Saturday, January 29, 2011

Me? A Knitter?

When I mentioned I knitted a hat as a gift last month, some of you were surprised to know that I knit. Well, I do, but I don't really knit. My knitting career is not prolific, nor are my projects always successful. No, I imagine my life as a knitter started much the same as every one else's—too many scarfs to admit, a bunch of hats, a few pairs of mittens, the famous Clapotis—but that's as far as my knitting went. I was too intimidated to attempt an actual piece of clothing.

That's where amigurumi came in, which I have done lots of in crochet. Little did I know that it would be a crash course in every increase and decrease a knitter would ever need to know. For this reason, I would recommend knitted amigurumi to anybody who wants to learn a variety of knitting techniques in one project.


I started with this little lizard last year.


I recently made this eggplant, from Amigurumi Knits. (The smaller girl begged for this, though she wouldn't put a real eggplant near her mouth if I bribed her with a puppy.)

Then my older girl came to me requesting a Lochness Monster (note to self: hide the amigurumi book when not in use) and it sent chills up my spine. I had nothing to fear, though. With YouTube at my side, I soon learned I could conquer most any pattern.

Lochness Monster pattern from Amigurumi Knits 
Well, with all this knitting "success," I got a little cocky. After falling in love with this sweater, I decided it was time for me to go for it. I was going to knit my first piece of real clothing, and dammit, it was going to be for me. (I know what you're thinking. You're probably right. Read on.)


And isn't it lovely? It really was a pleasure to knit. Not scary at all. I knew every stitch I needed to know, and she came along quickly.


But, you see, when you don't pay any respect to the gods of gauge, the sweater you are knitting for yourself ends up fitting your 7-year-old-daughter just perfectly.

Me? A knitter? The jury is still out.

18 comments:

  1. Haha, the sweater is awesome Amy. You ARE a knitter, and I'm impressed. I don't knit, I just learned to crochet at the end of last year, and its pretty addicting. :-) I love love the lochness monster.

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  2. amy! the eggplant and monster are stunning! excellent work on such a beautiful sweater!

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  3. Small girl?! LOL! please please always refer to them as small girl and tall girl!

    Nessi is adorable!

    I'm atteneding my 1st learn to knit get to together next week..I'm scared :-O

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  4. Oh, gauge. I've lost track of how many projects I've had to sacrifice at the altar of gauge. I started a sweater for Tom (my first adult-sized garment!) two years ago. It's been languishing on the needles for most of those two years, but if I ever finish it I think it's going to be just perfect... for me.

    I've only ever crocheted amigurumi. Your Nessie is adorable.

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  5. you are a fabulous knitter!!! Good grief I adore your lizard :)
    I have knitted many an animal and little person but then didn't know what to do with them so erm, stopped. Never been brave enough to try clothes though - bravo!

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  6. lol. You really have me laughing at this post only because I've done the gauge thing myself except the sweater I knit for my son could fit an 11 foot amazon. Love your lizard and eggplant and the loch ness monster is so impressive. You are a knitter going through all those knitty things. Here's to more happy moments with your sticks and string.

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  7. oh you have me laughing amy! the gods of gauge, indeed! i made a pair of booties our new summer baby and they fit bayliss, shoot. i think sizing is what has kept me from knitting bigger pieces, like sweaters, so much work to not have it come out in the right size, also the cost of yarn for larger projects is prohibitive.
    i love how Your sweater looks on your daughter!

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  8. For a not knitter you are much braver about what you will try than me! Are you going to do a new one for you now? Matching can be such a cute look??

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  9. Ahhh... identity... I'd say you are a knitter if you say you are! :) Lovely work too!

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  10. WOW these creations are awesome and soo adorable!! Yes yes you are a knitter!! I always admire peepz that can knit and now you are one of them! :) I love that sweater..it's gorgeous. :) Thank YOU so much for such a cute and lovely post. It made me laugh and made my heart sing! Have alovely merry happy week and love to you!

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  11. I'm affraid you are a knitter! Lovely projects. The lizard is awesome!!! A had a giggle when I first set my eyes on it. The sweater is gorgeous and fits your girl beautifully. I love to knit but haven't had much time lately... my skills are all going dormant, but hopefully thay won't disappear totally.

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  12. Loving your handknits-adorable and pretty! I cannot stand figuring out gauge-something about it. I may never knit a sweater. I try to get as close as possible then I make sacrifices to the gods hoping it workds out.

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  13. These look awesome. Amy you're a GREAT knitter. I just stopped at the scarves and couldn't wrap my head or my fingers around so many new rules. I love the little lizard and the eggplant - you pulled these off like a pro.
    Funny my daughter Loves eggplant and asks for one to be purchased at the grocery store almost every time we go shopping. Then she plays with it in her room. I am seriously LOL'ing right now. I am not kidding. But this love isn't for the real vegetable, we have this cute flap book with vegetable people and the eggplant is really funny in it. I had no idea this would help so much in the meal preparation department ;)

    Back to knitting. I would love to try something small to test my skill and of course my patience ;P

    Cheers.
    (button is up)

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  14. What a lovely post. Your knitting is beautiful and innovative - how many hats and scarves does one person need anyhow? Honestly! I love how you explore the different potentials of this craft, and how you came up with an unexpected creation!
    PS personally, I love eggplants, and your knitted one is adorable. I saw somewhere little knitted vegetables given as gifts in repurposed jars - so pretty!

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  15. Oh my goodness, the lizard! The lizard!

    And, I have to agree with everyone else...you ARE a knitter! I would say about half the sweaters I knit for myself actually fit me. One was gifted to a friend, who then felted it and now a baby wears it. Ha!
    My son ends up with a lot of my hats. Things do turn out just the way I want them to sometimes, though, and that's enough for me. I really enjoy the process, so it's a bonus if the project ends up actually fitting someone. I'm much better about doing gauge swatches now, I must say.

    Well, the sweater turned out just lovely, anyway.

    btw, I'm about to cast on for my first Clapotis. I think I might be the last knitter in the universe to try it. I'll be using lace yarn because I'm a little bit nuts. :)

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  16. Adorable creations, and YES, YES, you are a knitter. The sweater is gorgeous, even if it fit the wrong lady!
    Nicola

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  17. Eek. That lochness monster is the cutest thing ever!

    :)Lisa

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  18. Yes, you are a knitter! We all ignore the gods of gauge sometimes, but the results aren't always as good as that pretty sweater!

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