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[lolar2]

By the way, I can't crochet while watching TV unless it's something I've seen before. I have to look at my crochet work or bad things happen.

[lorem_ipsum]

I have two long-stalled knitting projects, including a toe-up sock that's been in Sock Time Out for ages because it obstinately refuses to cooperate when I try to turn the heel. But I've done some simple projects that I've been very proud of, specifically a lovely all-wool patchwork squares afghan that was a wedding anniversary gift for my parents a few years ago. (It's known in the family as the Narcotic Blanket, because you cannot stay awake if you get underneath it.) I've made my own black wool fingerless gloves that have lasted several winters.

I'm not allowing myself to buy more yarn until I finish my stalled projects, though, so I'll have to get that sock out of time out sooner or later. I don't think it's learnt its lesson yet, though.

[mssnvrnchtngsmttl]

I have more yarn than projects at the moment, which is unusual--I have to get rid of some of my yarn before I move this month.

Last Christmas I did 2 striped sweaters based on the Fibonacci sequence for my brother and an old friend, then a plain black textured sweater for my husband. I like to watch movies while I knit, though I don't tend to take knitting projects to the movie theater--that's just obnoxious. I have managed to read websites while knitting if it's something simple, but I'm currently making a baby blanket for my first kid due in Sept, and that's all lacy textury and I can't be watching or reading anything while I work on it or, in the words of another poster in this thread, bad things happen. I've been listening to back episodes of This American Life while working on the blanket so I can look at the complicated directions and at what I'm doing. My other project is a sweater for myself, but that's stalled partly because I realized that at the rate I was completing it, I wouldn't fit into it by the time I finished (also because I wanted a particular color for the border and haven't been able to find it anywhere).

I've thought it would be cool to learn how to do socks and to knit for charity. There's also a group in my town who have taken to knitting things for public monuments and trees as a kind of sacrifice maybe or urban beautification program. Anyone into things like that?

[melba_frilkins]

I'm so envious and admiring of those of you who are doing lace knit projects. I'm still chugging along with little washcloths to develop my technique. It's maddening because I found crochet so incredibly easy to learn. Knitting is a little trickier.

My current crochet project is a lace shrug/cardigan for myself. I have the body done, just need to finish the sleeves, and then edging at the end. I'm a bit stumped on the sleeves because I'm only sort of following a pattern.

Then I have to decide whether to crochet 8 yards of lace trim for a costume petticoat, or just use store bought lace. Ok, upon typing that I realize that would be a crazy project. The petticoat sits under a skirt.

[lohai0]

I can't knit and read, but I cant knit without looking if I don't have to do a lot of yarn overs or cables.

My current stalled project is a stitch sampler blanket.

I'm also working slowly through my giant tub of odd lot yarn I picked up when a local yarn store closed.

Kudos to you who can crochet-I have never been able to figure that out!

[knitwitphd]

I usually have 3-5 WIPs and about 30 lined up waiting go!
Current WIPs
Basic Knit Horse (by Lion Brand Yarn, Hysterical looking!)
Sirdar Toddler Bolero
Noni Sunflower Beach Bag
Powdered Courage (rock climbing bag)
Moderne Log Cabin Baby Blanket

I do have a UFO drawer of shame...we won't speak of those items...

I usually knit when I am doing other mindless tasks: watching TV, attending meetings (when I can stay under the radar), conference calling when I have to pay attention enough to take notes but not actual run any of it and commuting etc. I usually listen to audiobooks or do other things while I am knitting. Occasionally I read a book the regular way but this defintely requires a different skill set. Rarely do I 'just knit'.

My stash is out of control at the moment and I'm hoping to get it back down to a manageable size this summer. I've been successful de-stashing on Ravelry in addition to increasing my knitting output recently!

I have discovered I'm definitely a process knitter and not so much a product knitter. I recently looked through my house and discovered from the last 5 years of knitting on average 15+items a year, I own exactly 2 of them.

[ianelay]

My big question is: Has anyone mastered knitting or crochet to the point where you can stitch and read at the same time? Since I took up the yarn arts a year or so ago, my reading has plummeted. Just wondering if there's any hope to combine the two activities.

And more broadly, if you do knit or crochet, what are you working on now?

I can knit or crochet while reading, if the pattern is simple and repetitive enough. If you are at the point where you can knit by feel, and without looking at your needles too often, you could try this.

Reading on a computer screen is easiest, because you can free up one hand to click a button and scroll down. Reading papers works because the pages lie flat-- you can even free up a hand to take your pen and make notes on the side, then return to knitting. Reading print books can be done, but you need to be able to prop the book open. In this case, I use a weight to hold the pages down, and then stop and re-weight when a page is turned. Sometimes I have to pause reading while checking the pattern, and if the pattern is particularly finicky, the reading is choppy.

It's baby season-- need to get lots of baby wear out of the way before attempting more clothes. And there are always socks to do.

[ianelay]

Ooh.... how many do people have? I've got 2 that I'll own up to, plus easily a dozen of "proposed" projects.

[unoriginal]

I have discovered I'm definitely a process knitter and not so much a product knitter. I recently looked through my house and discovered from the last 5 years of knitting on average 15+items a year, I own exactly 2 of them.

I am definitely a process knitter.

Last year (my first serious knitting year), I finished 24 projects.  Of those, 21 were donated, 2 were gifts and 1 remains in my house - the cardigan I made for my daughter. 

[melba_frilkins]

I have discovered I'm definitely a process knitter and not so much a product knitter. I recently looked through my house and discovered from the last 5 years of knitting on average 15+items a year, I own exactly 2 of them.

I am definitely a process knitter.

Last year (my first serious knitting year), I finished 24 projects.  Of those, 21 were donated, 2 were gifts and 1 remains in my house - the cardigan I made for my daughter. 

Process for me too. That would explain why I would even consider crocheting 8 yards of lace edging that no one is ever going to look at. Once I got past the initial bumps, I find crocheting to be so relaxing. It's like some kind of addiction.

I just finished a beautiful granny-hexagon sampler afghan. It used up almost all of my assorted stash. I was so proud of myself. But then I found a bunch of cool yarn at the thrift store....

Goal: At the end of this summer I am getting rid of at least half of what yarn/thread remains (and fabric too, but that's a different thread.)

What is this Ravelry of which you speak. Dare I take or peek or will I be sucked in?

[nebo113]

When I first learned to knit, back in the time of the faithful Penelope, I learned the American method of casting on and cast on much much too tightly.  Then my cousin "taught" me Continental cast on, which I can sorta do, but I'm still casting on too tightly.

Any suggestions for loosening up when doing continental?

Umm, casting-on is neither American nor Continental.  There are dozens of ways to cast on.  There are about 5 major knitting styles: British, Continental, Eastern-crossed, and acouple of others.
Major methods of casting on are:
1) long-tail (sometimes called the double cast on)
2) simple or thumb or backwards loop cast on*
3) cable cast-on*

Exotic cast-ons include:
1) Twisted German cast-on
2) Estonian lace cast-on*
3) tubular cast-on (several ways to do this one)*
4) Channel Islands cast on*
5) Guernsey cast on

To loosen a tight cast on, you can cast on to a needle several sizes larger or cast on to both needles, then pull one out or choose a stretchier cast on technique (I've put an asterisk by these).

Nebo, do you have a knitting reference book? Do you ever read knitting blogs?

It's long tail.  I do read knitting blogs and look at videos.  I can follow the steps, but the notion of using a larger needle or two needles has never come up.  I'll try it, and maybe that will increase my confidence and my ability.

Thanks!!

[lolar2]

Melba_frilkins- It's ravelry.com. Searchable pattern database, craft queue and stash management tools, message boards, some other stuff. I am a member but I don't really use their fora much, just the queue and patterns really.

[liquidambar]

Oooh, me!  I'm currently knitting a baby blanket that is slightly overdue, but it'll be finished soon.  I haven't selected my next project yet.  It might be another of these grocery bags, since my first one is showing signs of wear.

You can also search Ravelry for types of yarn.  I find it very useful to see what other people have done with a particular yarn.  If it seems nice in the store but I don't like the projects people have made with it, I know not to buy it.  (This mainly applies to weird silk yarns, for which I have a weakness but which aren't the most useful things in the world.)

[peppergal]

Die-hard knitter here!  (Have never been able to get into crochet -- I only use it to put edging on knitted projects.)

Right now I'm working on an Orenburg lace shawl (almost done, so I've gotten bored with that), another lace shawl with beads, and a Fair Isle sweater.  The Fair Isle sweater is taking precedence because it is a gift.

I recently finished a receiving blanket for my best friend's new baby, and a queen-sized bedspread as a wedding gift for my brother.  The bedspread took forever -- it's a good thing they had a year-long engagement!

[thehanks]

Oh gosh, the wholesaler was amazing. I spent way too much money but I have yarn for my next three projects - sweaters for my cousin's kids and one for me. I got lovely purple Icelandic yarn for myself that I'm so stoked about. It'll take a lot of willpower for me to not go back there after my next payday.