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Mama, wife, knitter, blogger, spinner, wannabe something or other. That's enough, right?

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Third Annual Knit & Crochet Blog Week: Day 6 - SATURDAY

I am participating in the Third Annual Knit & Crochet Blog Week (my second year). This week, each day will have a topic and those of us that are participating will write about said topic. The higher powers that be (i.e., the organizers) have thrown in a "Wildcard" topic, just in case there's a topic that just doesn't appeal to our tastes.  So, without further adieu........



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.


I'm always up for learning new things if I think it's something reasonable to learn...or if there's a project that I want to do that requires a certain skill.

I know I have the basics down. I know a couple different cast on methods, I know how to knit, purl, do some decreases and increases and bind off...I have learned some fun techniques like short rows and three-needle bind off...I know a little about gauge and how to fix my problems with it...but there are always things I can learn if I need to. For instance, I have no idea how to do intarsia or stranded knitting techniques. I have a project on my Self-Imposed Year of Projects that is probably going to require either learning intarsia so I can convert the pattern to the round or I'm going to have to learn how to do some stranded knitting.

So, things I know (and this probably isn't a conclusive list):
* Long-tail CO
* Knitted CO
* German Cable CO (I think that's what it's called)
* Knit stitch
* Purl stitch
* K2tog
* SSK
* Slip-knit-PSSO (or variations thereof)
* Knit to knit YO
* Knit to purl YO
* Purl to purl YO
* Purl to knit YO
* Knit front & back (KFB)
* Knit through the back loop (Ktbl)
* Make 1 (M1) by lifting the bar from below
* Short rows
* Wrap & turn
* Cables
* Lifelines
* Three-needle BO
* Kitchener stitch
* Basic BO
* Jeny's Stretchy BO
* Picking up stitches (for socks)
* Blocking

Things I'd like to learn (or "need" to learn - again, not conclusive):
* Intarsia
* Entrelac
* Stranded knitting
* Provisional CO
* Crocheted CO
* Cabling without a cable needle (though I'm perfectly fine using one)
* Charts (I can read them but it takes forever)
* Magic loop
* Shawls (I have one on needles but that's about it)

So..........yeah. I know a lot and there's not a lot that I need to learn or would like to learn.






Unless we get into crochet. And we just shouldn't do that.

7 comments:

  1. Impressive skillset! I know how you feel, colorwork and crochet are the 2 things I feel I should know how to do.

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  2. LOL, we just shouldn't do that...with crochet, now I'm wondering why? I'm more confident with crochet then knitting, so am naturally curious. Pretty good list you've got going for yourself. Good luck with it.

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  3. One of my favorite things about knitting is that there is always more to learn. You've got fantastic skills and great plans for the future:)

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  4. At least your were more specific in your list. Mine was "I can crochet pretty stuff, I can knit the basics" To do list? Learn to KNIT prettier stuff :-P

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  5. Wow! you're talented! I'd like to learn to cable without a needle too - I've got a Tam pattern that would be perfect to learn on - you've reminded me to fish it out!

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  6. AH! Good list....I still have a lot to learn...

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  7. A great list of skills to have experienced already Renee :O).

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