Knitting - 'on-trend' again (Knitting)

Member Name: Mioliere

Product:	Knitting
Date:	29/07/08 (22 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Productive, relatively inexpensive, individual, therapeutic and soothing

Disadvantages: None except getting impatient to finish one item so you can start the next

I am so pleased that knitting seems to be back in fashion; to me it has never been out.

I have knitted since being taught by my Mum when I was about five or six years old and it has been bringing me pleasure ever since.

I do sometimes knit clothes but mainly I love to knit dolls and toys for Christmas and birthday presents for my grandchildren and my many nieces and nephews. I have also recently started to knit for charity and this includes knitting squares which get sewn into blankets, and tiny items such as hats and bootees for premature babies. These are sent to a group that then distributes them to various good causes, some of them abroad.

I have been collecting knitting patterns for years and don't part with them unless someone wants to borrow one which lots of people do once they see how many I have!

For toy knitting you can't do much better than looking out for Jean Greenhowe's excellent pattern books. I don't know how she does it but she produces the most fantastic toys and the patterns are so easy to follow. I have all her pattern books and have made many toys over the years. Another great toy designer is Alan Dart; his speciality, as far as I'm concerned, seems to be his animal patterns. He produces the most realistic patterns for dogs and cats. If you know a pet-lover, a great gift would be to knit a pet in the same colours as the real one. I am about to do that with one of his cat patterns.

Wool shops have more or less disappeared over the years; I suppose the advent of cheap clothing put an end to knitting for necessity. However, there are still some around and my local one has not closed down. In fact, it is very popular again and knitting - and, of course, crochet - is back in vogue.

If you do not have a handy shop, there are many patterns available online for free download as well as to purchase. A pattern is so easy to buy online - once you have paid, it is emailed straight to you so there's no waiting for the postman to deliver it.

Knitting wool is aalso available online; you may not get the cheapest ranges that way, though. I use the cheaper wool for making toys but the more expensive for clothes, especially baby clothes.

All in all, I recommend knitting - it's never too late to learn, either, and almost never too soon; I'm currently trying to teahc my five year old granddaughter to kntit.

Summary: Knitting - I wouldn't be without it.