02.23.09
Beware, my young paduan fiber addict. . . But welcome!
Patti shared something with me recently that I really want to share with any of you yarn lovers out there. I love the idea of working with our hands and keeping a craft alive. So I like to put in a plug for fiber artists when I get a chance. Patti gave her okay to put up these pictures, so here’s the first one.
As you can see, these are crocheted doll dresses made by her just-turned-11 daughter! These were made completely without patterns, and Patti’s daughter, Grace, taught herself how to crochet starting about a year ago, IIRC. I think these are so cute! Great job Grace!
Here is our budding fiber artist on the right of the picture. She and her sister are wearing crocheted hats that I “think” Grace also made. . .
Very cute! Now there is another thing that makes me feel a sort of kinship with Grace is that her mom explained how she always likes to have a project on hand and knits or crochets whenever she has the opportunity to. Well, lo and behold, I’m like that, too! Wherever I go, there’s usually yarn with me. And even during our recent vacation to the Philippines, I made sure that I had yarn to play with. After all, I knew there would be plenty of stolen moments to add a few stitches in. I made sure I took my current mascot, Petunia with us. Here she is drinking with me on one of Philippine Airlines’ 747.
Here she is again with me as I start another knitted sock while taking in the tropical atmosphere in Bohol.
She even hangs out with me, while I knit on the lounge chairs by the pool. Luckily, my toes don’t seem to bother her.
Aaron caught me knitting one evening, too. . .
Eh, not the most flattering angle or lighting, but hey, who cares when there’s yarn to play with? There’s more to life than food and shopping, right? Eh maybe this is one of the “real” reasons why I haven’t been working on getting rid of me love handles? Oh besides, oftentimes there is a nice little reward after picking up all those stitches. Here’s a pair of socks I finished for Aaron during our trip.
I’ve still got the blue socks on the needles, but once I get things back in order here (which is slowly happening), I should complete those to share on the blog, too.
I’m so glad to know that Grace has started knitting so young. I wish I were that young when I started, but better late than never!
I believe Patti mentioned that Grace is interested in knitting up socks soon, so thought I might mention that there are several different ways to knit up socks and even crochet socks, for that matter. My first pair of socks was done using a pattern I found on the net for basic men’s socks and those were knit from the cuff down to the toes. Then I learned how to knit from the toes up using Janet Rehfeldt’s book Toe~Up Techniques. I highly recommend her book. The instructions are easy to follow and work. Then I learned how to knit with two circulars for socks from Cat Bordi’s book, Soaring on Two Circulars. If Grace is still having fun crocheting, I do know there are crocheted sock patterns out there, too.
Just one final word, which is really a “warning.” Sock making can be addicting. SOCK MAKING CAN BECOME ADDICITNG. Well, technically those are “words,” but don’t say you haven’t been warned. . .
Oh boy, oh boy, wait til you get a hold of “sock yarn!” Woo hoo!
Better be off to finish my blue socks!
Marlakins 
patti said,
February 25, 2009 at 10:37 pm
Hey Marla,
I let Grace read this tonight. She was so excited! Now she wants me to take pictures of her barbie doll dresses. I did take a picture of the crocheted slippers she made herself but I haven’t sent it to you. She loved those socks! Yep, Grace made those hats. The one Peanut has on was from a pattern that she changed to her liking. The other one is hard to see, but it’s actually a prairie type hat that ties under the chin. She just didn’t have it set on her head right at that moment. That one she did without a pattern also.
The web is a new thing for Grace. She has her own “favorites” folder now with three websites she’s allowed to visit. Of course, we are sitting next her as she enjoys it. Two of them are yarn and craft places. She is so in love with those sites! She’s getting all kinds of ideas. She found some free download patterns at Annies Attic and they had some of the crocheted sock patterns you mentioned. Not sure if she’s going to expend her funds on them or not. That is something that is hard for me. I want to buy her everything she wants for her hobby but she has been saving money since birth (okay, we started saving her money) so it’s time she learns how to manage it. She is a tightwad! I love it! She tries to buy most of her yarn at the thrift store right now because it’s so expensive she can’t stand the thought of spending money on it. However, I told her when it comes to socks she’ll have to get the right yarn or they won’t be comfortable. She’s learning the money thing along with the craft thing so that’s good. Right now she only uses cheap yarn. She doesn’t know anything about the different types. I figure that will come in time as she develops her talents.
I am enjoying watching her develop these talents and I’m enjoying her teaching Kassandra. She’s a good teacher. I wish I could say Kassandra’s a good student! She’s a little more impatient and doesn’t really want to learn to do it right. It’s funny. Grace is hard to teach (she likes to work things out on her own) but she’s a good teacher. Weird, huh?
Better jet to post on the other page. Thanks for sharing your stuff with us. Pretty soon you might have Grace posting on here! Hmmmmmm. I’d better get her a typing program first!
patti
Administrator said,
February 27, 2009 at 5:39 pm
Hi Patti:
I’m really glad that Grace is enjoying the yarn stuff. I’d love to see the pictures of her other stuff! There are so many talented fiber artists out there, it’s amazing what some people can do! Check out the knitting and crocheting done for this recent gallery here in Santa Monica. . . http://www.lostateminor.com/2009/01/15/crochet-coral-leaf/ Now that’s someone who really knows how to control yarn!
Yes, this craft can add up to quite a bit of $, so I think getting free patterns online is a good way to start. The sock pattern I used for my very first pair of socks can be found at this link http://www.vam.ac.uk/images/image/13029-popup.html I think the part that looks like it doesn’t make sense really does make sense if you just follow the instructions. It’s the part where the heel turns and you do the short rows. What I did was look up a YouTube tutorial on “heel turns” or “turning the heel” then it
all falls into place and makes sense. Once you do it, and see how beautifully it works, then you go, “Oh, let me try that again!” And then you do it again, and again, and again, ha! I’ve lost track of how many socks I’ve knitted already, and just finished a pair today for Brian. . . But luckily I have 4 boys here who use socks, so I have plenty of sock takers here. It’s just that I don’t get a lot of practice doing “girlie” socks because I’m sure they would not like to wear eyelet or lace socks! I’ll try to do some for myself one day. . .
Marla
RaiulBaztepo said,
March 29, 2009 at 3:53 pm
Hello!
Very Interesting post! Thank you for such interesting resource!
PS: Sorry for my bad english, I’v just started to learn this language
See you!
Your, Raiul Baztepo