Day 11 - Art Every Day - Crewel Embroidery

I went to my embroidery guild meeting this morning and  worked on this little sample of crewel embroidery.

I had already completed the outer petals and this morning I worked the inner petals.

Day 10: Art Every Day - Learning the Austrian Block Stitch

So I learned how to cast off and saved my little garter stitch sample for posterity.  Here's the link for casting off:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0plhuwVF4j0

Now I have decided to try a few of the patterns (well at least one) of the stitchesthat Craftsy gave me to stitch the socks with.  Today I tried the Austrian Block Pattern.  To do it I needed to learn several little stitches: K1-tbl (knit one through the back loop, RT (right twist), LT (left twist).  I found youtube videos to learn them.  Here's my sample so far although if you ask me it doesn't look like much! My light was poor - believe it or not, this is the same yarn I've been working with. Maybe I'll get a better picture tomorrow.

Day 9 - Art Every Day - Learning Continental Style Knitting

I started to knit my gauge swatch in the round (never done that before) and realized I needed to practice knitting continental style knitting first. When I first knit as a 20-yr-old or so I used the English method and I want to switch.

When I was try to stitch my gauge swatch, I was using aluminum needles to stitch in the round and my stitches kept falling off. When I decided I needed to practice the continental method on the flat I switched to bamboo and I don't have that problem too much now. Casting on and the knit stitches were easy for me to do in continental style knitting, but when I started stitching the purls I felt like I was stitching with my feet. After stitching this many rows I have developed a style and rhythm, but I still am quite slow with the purls. I started with 50 stitches on my needle and kept picking up stitches so I realize I have to count every time after I do a row. I also dropped a stitch.  I can now recognize a knit stitch verses a purl stitch. I am under no delusions.  Learning to knit a sock is going to take a while.  (-;

By the way, I didn't pull out all this knitting terminology out of my extensive brain matter (ha ha). I learned it in my Craftsy class and through various on-line resources. Although the continental style was demonstrated in the Craftsy class it was not taught so I used these You Tube videos to learn:

Continental Style vs English Style:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qooz_gTsZ_w
Casting on Continental Style:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfnAawBdrsY
How to knit Continental Style:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmHq6Bo_H-U
How to purl Continental Syle:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6XBTxJfggU

Day 8: Art Every Day - Knitting

After listening to 7 hours of knitting original cuff-down socks on Craftsy, along with listening to many You-tube videos on continental knitting and various knitting stitches, I purchased some yarn and needles and am ready to stitch my gauge swatch.  Here is a photo of what I have started. 

I'm afraid that posting every day I'm exposing too much of myself! You will now see how I jump from thing to thing on a DAILY basis.  Ha ha.  I don't mind, but I'm sure others will have there say! I've been saving knitting patterns on my computer for ages when I don't knit. My daughter mentioned once she wanted to knit and I'd like to see that happen, but I can't help her because I don't knit. Yet. I'm not the kind of person who likes to start learning at the beginning with a small simple project (that I usually don't want). I like to jump in where it's difficult and a challenge and then when I can complete it I am very proud of myself.  lol!  I did knit some of a baby blanket when I was quite young.  I could knit, purl, and did some cables.  I recently started to knit a scarf to try and get back into it, but I chose some very difficult yarn to work with and so I got stuck and couldn't fix it. So, I decided to work with yarn that is a little less fussy, but chose a not so simple project to begin - socks.  I hope this project doesn't go the way of the scarf. I won't let the scarf failure deter me though, and hope to go back one day and fix it up (VERY pretty yarn).

I decided I needed lessons and looked around town to find them.  Quite expensive - $54 for 3 2 hr lessons, $25 for one 2 hour lesson,etc. My youngest daughter suggested I look online.  I found some great sites with nice resources and some nice videos for specific skills.  Fortunately Craftsy was offering a first class at a great bargain, so I took the class for $14, normally $39.  It is a great class so far with nearly all the detail I need as a non-knitter.  What I don't get through the class I found in on-line videos.  So far I have spent about 10 hours just learning, so it is a big time investment. The Craftsy class is more than I thought it would be.  I expected to have them teach me how to make one way of knitting a sock and I'd make it.  Instead it is like a sock designer course (well worth the $14.00).  She teaches you 3 ways of making heels and 3 ways of making toes.  She gets you started with some patterns too. I have 3 lessons left where she is going to knit a sock while we knit ours. I am set for a long time with knowledge to try a whole variety of socks. I will let you know if I am able to actually knit the sock after the lesson. Only time will tell. Lots of time. I look forward to the time when I'm able to just sit in front of the tv and knit a sock with a lovely rhythm to my work. I will make gifts for my family at Christmas. A handmade sock is a luxury to behold.  (-; But I will be patient with myself, take it slow, practice where I need to and enjoy the process.

To begin my sock knitting journey, I've decided to switch from the English way of knitting to the continental way of knitting.  So, my swatch is taking a while while I adjust to the new way of doing things.  I think it will prove to be a much faster way of knitting and they say my gauge will be more even. The purl is proving to be a challenge.  So, instead of stitching in my sock pattern I'm going to stitch knits and purls until I get a little more competent at it.

Day 6 - Art Every Day - Cuff Down Socks

Lately, I've wanted to learn to knit socks. Craftsy offered a discounted class so I ordered a knitting class on Cuff Down Socks. So, I spent and hour and a half watching the first three lessons.  Full of information so far.

Day 5 - Art Every Day - Design Ideas

Here's some tire tracks I took a photo of while I was out walking. These designs could be translated into stitching designs or zentangles.

Day 4 - Art Every Day - Tatted Angel

Today I shopped for groceries and cooked like a mad woman (green chili, beets with vinaigrette, broiled chicken so I'd have some to make chicken salad), so again I just had a little time in the evening to stitch. I would have gotten farther, but I made a mistake and had to cut it out. The up side of this is that I now feel more confident about fixing mistakes. I made another mistake too, but I went so far past it and think I can compensate for it (hope), so I left it in.  I'm pretty sure you can't tell where it is.  (-;  As you can see I got about half of the shirt done.