Day 6 - 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.

First a confession - I realised I don't own any knitting books other than a fairly basic one which I was given years ago.  I have lots of pattern books, some Harmony Stitch Guides, but not anything really helpful.  I tend to rely on the internet or Ravelry if I need to know something.  Maybe I should put a good book on my Christmas/Birthday list - suggestions would be welcomed.

I'm more than happy with my general knitting thus far.  I cable, fairisle, simple lace, some intarsia, though I prefer stranding if I can get away with it. I think my work is acceptable, others might not.

When checking out double knitting - I assumed we were talking ply!! I realised I had actually done some of this in the head construction of this little fellow, nothing to onerous there, so may give something else a try.

Steeking - Oh my goodness, NO, I could not bring myself to take the scissors to something I'd just knitted, really can't see the point.

I would like to do some more lacework. I'm sure I set myself this task last year. I did complete a Travelling Woman Shawl, which turned out ok, though maybe should have been blocked better.  I have bought myself some proper blocking wires now, so at least I can do any new project justice.  I have looked through Ravelry, found and added to my library some possibles.

One of my goals last year was to knit socks.  Well I did, just a small pair, they turned out sort of alright

I cast on these back in January but lost interest, so I guess that socks should go back on the agenda

Felting - not tried yet other than to put my daughter's jumper in a too hot wash!!! We did make use of it though

Spinning - plan to try this later in the year when we have a workshop at my knitting group so watch this space.

Loom knitting - I have a set of these and also a rectangular one.  Had a little play but nothing serious, so something else to try out.



Weaving - I have a small weaving frame - again played with it a bit but nothing produced yet.  I bought it in the local charity shop, it came from Ikea originally so imagine it was possibly for children.  Can't be that difficult to master then!

and then there is Crochet - I have a real blind spot with this. I have been shown a few times, I get it, then if I don't keep at it, forget.  Several ladies in my knitting group crochet so when I have nothing better to do I will try and crack it once and for all.

So no deadline for any of this.  What with working, knitting, gardening, blogging, there's hardly any time for housework/shopping/cooking, let alone anything new, though saying that I have just started patchwork....... I need to retire