Monday, June 11, 2012

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, and a sort of giveaway

Today I picked up a skein of 8 ply and some size 4 needles, and cast on 35 stitches. The last time I knitted was over 30 years ago.
!!!!!!
I know!! Knitting!! I do everything but knit!! I can't believe I even remember HOW to knit, but it seems to be one of those bicycle riding things - I stared at the needles and wool for about 5 seconds, and then just knew what to do.
Taking to knitting again like a duck to water!
 It's a bit of a miracle I can even knit a basic stocking stitch really. I am a leftie and both of my grans were right handed, so I was the granddaughter they couldn't teach. My clever Mum taught me, fellow leftie that she is, but I am a horrendous student of anything and never bothered to learn anything grander, although I did once knit a stitch in a brick/weave pattern. Cor!
The yarn I've chosen is 80% merino, 20% possum. It is a variegated colour scheme that, quite coincidentally, matches 'my' colour palette, which is called Dusky Cool Deep. My eye prefers a warmer palette really, but this one does suit me, and I still love it.
 Yummy colours - photo taken next morning, look how much I got done last night!
So why am I doing this knitting thing? It's a response to the winter chill. Usually I want to quilt, but it is not portable enough. Plus I've been reading about knitting on so many blogs, and it's been chipping away at me. In a good way!
And lastly but by no mean leastly, I sell wool, but I don't know much about it. So I want to learn. We are going to be stocking a new range of yarn soon, and I really want to understand it. I'll never be an expert but I want to understand what things knitters and crocheters think about.
Now, who would like to guess what size crochet hook we sell the most of, and for what purpose? Hints include - nothing at all to do with yarn, and our shop is in the funky, alternative part of the city. Te Aro is to Wellington what Camden is to London, Fitzroy is to Melbourne, and possibly Soho is to New York (although I am guessing there!). :) Any correct, or sufficiently entertaining answers, can go in a draw to win some yarn. I won't specifiy what kind as I've got a few options. It can be negotiated with the winner! :)

27 comments:

  1. I want to congratulate you for resuming knitting but mostly I am mesmerised by the combination of colors/patterns you are wearing in the first photo...brilliant!

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    1. Aw thanks Lenora - it's just a favourite top of mine and my shop apron. I love to wear an apron, not only is it warm but it gives me a pocket to put all my stuff in :)

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  2. I love hand-knit sweaters but I can;t knit. I taught myself to knit years ago and even though I handle the needles all wrong (I used to call them "sticks"!) and I became quite fast at it, I have never been able to put together a wearable sweater. I admire you for taking it up again though.

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    1. Sweater??? You mean, like, shaping bits and stuff? Hehehe. No, I'm sticking to things that can be made in stocking stitch rectangles! hehehe

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  3. Hey - you go girl! I would love to knit / crochet / embroider or anything else but am still getting my head around sewing!! The last (and coincidently the first) time I knitted was around 1978. Myer was still Myer in the city before it became Grace Bros. and then Myer again! And I was a size 16 - wow - that was a long time ago. I was knitting a jumper and I got up to doing the sleeves and realised it would be too small for me so put it away. It is STILL in the top of my wardrobe in it's little knitting bag.. over 30 years later......... I'll say no more.

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    1. Well my dear Beajay, it was about a year after you put that jersey away that I knitted the last time :)

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  4. From your clue, I'm going to guess you're selling hooks for the making of dreads. I have no idea what size you'd use for that though.

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    1. Dreads would totally suit you! We should do htat. I'll make a note. I particularly like the first stages where they wrap the hair in pipe cleaner thingies. Very cute!

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  5. Yeahh good to know once you gain a skill stays with you x

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    1. It is isn't it Rachael! After all the hassle of learning something like that, it was comforting to know my brain had tucked it away for 30 years, just in case! :)

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  6. Dear Mrs. C.,
    I am going to guess fancy hair-braiding, with the braids right up against the scalp?

    Good heavens, I have tried and tried to knit with almost NO success. Noah's scarf, now in its second year of creation, will be too small for him to wear by the time I probably finish it, if ever...

    Did you write "Possum" in the description of the yarn? You mean Opossum, in the sense of the night-loving scavenger who hangs her babies on her tail, when she hasn't got them in her pocket? Really? Possum? Really?? I've touched a possum (long story) and he was soft, and didn't bite, but, really???

    Very best,

    Natalie

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    1. Yes, really! Although the Opossum in America is not related to the Possum we have down under although they are both marsupials, apparently. I just googled it. In New Zealand, the cute fluffy creature that is protected in Australia, is a menace that has and continues to decimate our native birds and trees. The population is so out of control, our national conservation organisation culls them. It is so odd to feel such animosity towards a creature that elsewhere is protected, but the context is the key.
      So, possum fur is big business in NZ. Besides being fabulously soft and thick, it has a long enough staple to add to yarn. Merino, possum, silk and angora mixes of various percentages, are wonderful to knit and wear. :)

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  7. Ooh I want to win the yarn! I am a new yarn convert (just started learning how to knit in the last few months). I love yarn, and...I had no idea crochet hooks were used for non-yarn things! Hmm. I'm going to guess you sell most of the 3.75mm hook (total stab in the dark), and I'm going to guess it's used for... ummmm...ooh, op shop owners buy them to sort through their stock, so they don't have to touch the stinky clothes (yep, a joke answer, lol).

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    1. Sounds like an excellent use of hooks to me, I might have to drop a few around the local 2nd hand clothes shops. Who knows, you may have started a trend! ;-)

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  8. Dear Mrs. C.,

    Oh, for Pete squeaks: possum vs. opossum. Just learned something new. Just looked at a blog called Bob in Oz, and it explains the possum vs. opossum thing, and how it's all the fault of Sir Joseph Banks, of naturalist fame...and Jack Aubrey/Stephen fame, if you follow Patrick O'Brian's series.

    Possum fur sounds yummy, soft and nice! Glad for the creative reuse.

    Opossums here in the States only look scary. Actually they are harmless creatures: the hissing and teeth baring are usually for show and they'd rather run or play dead than fight. They do the important service of cleaning up after Mother Nature, effectively and without getting into sealed garbage cans and being pests about it, like raccoons do.

    Very best,

    Natalie

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    1. I guess if a bit of hiss and teeth baring can prevent a worser confrontation then it's a good idea! :)

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  9. i have had a go at knitting and crochet over the last few months (think i liked crochet a bit more), but am also just trying to get to grips with sewing... so i might just concentrate on that! have been looking through your blog -you are super clever!!

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    1. Sian, do you knit with wool? I'm interested because I have vegan friends who won't use wool and some who do. And of course, I want to know these things :)

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  10. Oh, I think it must be about a 4 mm used for hairdos. I mean, you need a bit of substance, otherwise they fall out. Or it might be very slender 1.25 mm or so, used to do ear-piercings??? (No, that would probably be too large - but, you know, these alternative types...). You don't forget how to crochet or knit, it just takes you longer to figure out the instructions!

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    1. Hehehe, so true! I don't follow instructions at the best of times!

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  11. I don't know... Te Aro... could be for picking locks when you've left your keys? Particularly intimidating ear piercings? (You've seen the really humungous metal ones?) Personally I mostly use a crochet hook for darning my jerseys. Knitting wins over crochet for me any day, I can knit without looking and it's a wonderful excuse to sit down in front of a good movie.

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    1. Ooh, I m just about at the stage where I can watch TV and only look down every second moment, so it's very exciting :)

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    2. I really want to share this book with you, I had it out of our local library recently and it's all about understanding how the techniques work, so you can apply them to get the result you want.
      Knitting in the Old Way

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  12. The only other thing I have come across using a crochet hook for is jewellery making - crocheting with wire .....but what size hook? No idea....depends on the wire I suppose.
    I too love your crafting apron - totally perfect & suits the yarn that you are working with too!!

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    1. What a jolly good idea! And thank you for the apron love. I love me a good apron and black and red is such a great combo! :)

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  13. Ooh I would love to win some yarn! As the nature of this post is about knitting I'm going to say people by crochet hooks to use in their knitting (pick up lost stitches etc) although the hair thing is also a possibility.

    Possum wool? cool!

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  14. Crocetting wire jewlery. 5mm is the Canadian sizing. I think the american is J or 9.

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