Casting Off

It's been a while since Knitting & Crochet Blog Week finished - and I didn't manage to do days 6 and 7 at the time because things were a little hectic, but I wanted to complete my posts - so here they are! [double post alert!]

KCBW4 Day 6 - A Tool To Covet

It's pretty hard to pin down my very favourite knitting tool...but I think there's a lot to be said for investing in a beautiful pair of knitting needles which make the art of crafting that little bit more pleasureable. Generally, straight knitting needles which are not too short are my thing, as I favour a style of knitting where you tuck one needle under an arm. I'm particularly fond of my bamboo, birch and rosewood sets of needles. There is something lovely and incredibly special about working with natural fibres on a beautifully carved pair of wooden pointy sticks.

Other tools I find incredibly useful are my (left-handed) scissors which are nice and sharp, some point protectors (stops me from jabbing myself! Or from getting holes in my bag) and a ruler or measuring tape. I also find I like to make little notes to keep track of my progress with a pattern. Not forgetting essentials like pins, sewing needles and some method of steam generation to finish things off nicely.

I enjoy looking out for unusual knitting accoutrements on my travels too - you just never know what little treasures you might find!

KCBW4 Day 7 - Looking Forward

Thinking about what I'd like to achieve over the next year or so, regarding all things knit, I suspect, as with every year, I won't quite manage to knit as much or as often as I would like to...but I do have a few aspirations.

I would like to actually finish off more projects that I start or have already begun, something which others who are "serial starters" can relate to I'm sure! I do tend to put off the final stages of blocking, darning in ends and sewing up. (Guilty!)

I hope to remedy this by revisiting some forlorn UFOs (unfinished objects, to the uninitiated!), some of which have been languishing for rather too long. After all, every knitter loves to reach the proud moment where they can show off their beautiful handiwork to the world (or maybe just the rest of Ravelry).

I'd also like to try out a few more stitch patterns - lace and/or cables - which I've been musing about. The other goal I hereby set is to actually write more knitting patterns. I've written a few to date, mainly baby knits, and would like to expand my library of knits.

Click here to check out the rest of my Knitting & Crochet Blog Week (4) posts... or view those from previous years: Year 3 - 2012 • Year 2 - 2011 • Year 1 - 2010