Thursday, March 13, 2008

Loom Knitting Q & A

This thread is currently on my loom knitting yahoo group KniftyKnitterLooms. I've found it very interested so I decided to post my Loom Knitting Q&A here for your enjoyment.

What drew you to looming?
I learned to needle knit so long ago I don't know for certain how old I was. I can verture to guess I was around 8 years old or so. I have a very distinct memory of showing my aunt that I knew how to knit and she asked me if I knew how to purl yet. Of course I took that as a challenge and had to learn how to purl. I put down my needles and picked them back up many, many times over the course of the past 30 years or so for various reasons, mainly for a lack of time. I also have had many arts and crafts related interests and those various creative endevours took up my time and attention. I took up loom knitting because it had been so many years since I had needle knit that I was very rusty at it. Then one day my sister brought me to this darling little yarn shop that was about 5 miles from my house (about a year and half ago) I spotted these plastic round things and she right away said that her friend's daughter was using them to make hats and she really enjoyed using them. I picked them up and inspected them. Since my knitting needles were long ago packed away and in storage, I decided to purchase a set (I didn't buy them there, but bought a set a day or two later in town at a larger store). I of course was hooked and couldn't get enough of my new found hobby "loom knitting".

What is the your next must have loom?
A Wonderloom from DALooms.

What is your favorite thing to loom?
I pretty much enjoy loom knitting any small project that I can get done and admire. I don't get into long and envolved projects. I get too bored with them and can't finish them. My favorite FOs are socks/slippers made on the blue KK since they don't take long to make.



What's the next item you really want to learn how to make?
Well, my goals for the year for both needle knitting (yep, I picked them up again too over the past year) and loom knitting were cables. I already learned these for both needles and the loom (not an expert by any means but I am confident I can read most patterns written for cables on both the loom and needles), so now my goal is to learn how to knit lace on both the loom and on needles. I also want to needle knit this cute t-shirt from Mag Knits. I of course want to make my own graph. Once I learn to needle knit it, I would like to make it on the loom and make a graph that says "I loom knit, therefore, I am".

Is there anything you've tried to make and ended up giving up on?
I tried lace but had too many projects going on and had some patterns I was working on writing that I put it down and it is still sitting on the loom I started it on as a UFO.

Was there anything you thought you'd really goofed and ended up loving?
Not yet:)

Whats your favorite yarn to work with and why?
Alpaca! Because I have five of them running around in my back yard! LOL!

Do you make most of your creations with the intent for them to be
gifts?

That seems to be the case. I have kept very few of my FOs.

Do you have a tip or advice to pass on?
Don't worry if a pattern doesn't make sense. Trust the pattern and try what the pattern designer wrote out first and if it doesn't turn out then give them a holler. Usually patterns don't make sense until you do what it says, and then, aha, you do it and it is all clear.

What other crafts/hobbies do you enjoy?
I love fine art. I have a degree in graphic arts and have worked as a designer/illustrator for more than 15 years both for companies and freelance. I love cake decorating and designing, website design, crochet, writing, reading, photography, spinning, felting (needle and wet), and just about anything I can get my hands to make my mark :D

Have a great day!

1 comments:

Robin McCoy said...

Karen, I went to check out that t-shirt and fell in love with it myself! And it was a free pattern!!!!! I have size 8 circs that are 29" long.....is that suitable? I have only knitted a few things (2 kids' scarves, a throw blanket for myself and one for my nephew), so I am not exactly experienced in what I need. I would really like to try that pattern....eventually. If I ever get unbusy. :D Looks really cool!!!!