Buttons and Knitting

April 14th, 2004 · 10 Comments · Uncategorized

I was working on some buttons and suddenly realized, “Hey, I need a button!” So, here is my new button for myself. Please swipe it at will. I like it so much better than my first button. Oh, and when summer rolls around and our tomato plants are flowering, there’ll be another button for me in yellow. :o)

Yarn Tomato

I’ve also made buttons for Michelle:

Michelle's Place Michelle's Place

And about knitting…

I saw these at Walmart:

Michelle's Place

They looked so smooth and inviting compared to all the cold, aluminum ones I’ve seen, so I bought them. Then I watched the four free beginning knitting video clips (two-tail cast-on, knit stitch, purl stitch, and cast-off) at Common Threads. They explained it so clearly, they made it easy!

Here is my very first knitting! The dark rose one is the swatch I learned on. Most of it is knitting, then a few rows of purling, then, at the top, stockinette stitch (alternating rows of knitting and purling).

After my first swatch, I wanted to do something interesting, but not difficult. So, I searched the web for dishcloth patterns. I picked this Three and One Checked Cloth from the Dishcloth Boutique because it was the first thing that piqued my interest and was simple enough for me to do without learning anything new. It has just knit, purl, and slip stitches. I did only a tiny swatch (that’s a penny in the photo for scale), so I wouldn’t get too frustrated. :o)

my first knitting

my second knit swatch

Oh, yes, and my knitting does curl at the beginning and ending edges (as stockinette and some other stitch patterns do), I just have it pinned down for the photo.

Yarns: Lion Brand Wool-Ease (80% acrylic, 20% wool), Color 139, Dark Rose Heather; Plymouth Encore (75% acrylic, 25% wool), Colors 436, Blue Heather and 514, Light Wedgewood.

10 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Vera // Apr 15, 2004 at 8:02 pm

    Donna, your knitting is very good. I took up knitting last summer after over 30 years of crocheting exclusively, and I love them both.

  • 2 Siow Chin // Apr 15, 2004 at 11:04 am

    Glad to see you back Donna! And a warm welcome to knitting. What great first swatches you knit! You’ll be an expert in no time.

  • 3 Kim // Apr 15, 2004 at 8:28 pm

    Great knitting, Donna! They look fantastic!

  • 4 shannita // Apr 20, 2004 at 10:05 am

    great new buttons! especially the i heart wool one. i want one! gotta figure out how to make one – i don’t have a clue any direction would rock. AND i can’t, for the life of me, get the crochet blogs button to stay on my page. i refuse to be outdone tho, gonna figure this out and getthat button back on my page.

  • 5 gwen aka tllgrrl // Apr 16, 2004 at 11:21 pm

    my favourite knitting needles were Balenes. thanks so much for the info about their return!

  • 6 tiff // Apr 15, 2004 at 11:16 pm

    Such a great job, Donna! I may have to look at my Walmart for such pretty, smooth needles. I’ve found so many beautiful knit designs from all of the blogs I’ve been reading that I think it’s time to expand my horizons. :)

    I love your new button! :) I’m a big fan of red right now.

  • 7 Melissa // Apr 15, 2004 at 1:06 pm

    Thanks for the knitting links. I’ve been trying to teach myself from Knitting for Dummies and Debbie Stoller’s SnB book but I keep throwing the needles across the room. Wonder if my Walmart is going to carry those needles? Very cool.

  • 8 Julie // Apr 15, 2004 at 2:37 pm

    Very pretty Donna – I know nothing about knitting and I’m super impressed at how neat your stitches are and the tiny bits of lighter blue. I love the effect knitting gets with those little stitches like that. If I were to learn I’d probably always ever have a hook or a needle in my hands, there’s so much I want to do just with crocheting if I added knitting to the mix you can imagine the dilemna I’d be in. ;o)

    It’s very pretty, and I love your new button, too. I really liked your other button so now I’m completely torn as to which one to use. Decisions decisions… :o)

  • 9 Chie // Apr 16, 2004 at 6:17 am

    You did a great job! :) I haven’t knitted lately so much, and actually I have done no knitting since I made my blog even though its name contains “Crochet AND Knitting”. LOL The reason why is because I usually knit only in fall and winter. :P

    Also your new buttons are very nice! :) Would you pleeez make mine too…? (=^^=)

  • 10 Amy // Apr 15, 2004 at 5:03 pm

    Your first knitting efforts look wonderful! Good job :+:

    Wow, I have some of the original Baleens from the early ’80s — I’ll have to look for the new ones and see if they have the same feel.

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