Over the last three weeks I've been taking a course of knitting lessons at iKnit London. I've learned knit, purl, start, stop and Don't Make Holes Where You Don't Mean To Make Holes. Last week I graduated and was set loose into the world with my needles. Via their shop. It's pretty genius marketing; spend three weeks creating an addict and then end the final lesson with a 10% discount. We all left with a pile of wool so expensive that we're now terrified to use it. (Peruvian alpaca and English Wenselydale, if you're interested. I went home via the charity shop and bought some Chinese polyester to practise with.)
And I am an addict. I spend the day twitchy and restless but as soon as I pick up my needles in the evening I feel a sense of calm flood through my body. Then I have to go to bed (bummer) and I fall asleep thinking about knit patterns and yarn types. Nye didn't really get it, then I found this excellent bag on etsy and well, it pretty much sums it up.
*image from astor knot.
Oh Knitting has been on my list of things to learn for so long. Except there are a million other things and I don't seem to find the time. Oops.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, that is expert marketing.
Glad you are enjoying it so much, and that it is bringing you that calm feeling.
I totally need to take this class. I have started and re-started a blanket about 100 times but I am very satisfied with the postage size stamp sample I managed to create in the process. So glad to read that you guys are enjoying London life.
ReplyDeleteAbsofuckinglutely.
ReplyDeleteOh man, knitting is the best. Do it in public, I love knitting on trains because people will just stare at you for the entire journey as though you're turning straw into gold.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a fab course - perhaps when I am a little more out of the 24 hour hands on childcare I will go along myself. Lord knows I need all the help I can get! And thanks for link to that etsy shop, I think there are some possible birthday and christmas presents for people there. I look forward to seeing your knitting!
ReplyDeleteWhen my college boyfriend left me for another woman I knitted a scarf for pretty much everyone I knew.
ReplyDeleteI've been telling myself that I'll learn how to knit for ages and then I never get around to it. I'm intimidated. I need to get over that.
ReplyDeleteIT'S SO EASY. As long as you're happy not to get too fancy in the beginning.
DeleteYay -- another one in the cult. I agree with Joyful. Knit everywhere! After learning to knit by feel (from lovely aunty who didn't let cataracts stop her) my particular favourite is in the cinema. Nothing like calmly knitting while carnage ensues on screen... I knit while other people kill each other.
ReplyDelete<3 I love that.
DeleteI too just picked up the needles. It was odd, one day I just decided to learn to knit. (I think the knitting patterns on Pinterest may have been the tipping point) and so I went to the yarn shop and bought needles and a skein of expensive yarn and they were ever so kind to throw a pattern in for "free". I've chosen not to keep track of the amount of money I have spent just learning, heaven help me when I actually feel good enough to tackle one of the Pinterest patterns. Here's to fewer holes and more even stitches!! :-)
ReplyDeletegah, I've been an addict for the last ten years. I frequently threaten that I need to stab someone and my husband is always sheepishly informing me that he's the only one here and would I please not stab him, so I asked for this bag for my birthday. yay.
ReplyDeleteOMG! I hear ya! I have recently got the knitting bug! and hooked on crochet! my husband keeps calling me 'grandma'!! But it relaxes me so much. and it has to be extra chunky wool and big fat needles.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I taught myself on relatively nice wool anyway - I hate the feel of cheap synthetic yarn in my hands. I just kept unravelling and reknitting the same ball of wool till I got the hang of it. It was only about half completely unusable in the end, so not *too* expensively wasteful. And it had been on special offer.
ReplyDeletethat's how I learnt too. I didn't want to go to all the trouble of making something and then not wanting to use it because it was horrid wool.
DeleteI must be less discerning than you two, I rather like my £2.50 acylic, it's snuggly!
DeleteI can only knit and purl. I don't have the patience for anything fancy. It does relax me though, even if I'm only knitting scarves repeatedly.
ReplyDeleteOh, you're so lucky, you can jump on the tube to islington and visit loop! It's the best knitting shop outside of dublin :D
ReplyDeleteAlso, are you on ravelry.com yet? When you're choosing what to knit, there's nothing better than seeing how loads of other people interpreted a pattern in different yarns and colours. And your photography would make your project page the best project page EVER.