And then, Genevieve mentioned that someday she’d like to learn to make gloves, and I thought glove lessons would be a good Christmas gift for her. If Genevieve, the fairly new knitter could learn, maybe this long-time knitter could learn too. So, we spent four Thursdays in January taking classes at the local yarn shop.

Was it hard? Not until we got to the fingers. Genevieve had never handled four needles and  knitting round and round. She took to it immediately with no hesitation. We both were a bit hesitant on the thumb but managed just fine. And then we hit the fingers. Four needles with only 14 stitches became confusing. We both knit backwards a couple of times. I had to take one finger out and start over.

We had a superb and very patient teacher, Bonnie. In addition to being a real sweetheart she taught us all kinds of tricks to making gloves and knitting in general. Bonnie wrote her own pattern for our gloves but also recommended a good resource book for knitting all sorts of things, including gloves.

This is The Knitter’s Handy Book of Patterns by Ann Budd. It’s a basic book with all sorts of charts to allow for various yarns and needles. It’s perfect for knitters who want to design their own items but don’t want to do all the math. It covers everything from hats to vests and sweaters, to mittens and gloves, scarvs and socks.

What’s next on our list of things to learn? Genevieve wants to try hats and fingerless gloves. I’m working up my nerve to try socks that are made two at a time from the toe up. I can do it. Sure I can. I’m not too old to learn.

What about you? Is there something you think you can’t learn because of age? Or is there a skill you’ve learned in spite of your age?

The other thing that has me pulling out the knitting needles is my granddaughter, Q. I’ve mentioned her knitting before (see HERE). She began to learn to knit when she was eight. Her first project was a sock monkey. I am so glad she started with this project. Most first knitters are launched on their knitting careers with a scarf. A scarf is a good project – you just knit back and forth across the needles until you have about 60 inches and you’re done. Not the kind of thing to excite our eight year old Q. Fortunately, no one told Q that making a sock monkey was hard. (Q has a smart mom.) She just started in making one piece at a time. And here it is completed. I like the way she added a dress and a necklace.

My mother is the one who initiated the whole knitting experience throughout our family. She recently found a book she thinks Q will enjoy, especially if she wants to keep knitting toys. I agree with her.

Knitted and Felted Toys
by Zoe Halstead
Krause Publications, 2007
B+

The book is chock full of 26 different stuffed animals and dolls. They are cute and cuddly toys but also fun projects to make. Each toy is rated so you know how hard it might be before you start. Theyh are rated one star, two stars or three stars which equals to easy, moderate or advanced. Based on the project Q has already completed, she could do a two star project right now.

The projects are knit on two needles in several pieces such as the body, the legs and arms and the head. Then the pieces are stitched together and stuffed. There are instructions for felting but it’s not necessary to do that process.

I took some pictures of the pictures in the book so you would have an idea of some of the toys. Below is a picture which shows Leo Lion, Fairy, Poppy Pig and the Builder Ben. I like that their are boy dolls in here. That is rare. The pirate and the cowboy are especially cute.

Here are two of my favorites – the Mommy Bunny (see all the little bunnies in her apron) and the Pirate. The Bunny is rated two stars and the Pirate is three.

I think Q will find she has plenty of choices in this charming book. She can even do another monkey if she wants.

How about you – are you itching to get some creative projects going?

Knitted and Felted Toys can be purchased at Amazon

So I decided she could use a light weight, yet warm, wrap of some kind. I had recently purchased a new book: Knitting Designs by Sharon Turner. I began pouring through the pages to see what I could come up with. I found a stitch pattern and decided to try making up what I wanted.

For the yarn, I chose Knit Picks Andean Silk. It’s a blend of alpaca (55%), merino wool (22%) and silk (23%). It is so soft that just one touch and you want to wrap it all around you. Just perfect for a shawl. The color was a no-brainer because my mother is what we call The Queen of Blue. Everything in her house is blue as well as her clothing. In her life the only things not blue are her beloved roses, her gold Honda, and all her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. My mom always says “she is one blessed lady”. And that she is.

The stitch pattern is a simple lace. It’s very easy to do. I just cast on stitches until it seemed long enough - about 72 inches. The stitch pattern calls for an even number so I added two on each end for an edging. I kept knitting until it was 20 inches deep. This was not a hard project at all. It went quickly. 

The book I bought last spring. Except for this project, I haven’t used it much. But I plan to. It has all the basics from simple scarfs, hats, bags, socks, mittens, vests and sweaters. The premise is to give a basic master pattern for an item and then show lots of ways the knitter can design her own project. 

I hope you’ll set off to do your own thing. It’s fun and will give you lots of confidence. You know you can always rip it out and start over again! I’d say that’s the fun of knitting, but that’s not really true. Let me know your knitting experiences.

This is my nine-year-old granddaughter, Q. It just feels so right to see her knitting. She actually picked up this knitting kit last year when she was eight. One of the greatest things about this girl is that she is fearless. This kit is a sock monkey. No boring scarf for her first project! She picked an animal that needs a torso, head, two legs, two arms and a tail. Oh, and there is a little scarf too. I’ve known grown women, experienced knitters, who wouldn’t tackle a project like this. 

Q has worked on this project off and on just like the rest of us in the family. I don’t knit everyday either. But there are days when it just feels right to be knitting. I don’t know what causes the urge. It may be the weather or current events. But I find the rhythm of the needles settles something inside me.

I also find that knitting helps me think. I find that if I have something I can’t quite figure out, if I sit down for a bit and focus on my knitting, the other side of my brain seems to come up with a solution. Eerie. Here’s something else the non-knitter may find it hard to believe: I honestly think I listen better when I’m knitting. Back in my business days I often wished I could have been able to knit during some of those long meetings.

The final product of what I’m knitting is really a by-product of the process for me. Sure it’s great to have a new sweater or a pair of socks. But it’s getting to the final product that brings the joy. But if you are an eight or nine-year-old knitter, making a monkey is what’s fun. And, that should help get her and keep her hooked for many years.

I like to think about my granddaughter knitting in her sixties.