Tuesday 17 August 2010

I Feel Like Knitting Tonight

My Grandma taught me to knit when I was five. Maybe it's the time of year has got me thinking about it again, because what I wanted to make was a satchel for my teddy. I was starting school. She showed a lot of patience, my Grandma, as we knitted and unpicked and knitted again. But then, getting it right was her thing - she had been a "stitcher": a machinist of collars and cuffs, in a shirt factory, and taking out a row of stitches and doing it again was all in a day's work.

It's been a long time since I did any knitting, until recently that is. I started with the hats - you know about those - and then I decided to do a sweater. I thought about my Grandma as I rediscovered how to pick up stitches and weave my wool in properly at the back. But I got there in the end.

A digger sweater for Little E.
Knitted with Rowan Cotton Glace
Pattern from "Designs for Kids" by Lucinda Guy
And I'm ready to start another one. With dinosaurs on. Roll on Autumn and some knitting by the fire!

29 comments:

Ruth said...

That's fantastic! My DS would absolutely love it!

Winnie said...

That's really sweet! Love it! I haven't knitted for ages either, so might just be tempted to take it up again!

alexa said...

Oh my, this is just wonderful! LOVE that dumper truck.... I so admire the range of your creative skills - and your use of time, which seems to be elastic in your house!

Ally said...

Wow, that's lovely. So many talented strings to your creative bow xx

Maria Ontiveros said...

Beautiful. I have a friend who is a very good knitter, but she only knits in the winter b/c of the summer heat here. It's definitely a seasonal joy for her.
Rinda

Alana said...

Little E will look super cute in this. I wish I had the patience to knit but get bored after a few rows. When my teen was little an aunt used to knit him wonderfull jumpers, I loved him in them.

debs14 said...

Oh, this makes me want to dust down my knitting needles and do some more knitting. 20 year old boys and almost 24 year old girls don't want Mum's hand made sweaters any more so I'm out of practice but ... my niece had a baby in May ... the perfect excuse to start again. Knitting that is, not having babies :-o

JO SOWERBY said...

somewhere in my photobox is a picture of my godson wearing a jumper i made for him with a penguin on. i designed the motif myself and had the rehash the pattern. i was well proud and he looked cool. he's now almost 22!!!!
Jo xxx

Amanda said...

Wow, that's brilliant Sian. It seems we've all been thinking about knitting.

Lizzie said...

Great minds think alike, Sian - my niece has just dug out her knitting stuff, to make hats, bags etc for winter. I was looking for crochet things (I don't really enjoy knitting...). Several people seem to be in a knitting mood - perhaps all the rain recently has made us feel wintery already.

I love the little jumper - it's gorgeous. DS used to have a digger sweatshirt when he was small, but it wasn't nearly as fab as this jumper. Little E is very lucky!

scrappyjacky said...

I think I may be following your example,Sian....with a little addition to our family expected anytime....little ones are the most fun to knit for....and that jumper is gorgeous.

Denise said...

I love that, when the colder months set in, by the fire but crocheting for me !

Cheryl said...

hey, little digger! great work - although my mum tried to teach me to knit this Christmas just gone, I still think my other half can knit better than I can (although he'd never admit to it!) x

Anonymous said...

Ohhhh, the memories come flooding back - my gran taught me to knit and I made my dad a tie for work, he liked to keep it in his pocket because he said his co-workers all wanted one! Now I am not so sure he whether he was telling the troth!

Bubbles said...

I love knitting! I haven't made anything for years, but I was taught very early on by four wonderful people - grandmas and great gran as well as my neighbour, Doreen. I love making my own patterns for bootees and matinee coats as well as little jumpers and cardis.
I have to ask though... is there anything you're NOT talentes and gifted at? :)

Anonymous said...

Oh, this is wonderful! I know how to do a basic knit and purl stitch and have made some scarves, but a sweater would be way beyond my capabilities!

catrin said...

wow, that is great, can't wait for Ev to see it, he'll love it xx

helena said...

oh that brings back fond memories of when my nephews were small and were happy to wear jumpers knitted by their aunty (and wore jumpers that were small enough to not be boring to knit)

Carrie said...

Wow, that is an adorable sweater! Beautiful work!

Amy said...

This I will be passing on to my MIL - she is the knitter in the family and she is always asking for new ideas and patterns. Funnily enough, I really like some of the patterns she used to knit for her two boys when they were young!

Lorraine said...

I'm impressed, and yes, i also get nostalgic about knitting. Lorraine

laurie said...

i had the most wonderful knitting group of friends when i lived in jackson, wyoming - it was so cold there in the winter and knitting seemed akin to meditation to me. my grandma spent many hours teaching me to crochet, which i much appreciate. here,where i live now, it is still 110 degrees fahrenheit plus so i am not in the mood just yet....

Deb @ PaperTurtle said...

Wow, Sian. You can really knit, girl! That's an awesome sweater and I'm so impressed. Super cute design on the front too! xo

Rhona said...

I know a little boy who would love a digger jumper :o). I've also had my knitting needles out and have started a new cardigan for Claire's baby collection.

Cate Brickell said...

there was an advert here in australia years ago, where the words were "I feel like chicken tonight, chicken tonight"... I could hear the tune when I read your title!

beautiful jumper... I can't knit, I always seem to pull the stitches too tight, but I think I'll add it to my list of things I'd like to learn to do properly.

Scrappi Sandi said...

I started knitting at a very early age too & when my boys were small I used to knit them little arran sweaters & fairisle jackets...not to mention shawl collar cardi's for DH!! My absolute fave patterns are from Patricia Roberts & Christian De Falbe...very eighties I know...but hey, that was my Era!!! So this gorgeous little sweater of yours has got me thinking...maybe, as the evening draw in, when I'm not at my scrap desk, I too could be clicking away at the fireside (OK I admit, in front of the TV...we don't actually have a fireplace!!) It's not as if I don't have a massive stock of yarns stashed away in the loft!!! Hmmm!!

sandra@gottacraft.co.uk said...

Sian ... is there anything you CAN'T do LOL. I just love this

humel said...

Loving seeing people's knitting - not a skill I possess, though I'd love to pick it up some day. I just fear that there'll be a lot of picking up (of stitches) involved!

Sarah@Dolls And Daydreams said...

You are amazing!! That is sooooo cute!!!!

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