the back two loops. It gives the finished product some interesting ridges, but it works for me.

At least it will, if I ever finish anything but the stupid lopsided dishrag. Which is doubtful at this point since I'm concentrating on the knitting for a while.

Leslye Solomon tried to teach me the Continental style via her video circa 2006. However, what with all the twisting and the repairing lost stitches and weird purling and stuff, I failed it. Then I went back to my "Knitting for Dummies" book and failed that too.

Maybe I should purchase a one-on-two class at the yarn shop for the owner to teach the two of us what we need to know. It would be a great birthday present for us, don't you think?

Kind of like Remedial Knitting for the Aged and Dim.

It's good for me!

2 comments:

Linds said...

Hmmm. This sounds rather like me. I went to sea with Geoff one time and took wool and knitting needles and a PATTERN. It may as well have been written in swahili. So I tossed it over the shoulder and knitted on merrily till it measured roughly up to the neck, then decreased a bit here and there, and repeated for the back. Then I knitted 2 triangular bits for sleeves, sewed the whole thing together, and wore it once. Then I unravelled the whole thing and tried knitting something else on the way south. It is currenlty in the craft cupboard. In balls. I am thinking a few scarves may be a good idea.And crochetting???? I think not. Mother reigns supreme as the crochetting queen. Long may she continue to reign.

Anonymous said...

My grandmother was a pro at knitting and crocheting... and taught me enough to make an afghan... which turned out pretty good... and that was the first and last thing I ever did. Bless her heart she is no longer with us... I wish I would have paid more attention *sigh*