When Sara and I first started this blog, I suggested that we trade off weekly blogging entries. We can’t expect a book deal without having blogs first. Her response was “Mimi, I am pretty busy, I don’t know if I can blog every other week.” Now look at her, out blogging me. I better get with it. I do admit I had a little bit of blogger’s block. What to blog about, I don’t exactly knit a new project every 2 weeks, a girl as other things to do! Sara thought maybe I should do a blog about the basics of knitting. So here we are. Back to the basics, which as with most things in life makes me think of music. Ladies and gentlemen, for your listening pleasure whilst reading my blog.
My most recent entries have been my latest and greatest projects, which to a knitter starting out could understandably be intimidating or it could not, who knows. In any event, I want to share with the world wide web community my favorite knitting sites. These are the sites which helped me fall in love with the craft of knitting.
I was living in NE Portland when I re-visited knitting…quick shout out to the ladies of 4214. I had known how to crochet since my Mom taught me in the third grade. Our joint projects were to say the least, interesting. There was a little knitting store about a mile from where I lived, one of the lovely ladies who worked there shared with me her blog and some knitting sites when I told her I was ready to try knitting again. Until that point, I was the crocheter, loyal and hooked on it. A side note about knitting stores: 90% of the time when you go into any locally owned knitting store any one of the people there are more than happy to help you find a pattern, yarn, and needles needed to make your project a reality. They want you to know the same joy they find in knitting.
I hustled home and looked up this. To this day, she still inspires me. She offers free patterns for all knitting level. And her patterns are easy to read. Not much else to say, she’s my knitting/blogging hero.
The how-to website that is AWESOME. This site has videos for every style of knitting, it makes learning to knit super easy and has videos when you’re ready to try out new techniques like socks or yarn overs for lace.
Okay, I’ve showed my inspiration and how-to site. Get yourself some yarn and needles, make a scarf. Want more? Below are my favorite pattern sites.
Here is a site that I have used for free. I have found that most books out there have maybe 2 cute patterns out of about 25. I have made the fair isle hat and I’m about done with the spring time bandit. SUPER cute projects.
Of course, any knitter/crocheter will agree ravelry is a great online knitting community. Just be careful, a lot of the patterns are poorly written and some are not free. ANNNNND this one;
I find is more quantity over quality, but good.
As always, check out your local library for knitting books.
Save up your money and blow it on the yarn. Being a snob is bad, but being a yarn snob is not.