[Nfb-krafters-korner] KNITTING

Tue Feb 12 20:42:34 CST 2008

Dear Cindy,
I wish I'd known you were learning to knit--I'd have helped you, of course!
I saw your question about knowing how much yarn to buy.  A lot has to do
with the size needles you are using, and how wide you want the scarf to be.
If you're using size 8 or 9 needles, for example, and the scarf is 25
stitches wide, I would think one skein of knitting wersted would be enough.
I am making T tops for young children for a project sponsored by Guideposts
Magazine, and they take 2 of the extra-large skeins you can find at
Wal-Mart.
BTW, the pattern is quite simple, basic knitting and perling, the front and
back piece are exactly the same.  If you wanted to do something like this,
you could check out their website:
www.knitforkids.org
BTW, they also have a crocheting pattern option for those who crochet.
These sweaters are sent to places where children live in poverty, or where
some kind of disaster has happened.  Many sweaters went to the children of
the Gulf Coast following the 2005 hurricanes.

I don't have a whole lot of time when my hands aren't busy doing other
things; but when I'm sitting by my mother's bedside, or attending a
meeting,or in a waiting room somewhere, especially when expected to be
conversing, I like having my hands busy, and knowing their fruitfulness may
be able to help and encourage somebody else.
I do not find knitting feasible while on the bus or in the car, as I easily
drop stitches in those situations.
I feel relaxed and productive when I knit.  I think it's very exciting that
so many kids and teens are eager to learn knitting.  
Regards,
Susan in Indiana

-----Original Message-----
From: nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of slery
Sent: Monday, February 11, 2008 3:09 PM
To: 'List for blind crafters and artists'
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] New member introduction

Hey Susan!

Great to have you on list!  This is Cindy from Indiana/Kentucky.  I wish I
had known you were into knitting, we could have gotten together at
Washington Seminar and you could have shown me some of your techniques.
Currently, I am self teaching.

Audrey,

I believe the European style you are talking about is what I am using
(called Continental).  I still have some sight and on my home computer in a
dark room I am using knittinghowto.com and they have wonderful up close
videos that have descriptions.  Some may even be able to learn from the
descriptions alone.  The site lists three different versions of knitting and
details one that is blind friendly she has been told.  However, I actually
found that the continental was easier for me.  I finally figured out how to
separate the stitches and feel each individual one so that I stopped picking
up and adding stitches when I didn't mean to.  The only thing I was confused
about is that in the directions for the continental, it mentioned that this
was backward for American patterns and you had to make an adjustment.

So far, I have not really been bothering with patterns and just trying out
simple things that I can do to practice the stitches like a scarf where I
can decide how wide and long without a pattern and just stitch until I'm
done.

Would love any insights that others would like to share on or off-list.

Thanks for a great place to come Joyce.

Cindy

> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org 
> [mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of 
> AUDREY WELLNER
> Sent: Monday, February 11, 2008 12:30 AM
> To: List for blind crafters and artists
> Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] New member introduction
> 
> 
> Hi Susan, 
>       Nice to hear from you.  I don't have any magic answers 
> for you.  Although, I am sighted I am learning so much from 
> those of you who aren't.  I don't think any book could teach 
> you what you need to know.  It's definitely a matter of 
> touch.  I'll tell you what I've done and see if you can adapt 
> it to your needs.  
>      We have a wonderful group of knitters here in 
> Connecticut started by your web monitor, Joyce Kane and I've 
> been privileged to be a part of the group.  I am definitely a 
> basic beginning knitter and crocheter.  I'm not so talented 
> that I can do sweaters, armholes, cable stitches, etc., but 
> before I joined this group I started a friend by the name of 
> Henry learning to knit.  One day when I first met him, he 
> showed me some plastic canvas tissue boxes he created with 
> the word "Love" on them.  I was truly amazed at the precision 
> and clarity in his stitches and I asked him, "How do you do 
> this?", his reply was, "I just feel them".  So from that I 
> felt if he could make those small stitches he certainly could 
> feel a knitted stitch on big needles with thick yarn.  We 
> started on the new round looms called "Knifty Knitters" from 
> Provo Craft that you can get in any full service craft store. 
>  Henry had the willingness and determination to keep trying 
> until he got it (it takes a  little time to learn how to wrap 
> the yarn on the loom and be consistent with direction, 
> tension and etc).  And he did!  He makes beautiful hats off 
> this loom now using a variety of two colors and multiple 
> yarns.  So he got bored with this challenge and we went on to 
> straight needles that felt like Chinese chop sticks to him 
> when he started, but he has perfected the art of a straight 
> knit scarf that he's doing famously on.  As the needles felt 
> more comfortable in his hands his stitches loosened up and 
> his edges tightened.  So now my "little sponge" is learning 
> to needle felt with me. I also helped Joyce Kane start her 
> felting and she's off visualizing all the new things she can 
> do with felting.  But I must caution all Blind 
> Krafters--there is only one needle felting tool that is 
> somewhat safe for you to use and I'm in the process of trying 
> to contact someone that manufactures the product before I 
> feel safe in letting you know what product it is.  If I get a 
> chance to be at  convention I will have them there and help 
> anyone who wants to experience the technique felting--but I 
> must say again--they are only to be used carefully with a 
> sighted person's guidance. 
>      So, the advice I can give you is--find a friendly group 
> to sit in with (there are many that won't help each other) 
> and get a patient person to guide your hands until you can 
> feel what your doing.  Both people I know have lost their 
> sight later in life, so they have a "minds eye" of 
> understanding concerning what I'm trying to help them with.  
> I am presently helping someone with low vision and find it's 
> harder for them to solely rely on their touch.  
>      I know both my friends will see this on line and I hope 
> they e-mail you with their perspective from a non-sighted 
> view, because I feel they can tell you a great deal more than 
> I.  They say God works in strange ways--I am a Lyme Disease 
> sufferer to the point of being partially scooter or 
> wheelchair bound and many in my support group have lost some 
> of their sight due to this disease.  As hard as we rally for 
> support, the HMO's and doctors still want to ignore this epidemic.  
>      One final thing, in the new library where our knitting 
> group meets I found a staff member that does European 
> knitting (a method of throwing a stitch) which she claims is 
> much easier for a blind person to pick up or feel.  So when 
> she shows me--I'll write you again and try to explain.  She 
> is also sighted and has successfully taught people her method.  
>      I know this doesn't explain much--but stick to a 
> straight knit and purl for awhile---there's so many new 
> things you can make with the new yarns that use only a few 
> stitches and will wow your friends at what you have 
> accomplished. Go to http://www.lionbrand.com  they have lots 
> of projects to get started on and they also have a section 
> for blind knitters patterns through a braille reader.  Then 
> grab someone to start teaching you to increase and decrease 
> and leave the books alone.  You'll learn more from a friend 
> then any book written.  I tell you a secret---Joyce is 
> knitting herself a sweater with sleeves and a neck and 
> everything.  It's looking great!  Sorry Joyce, your secret is 
> out, HA!  I'm sure she could help. She's a cracker jack at 
> it.  And God Bless our little group of knitters--the ladies 
> are so helpful!  I was in another group before this that 
> wouldn't give you the right time of day, yuk!
>      Have fun!  Hope this was somewhat informative. Please 
> feel free to email again.
>      Audrey Wellner
> 
> sblanjones11 <sblanjones11 at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>   Dear Audry & listers,
> I am a knitter, and have had many people ask me to teach them 
> how to knit. I have seen several books on knitting in the NLS 
> collection lately. Can you or someone else on this list 
> recommend a good book or two that teaches the basics of 
> knitting so I can get some tips on how to explain? I also 
> want to learn how to read and interpret knitting patters. I 
> have a book, but don't feel I understand the patterns well 
> enough to figure out how to follow them. Any help would be 
> greatly appreciated. Susan in Indiana
> 
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