Balancing my Yarn Addiction, Knit One Double Crochet

Year of Projects Post Info And
Day 7 of the challenge Post
Crafting Balance
Are you a knitter or a crocheter, or are you a bit of both? If you are monogamous in your yarn-based crafting, is it because you do not enjoy the other craft or have you simply never given yourself the push to learn it? Is it because the items that you best enjoy crafting are more suited to the needles or the hook? Do you plan on ever trying to take up and fully learn the other craft? If you are equally comfortable knitting as you are crocheting, how do you balance both crafts? Do you always have projects of each on the go, or do you go through periods of favouring one over the other? How did you come to learn and love your craft(s)?

KCBWDAY7(use this code in a google search to find all who participated in this day's blog challenge)

I am bi-linqual, I speak both knitting and crocheting. I learned both while very young. I learned to knit from my Mother, and to crochet from a friends Aunt. I made one item using each skill when I initially learned. For years didn't do either again. Then crocheting came back into my life...big time. Hubby was working full time and going to school, and while I was also working full time, I had ........time on my hands. Since I decided I should do something with those hands, I once again began crocheting and that's all I did for years. I became pretty skillful and confident with has, scarves, blankets, afghans and the like. I crocheted Christmas gifts, wedding gifts, baby shower gifts and more.

There was no balance. I was in fact, resentful of those who knitted. They seemed a bit upity I thought. Wasn't uncommon to hear someone say, "oh ..you don't knit, you just crochet". Pattern books for knitting far and away out numbered pattern books for crocheting. There seemed to be a prevailing feeling that only Old ladies crocheted, and all they crocheted were doolies, doll clothes, and toilet paper roll covers.

That has all changed. It is no longer only old ladies who crochet, and those who crochet make wonderful wonderful items for themselves and their families, as well as for many charities. Then the fiber world offered such wonderful varieties of soft luscious fibers, that knitters and crocheters came out of the wood work. Both skills were being taught to men and women of all ages. It became "cool" to possess either skill. Battle lines between knitters and crocheters became a thing of the past.

When big fat knitting needles and fun novelty yarn came into vogue, I once again picked up knitting. I think some fibers lend themselves better to one skill then the other. Each has it's place. Knitting takes more time, generally speaking then crocheting, and uses less yarn. Crocheting seems to bother my arthritis a bit more then the knitting does, but I always have projects going representing both skills. I like to have a project that's a pick up and go item...often scarves, which can be either knitted or crocheted; along with a larger more complicated item that really can only successfully be worked on at home. Generally the big item at home is an afghan which is always a crocheted project; as I assemble afghans for charity (please see my blog, Bridge and Beyond) , from donated knitted and crocheted squares from around the globe. Additionally, I might have a more complicated knitting pattern with something that involves counting stitches and rows constantly....I do better with that home, where I can knit without interruption.

Balance between the 2 crafts, isn't the problem I have. I find I need balance between the knitting and crocheting for charity vs making something for myself or family members. Somehow, I always push aside the item I purchased special yarn for myself in order to make something I deem more important for those without.

I've shown you many of the crocheted afghans I've put together from donated squares in the first challenge post about color, HERE. The above picture is an afghan I made specifically from many different patterns for my great nephews arrival into this world. Just thought there should be a picture here for you all.

This concludes the blog week challenge......whew. Must give some thought whether to participate in this challenge again next year if it happens. Thus far, it's been lots of work with pretty limited participating; that's been disappointing. Wondering how the rest of you feel?
Day 1 Challenge Post 3KCBWDAY1
Day 2 Challenge Post 3KCBWDAY2
Day 3 Challenge Post (wild card) 3KCBWDAY3 3KCBWWC
Day 4 Challenge Post 3KCBWDAY4
Day 5 Challenge Post 3KCBWDAY5
Day 6 Challenge Post 3KCBWDAY6

YOP, literally no change. I've knitted and crocheted; but everything I've worked on was something not on my list. Between traveling, and blogger not working well (scheduled posts not posting as they should), playing catch up both here and in life...I've really nothing to report. However, if you click on Day 2 challenge you'll see one item I finished, likewise Day 5...those post show 2 of the items I've been working on.

Skillset Satisfaction

Improving Your Skillset
How far down the road to learning your craft do you believe yourself to be? Are you comfortable with what you know or are you always striving to learn new skills and add to your knowledge base? Take a look at a few knitting or crochet books and have a look at some of the skills mentioned in the patterns. Can you start your amigurumi pieces with a magic circle, have you ever tried double knitting, how's your intarsia? If you are feeling brave, make a list of some of the skills which you have not yet tried but would like to have a go at, and perhaps even set yourself a deadline of when you'd like to have tried them by.

3KCBWDAY6

I am comfortable with my skillset for the most part. The important thing to me is being able to knit and or crochet for charity. I don't have a need to make amigurumi or intarsia. I make basic items, that need to be sturdy and warm; not fancy made with intricate stitches or high end fibers. I'm always knitting or crocheting when people are talking at lunch at work, or when the TV's on, so sticking to things that don't require enormous amounts of focus or concentration works best.

I guess I am perhaps more goal oriented then task driven. The goal is to make items for those cold and in need without a roof over their heads vs spending time practicing learning new things. There are times I'll set aside me-quiet time to work on something for my Darling Daughter or myself, or perhaps a special gift. I do try to stretch myself some in those moments; but it doesn't drive me. I sometimes feel guilty though when I do that. I've knitted simple lace and would like to improve on that skill using finer yarns. But, that takes time away from my primary goal. Likewise, I'd like to try my hand at socks; but always find a charity project to work on instead.

I elude to this difficulty in balancing in tomorrow's Blog Challenge Topic.

As a general statement I would like to improve my skill enough to be more comfortable working with finer yarns/fibers; but beyond that...nothing really specific. I'm pretty comfortable knowing I can accomplish my goal with my current skills and being satisfied works for me. That however doesn't stop me from being delighted to see someone with skills superior to mine.

The most I've stretched myself with regard to doing different stitches was the making of the above afghan for my DD's best friends wedding gift. I had some moments of ripping out and of being frustrated; but wanted something special for her. She and her husband loved it.

I have some special yarn I purchased on vacation to make something different for myself and my daughter, but ...it sits in the basket. Perhaps, since the wedding was about this time last year, it's once again to devote some me quiet learning time.

Day 1 Challenge Post 3KCBWDAY1
Day 2 Challenge Post 3KCBWDAY2
Day 3 Challenge Post (wild card) 3KCBWDAY3 3KCBWWC
Day 4 Challenge Post 3KCBWDAY4
Day 5 Challenge Post 3KCBWDAY5

Summer, Spring, Winter or Fall is the Time

A Knitter or Crocheter For All Seasons?
As spring is in the air in the northern hemisphere and those in the southern hemisphere start setting their sights for the arrival of winter, a lot of crocheters and knitters find that their crafting changes along with their wardrobe. Have a look through your finished projects and explain the seasonality of your craft to your readers. Do you make warm woollens the whole year through in preparation for the colder months, or do you live somewhere that never feels the chill and so invest your time in beautiful homewares and delicate lace items. How does your local seasonal weather affect your craft?

3KCBWDAY4 (use this code in a google search and find other blogs for day 4 challenge)

The short answer is it doesn't. Living in Ohio, we have far more cold weather then warm weather. Much of the spring and fall, while pretty can be cold, wet, windy, and light weight items generally aren't going to get the job done. Add to that, my charity knitting and crocheting for the homeless and that they really need warmth. After all, many are living outdoors, or at the very least spending a good deal of time out in the elements. They may not need mittens, hats, scarves and the like in the middle of the summer; but I continue to work on those items as do those who help me so we're prepared when the winter turns ugly again. It can do that over night...pouf.

I do try to not make one piece afghans in the heat of the summer so I don't have something hot and heavy on my lap. I nudge hubby about turning on the air conditioning if the temps are hot enough the yarn is sticking to my hands and not easily sliding off the hook or knitting needles.

It does perhaps influence the colors I work with a bit. For example these 2 afghans to be will not be worked on til it's seasonally appropriate.
Day 1 Challenge Post
Day 2 Challenge Post
Day 3 Challenge Post (wild card)

Colors Speak to Me

This is the first time I've participated in the special week long blog event dedicated to knitters and crocheters. Though it's the 3rd year the activity has been going strong here on internet. There are prompts, one for each day, a tag which you'll see below. The tag gives us a special method to find each other doing a google search. Pretty cool. Since this is a first for me, thought I'd give the prompt below:

Color Lovers
Color is one of our greatest expressions of ourselves when we choose to knit or crochet, so how do you choose what colors you buy and crochet or knit with. Have a look through your stash and see if there is a predominance of one color. Do the same with your finished projects - do they match? Do you love a rainbow of bright hues, or more subdued tones. How much attention do you pay to the original color that a garment is knit in when you see a pattern? Tell readers about your love or confusion over color.

3KCBWDAY1 (tag)

Colors speak to me, loudly I might add. I don't own a white blouse or a beige dress. Doesn't that statement speak volumes about how I like color! I have always been drawn to bright, bold, cheery colors and find white, and beige without personality at all, and very very boring. As a child my Mother told me I dreamed about colors, apparently out loud. I would talk in my sleep saying I wanted the red one, or the yellow one and things along that line.

The first item I crocheted was a bright mint green Dollie. It was crocheted using a bright red plastic crochet hook. My childhood best friend's Aunt taught me to crochet, no doubt because I was driving her nuts. She was as round as she was tall. In retrospect, I don't think she had good mobility, as I almost always saw her in a rocking chair. I was mesmerized watching her crochet. I'm sure that first project was lov-er-ly. That lov-er-ly Dollie that had no purpose was a gift to my Mother. Wonder whatever happened to it?

The first item I knit was with multi-colored crayon/Mexican looking yarn and became a little scarf. My Mother taught me to knit. See, even back then I was drawn to bold, bright and cheery colors.

And let's not forget the bright Pink (not pastel) Octopus I made with a Styrofoam ball and braided legs to decorate my bed.

I knit and crochet and carry my love of color to almost every thing I craft, even baby items are rarely made from light pastels, or worse yet personality lacking white and beige. If you look through these blog of items made, both for myself and those for charity you'll see a rainbow of colors.

When purchasing yarn, generally I see a color I like then decide what I might want to make. My stash is full of bright, colorful goodies waiting to be something bold and pretty.

This skein of yarn reminds me of that first scarf, though I believe my yarn back then was a bit brighter in color. That memory made me smile as I opened the box this donated yarn was in. It was donated through my charity blog, Bridge and Beyond that focuses on helping homeless.

Color......even when dictated by others (ie the squares which are donated)are turned into bright, cherry........bold. These are some of the afghans I've assembled from the donated squares through my above charity blog, Bridge and Beyond. Did someone say Color?












**most afghans pictured above can be clicked on, should you want more details it will take you to the blog post**