I get the thousands of emails from Interweave. Sometimes the sheer volume and repetition is irritating, but occasionally there are rare gems. One such rare gem is a newly released video by Anna Zilboorg. Here is a little video clip demo of the workshop video, or rather an chat with her about the video.
I'll tell you a little secret. I don't really like classes. I'm not much for workshops in a classroom situation. I always seem to go to slow to catch what the teacher is trying to teach, or sometimes I go to fast. I feel bumbly and out of step. It isn't that I have not gotten something out of the classes I have taken. I have, but as often as not, it is the little things, the incidentals comments, the bits between that make a class worthwhile.
I much prefer to stumble along all by myself when I am ready to learn, so video workshops, video clips are just up my alley. I can go back and refer to them whenever I need to. I can make it be my pace. Fast when I learned quickly and slow when I am am just not getting it. Those days when my hands are tired of knitting but my mind craves the stimulation of knitting or learning? I pop in one of my collection of knitting and spinning videos. Well to be honest, till now I have only ever had spinning videos. This video with Anna Zilboorg is my first knitting video.
The video is Knit Free-Sole Socks. I debated about it. A sock video? Really? Me, the plain sock knitter? The knitter who really seriously loves knitting that tube? Who is this knitter? I don't know, but this knitter is thinking very hard about knitting different kinds of socks. Fancy socks. Socks with stuff knitted into them, cables, colourwork and maybe even lace. And this 'new' knitter who has knit and worn socks for a while now, knows that she is not amused when her socks get holes in that one special place under the foot. She also figured out that she really, really doesn't care for darning.
But the video? Would I get my money's worht out of it? EZ talks about knitting replaceable sole socks, I have read about it elsewhere, and the theory just can't be that different from some of the other things I learned along my knitting path, and yet something told me, just buy it. That little voice in my head repeated that over and over again. So I did.
Whammo. First off, a completely new cast on, one that is just so darn sensible that I instantly knew Anna Zilboorg was a kindred spirit.
Then I realized she knits just like I do. Not that that matters, it is all knitting, but oh my, she knits just like I do, right down to the way she holds her yarn when she purls and where it is placed when she knits.
Some of the video confirms what I already had sorted out my head about how you would go about knitting socks that could easily be re-soled, but there are a lot of little things I wouldn't have thought of until I had to work through them as I knit a sole through it. I like all these bits. It will save me hours later and it will give me a much better project the first time out. Plus, she is doing it all toe up. My kind of knitting!
If I plan to knit socks like these, or these or even these, I don't want to think about knitting them only to have them wear out and not wearing these things of beauty would be such a waste.
So, if I am going to have some sock adventures, yes. This video. Need. Recommend.
Your mileage may vary, but I have really enjoyed it so far. On the weekend, I might squeak in a few hours to knit along to it and do up a mini sock to set the technique into my hands memory. And then who knows where I will go.
As ever, there are things I must do first. Paulette's scarf, socks for Sweet Thing, a new pair of knitted pants to go with her pretty sweater. All kinds of things but on the horizon, there is the want for socks that are more than just plain, more than just monkeys.
I knew the moment I first really picked up my needles, that knitting would take me places. The surprise it that the path is endless. There is always something more to learn.
But the video? Would I get my money's worht out of it? EZ talks about knitting replaceable sole socks, I have read about it elsewhere, and the theory just can't be that different from some of the other things I learned along my knitting path, and yet something told me, just buy it. That little voice in my head repeated that over and over again. So I did.
Whammo. First off, a completely new cast on, one that is just so darn sensible that I instantly knew Anna Zilboorg was a kindred spirit.
Then I realized she knits just like I do. Not that that matters, it is all knitting, but oh my, she knits just like I do, right down to the way she holds her yarn when she purls and where it is placed when she knits.
Some of the video confirms what I already had sorted out my head about how you would go about knitting socks that could easily be re-soled, but there are a lot of little things I wouldn't have thought of until I had to work through them as I knit a sole through it. I like all these bits. It will save me hours later and it will give me a much better project the first time out. Plus, she is doing it all toe up. My kind of knitting!
If I plan to knit socks like these, or these or even these, I don't want to think about knitting them only to have them wear out and not wearing these things of beauty would be such a waste.
So, if I am going to have some sock adventures, yes. This video. Need. Recommend.
Your mileage may vary, but I have really enjoyed it so far. On the weekend, I might squeak in a few hours to knit along to it and do up a mini sock to set the technique into my hands memory. And then who knows where I will go.
As ever, there are things I must do first. Paulette's scarf, socks for Sweet Thing, a new pair of knitted pants to go with her pretty sweater. All kinds of things but on the horizon, there is the want for socks that are more than just plain, more than just monkeys.
I knew the moment I first really picked up my needles, that knitting would take me places. The surprise it that the path is endless. There is always something more to learn.
'Nothing like discovering a kindred spirit in the knitting world is there?
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