Your pincushion reminded me off a wedding gift my neighbor gave to me over 40 years ago. She was in her 80's, on a tight budget, and she made me a crocheted pin cushion by filling an empty tuna can with some type of stuffing, topping it with a steel wool pad, then crocheting around it all. I was so touched that she thought of me on my wedding day and very impressed with such a clever, useful gift (this was before recycling became so common, so this was someone who had lived through the Depression doing what came natural to her). She told me the steel wool pad would keep my pins and needles from rusting. That's the only pin cushion I've used in the past 40 years, and not one of my pins or needles have rusted :)
Loved this episode. My daughter is about your age and she also started her fiber journey around the same time. Beautiful. This is a journey into your world!!!
Oh how I wish I still had my projects from the early 1960’s, when I first learned to knit! I still remember some of them. When I was 10 or 11, I knitted colorwork Christmas stockings for my brothers and sisters. I actually think most of those are still around, somewhere. Thanks for the walk down memory lane.
Loved this!! In 2008-2012 I was learning to knit and really enjoyed it! I knitted little blankets (more like uneven swatches ;)) for my stuffed animals (I was around 8-12 years old then), I knitted my first hat wich was my pride and joy and I participated in a knitting project for a local Zoo. It was a great time🥰
I love this so much, and I’m very thankful my very bad crochet projects from high school are not preserved online anywhere 😂 Yours are actually very good!
Hi Natalie. It is amazing to see the how the technology and your knowledge has evolved over the years of when you started crocheting and knitting. I started crocheting and knitting when I was 7 years old when my mum taught me. I had the crocheted granny quilt I made back then till about maybe 5 years ago when I might have thrown it out as the acrylic yarn may have started to feel funny. Probably breaking down. I am not sure what I had knitted but I had picked up knitting and crochet again when I was pregnant with my first child in 1992. I also started a cross stitch birth sampler as well. I have only ventured into natural fibres such as merino yarn last year when I was inspired from a lady at my craft group knitting socks and I looked on RUclips and found the Crazy Sock Lady and I found your channel as well. You have both inspired me more with knitting as I love crochet but now love knitting socks. I have made about 16 pairs since January 2023. Thankyou for the memories.
This is so fun! I wish I had taken pictures of some of mine. I specifically remember making a lime green and black scarf to match my braces at the time in my emo era 😂
I was such a brave knitter when I was a kid. I remember deciding to do my first fingerless glove pattern and deciding to do two at a time magic loop even though I had never done single magic loop!
Was magic loop for a single item even a thing back then? Because at least I've always thought you have to do small-ish circumference items like socks or hats on DPNs, until I got a book about two-at-a-time socks for christmas. So the first time using a circular needle for small circumference for me was 2aat socks actually. Only took me a decade (including a multi-year pause from knitting) until I got to know about magic loop and it occurred to me that if it works for 2aat, it will also work for 1aat 😂
I’m finally catching up on your videos and have made some personal realizations - I think when you started college, that was when I started learning to crochet with my sister’s Girl Scout troop! And now that I’m out of my college era, it is very true that we stopped knitting and crocheting as much (or at all) in order to focus on surviving the craziness each semester brought. So happy to have my yarn back in my hands!! And this is such a fun video 🥰
I graduated college in 2008 and joined ravelry in late 2007 so this definitely resonated!! I’ve also found the same -- I was all about fiddl-y patterns then. iPod nano cases, gloves…. And so many lace scarves that never got worn!
I loved this episode so much! When I think back on my first knitting projects when I started knitting back in 2003…oh geez! But, I’ve learned so so much over the years and I’m so grateful for the tough projects, the projects that got messed up, the binding off mess ups and everything in between because all of the ups and downs have taught me so much! I’m so grateful for what you do because you’re so down to earth and vulnerable and honest with how you vlog…helps me stay encouraged and inspired and to also remember, even the great knitters have had not so great projects and everyone has to start somewhere. It’s refreshing especially living in a world where most don’t show the struggles! Thank you Natalie for what you do and keep up the great work!
Seeing your DS Case from years ago and you saying in those days, you did fiddly stuff and didn’t think anything of it. I was the same way. In my younger years, I would tackle anything and not think anything of it. Just do it. Today I would hesitate and really think about it before giving in. Fun to look back. Wish I would have used Ravelry well before I did. I used to just use it for searching for patterns.
Wow. You beat me on Ravely by two years! I didn't join until May 2010. I held on to my first 'real wool' scarf that was one of my first projects in freshman year. Got me through many Wisconsin and Chicago winters. As a beginner in 1986 I went in feet first on a Aran sweater pattern with out knowing anything about adjusting gauge. My stepmother saw my interest and got me an incredible Susan Bates straight needle set and roll up case for one of my birthdays. The technology moved to cable needles for most part but I still have my starter set in my totes.
While in this time frame I was active in USN and didn’t get into knitting until 4-5 years ago. I will say I loved this fun video and this gives me hope that I’ll become a faster knitter over time.
This was really entertaining to see all your early projects! You’ve been using Ravelry longer than me but now I couldn’t be without it! I am a huge Ravelry fan and it’s great to look back! Loved this x
This was so fun! I totally remember the felting craze! I made tons of felted mittens and slippers for my kids! I don’t think I was ever very good at it though, my felting always turned out wonky.
I picked up my knitting again around 2007, in my early 20s, when I finally had access to youtube tutorials. Back then they were mostly from Staci Perry of Verypink Knits. I was knitting only bookmarks, but they helped me so much in learning the SSK, K2tog and YO, and just cementing the basics.
This was so fun! Your moody picture was too much in the very best way 😆 I wish i had used Ravelry back then. One thing i remember best is making an entire set of Angry Birds amigurumi for my nephew. I had to freestyle a lot of them and i learned a ton. He still has them and for awhile when he was younger they were his special toys that he wouldn't let anyone else play with because they were so precious. Thanks for a blast from the past!
Loved this video! So cool to see your journey. I started knitting 5 years ago and definitely cringe at some of the things I made early on, but all part of the learning and fun!
You have a great portfolio of projects. I’ve been knitting for about 50 years. I used to keep a notebook with project deets and pics and it was way before Ravelry (world wide web even 😂). Maybe someday I’ll see if I can add those old projects onto my Ravelry page. Enjoying your content, thank you!
I think that I learned to knit in 2008, but I was totally oblivious to the greater knitting community (as I'm sure most second graders are haha!) for the next few years I made a few projects, all of which were squares or rectangles (if you don't count the wiggley edges from all the dropped stitches and accidental increases). So fun to think back on!
You've come a long way! I enjoyed watching this because I am new at knitting and I do a good job but I know that I need practice and it gives me hope that I'll be at your level one day lol
This was the video I didn't know I needed! I'm a year younger than you, Natalie, and also joined Ravelry in 2008 as a burgeoning knitter. I did the felting thing (a purse that was never actually finished), the jewelry thing, the ball band dishcloth thing, the blurry photo thing. Ahh, the memories!
This is a very cute video! I wish I was taking photos of the first knitting projects, especially the socks that we were making with my grandma. It happened to start socks and then someone pointed out that this pattern was published a few years ago, so I'll have to give them credit, when actually this pattern is so simple and common that the grannies here sell it on the farmers markets for many years, so it's kinda ridiculous, how crowded and commercialised is the knitting market in the moment. Another very 'funny' case I witnessed is how some designers present their special stitches, but these stitches exist in European (and not only) vintage magazines, so the other users have to prove from where you know them or their followers go after you and post nasty things. These situations kinda changed my position on the side that everything, even most basic socks, must be shared just in case. Before that I was very selective and shared only projects that served some advertising purpose.
Hi, Natalie! I thoroughly enjoy your content. When you showed your Ravelry account, March 9th immediately caught my eye; that's my birthday as well, although I have quite a few years on you. ☺️It's a pleasure to "meet" another March 9th baby and fellow Pisces creative.❤ I'm a long time crocheter, but you've provided some inspiration to perhaps give knitting a try, if I can find the time! 🥰
I’m a couple years ahead of you. While you were making your UT hat, I was making a UK scarf. I gave it to the guy I was dating who bought me the yarn. I actually crocheted quite a few blankets during college. Law school is when I took my break. I also crocheted my sister a purse and that same boyfriend a rosary from my first fancy LYS yarn.
In 2008-2012 I was knitting a bunch of hats to send to US Military personnel who were deployed to the Middle East. I wish I had taken pictures. I also started a crochet afghan “quilt” that I keep setting aside because I’m using scraps only. Now it’s been 14 years and my 7 year old is begging me to finish it and give it to her.
Hi Natalie, After watching this video, I feel like I should do better at recording my projects on Ravelry. Lol! There are a few but, not nearly as many as I have completed. Lol! You're so much fun to hangout with, Natalie! Happy stitching! ✌️💜🧶🧦
So fun to see how your knitting has evolved over the years! Love that Vol hat :) we’re dropping my son off for his first year at UT on Friday. Go Big 🍊!
This was such a fun video! Sadly I didn't start really using Ravelry until later so I don't have pictures of my cringy early projects. Thank you for reminding me that I have an old digital camera that I need to get out and see if it still works or if it needs to go be recycled somewhere. :D
What a fun video. The first finished project I posted on Ravelry was a felted Booga Bag during that same time period. I carried it on and off for many years until the strap broke (when I was in a yarn store, of all places). I think it still lives in my closet (maybe I was planning to fix it?).
I started my ravelry account in 2011 and while I was pretty terrible about documenting my projects (I was primarily making hats, afghans, scarves etc...back then), I do remember the spiral scarf trend that went crazy around that time.
Lol! I'm a pretty new knitter and crocheter, but my skills have grown a LOT in the last two years, and I make garments that I love wearing all the time now. But when I first learned to crochet about two or three years ago, I made a sweater from a Sewrella pattern and - oh boy! The list of mistakes I made: 1. I didn't know what gauge was and was intimidated by the weird looking numbers so I just decided to ignore them. Weirdly enough the sweater somehow fit on my body - not well, but I was able to physically put it on. 2. I used horrible scratchy kitchen cotton to make this cosy winter sweater 3. The cotton was from different brands so despite all being #4 weight yarn they were all slightly different thickness 4. I was a very tight crocheter but randomly decided to use a 4mm hook which is two sizes down from the reccomended hook size (which I now usually go up two sizes for, so I should have used a 6mm). It was so stiff it felt like it could stand up on it's own lol! It was deeply unwearable and also very frustrating to make so I was disappointed. I took pictures but I deleted them out of frustration! Wish I hadnt. And mistakes continued: 5. It was a striped sweater and I cut the yarn at every color change, so lots of random little balls when I unravelled it (didn't know I could carry yarn ends up the side). 6. I read an article about how you can remove the memory from yarn by making it into hanks then soaking it in water and letting it dry. So I did that. That's _definitely_ advice catered more towards wool than cotton, because cotton doesn't really have as much elasticity or memory as wool, and it also absorbs a TON of water. But did I know there was a difference, and that it mattered? No! 7. I also _didn't_ know that hanks can get tangled super easily if you dont wind them carefully, and that you should definitely not wind a hank, run out of yarn, and keep winding a different end of yarn onto the same hank without at least tying it to the end of the old one. I did not tie it. I just wound, run out of yarn, picked up another ball, continued winding. So everything turned into a huge tangled mess when I soaked dried and tried to rewind it! 8. It took forever to dry because of how much water this dang cotton absorbed! The entire unravelling process was more headache enducing than the actual crocheting! 😂 It almost entirely took me out. All this to say, while I made mistake after catastrophic mistake, I did learn an enormous amount about gauge, how (not) to achieve drape in crochet garments, that not all yarn labelled the same size _is_ the same size, and that fibre content actually matters and should be carefully thought about when making a specific project or doing a specific technique. All stuff that seems obvious now and to more experienced or even some fairly new crocheters, but if you're a baby baby BABY crocheter? You truly know nothing, and you also don't know what you don't know, especially if you are learning in isolation and don't have someone to help you avoid those pitfalls. Bonus story: when I tried to sign up for ravelry two years ago I realised when I was twelve and my mum taught me how to knit for the first time (which I promptly forgot and had to relearn recently) I apparently made a ravelry account. I was able to log back into it and found an 'about me' section that was written by twelve year old me 😂 it was about as ridiculous as you think. I simply couldn't believe I had already made a ravelry account and just forgot about it for approximately 12 years 😂
This was such a fun video! And yes, the Ravellenics are still ongoing! You can compete as a team or separately. I always find those kind of craft prompts very inspiring, and I’ll get a lot done for those fake internet points lol.
I learned to knit in 2009. The first year i only made garter stitch scarves. I didn’t learn to purl until ai year later and then I started making mittens and hats.
Part 2! Part 2! Haha during these years I was only crocheting squares and rectangles (lol), soooo many scarves and blankets, which are both incredibly unnecessary in the Arizona desert 😂
I tried to knit the undulating waves scarf (sans beads) just a few years back with some handspun. Ended up frogging it as the variegation didn't work with the pattern, but fun memories!
This was an enjoyable exercise for myself as I really started knitting in 2008. I remember fetching mitts being very popular as well as several Harry Potter themed hats (I made a ton of Hermione’s hat from I think half blood prince? With cables and islets). I was very into shawls and lace but also little stuffies.
I wish I used ravelry to post my projects over the years. I’ve just started to post my projects and look forward to looking back at the projects and progress I’ve made.
It’s the photos and also my project descriptions that make me laugh so much 😆 The actually knitting/crochet is usually fine, if a little dated. The silly photos are all me though haha
Your pincushion reminded me off a wedding gift my neighbor gave to me over 40 years ago. She was in her 80's, on a tight budget, and she made me a crocheted pin cushion by filling an empty tuna can with some type of stuffing, topping it with a steel wool pad, then crocheting around it all. I was so touched that she thought of me on my wedding day and very impressed with such a clever, useful gift (this was before recycling became so common, so this was someone who had lived through the Depression doing what came natural to her). She told me the steel wool pad would keep my pins and needles from rusting. That's the only pin cushion I've used in the past 40 years, and not one of my pins or needles have rusted :)
Loved this episode. My daughter is about your age and she also started her fiber journey around the same time. Beautiful. This is a journey into your world!!!
Oh how I wish I still had my projects from the early 1960’s, when I first learned to knit! I still remember some of them. When I was 10 or 11, I knitted colorwork Christmas stockings for my brothers and sisters. I actually think most of those are still around, somewhere. Thanks for the walk down memory lane.
Loved this!! In 2008-2012 I was learning to knit and really enjoyed it! I knitted little blankets (more like uneven swatches ;)) for my stuffed animals (I was around 8-12 years old then), I knitted my first hat wich was my pride and joy and I participated in a knitting project for a local Zoo. It was a great time🥰
I love this so much, and I’m very thankful my very bad crochet projects from high school are not preserved online anywhere 😂 Yours are actually very good!
Hahaha oh there were some before this that never made it to Ravelry. I do sometimes wish I had those memories though!
Hi Natalie. It is amazing to see the how the technology and your knowledge has evolved over the years of when you started crocheting and knitting. I started crocheting and knitting when I was 7 years old when my mum taught me. I had the crocheted granny quilt I made back then till about maybe 5 years ago when I might have thrown it out as the acrylic yarn may have started to feel funny. Probably breaking down. I am not sure what I had knitted but I had picked up knitting and crochet again when I was pregnant with my first child in 1992. I also started a cross stitch birth sampler as well. I have only ventured into natural fibres such as merino yarn last year when I was inspired from a lady at my craft group knitting socks and I looked on RUclips and found the Crazy Sock Lady and I found your channel as well. You have both inspired me more with knitting as I love crochet but now love knitting socks. I have made about 16 pairs since January 2023. Thankyou for the memories.
So much fun. Makes me wish I was vigilant on Ravelry projects. I guess its never too late!! Congrats on the 50K!!
This is so fun! I wish I had taken pictures of some of mine. I specifically remember making a lime green and black scarf to match my braces at the time in my emo era 😂
I was such a brave knitter when I was a kid. I remember deciding to do my first fingerless glove pattern and deciding to do two at a time magic loop even though I had never done single magic loop!
Was magic loop for a single item even a thing back then?
Because at least I've always thought you have to do small-ish circumference items like socks or hats on DPNs, until I got a book about two-at-a-time socks for christmas. So the first time using a circular needle for small circumference for me was 2aat socks actually. Only took me a decade (including a multi-year pause from knitting) until I got to know about magic loop and it occurred to me that if it works for 2aat, it will also work for 1aat 😂
I’m finally catching up on your videos and have made some personal realizations - I think when you started college, that was when I started learning to crochet with my sister’s Girl Scout troop! And now that I’m out of my college era, it is very true that we stopped knitting and crocheting as much (or at all) in order to focus on surviving the craziness each semester brought. So happy to have my yarn back in my hands!! And this is such a fun video 🥰
Awww. Moodiness from 2008. So cute!! ❤
I graduated college in 2008 and joined ravelry in late 2007 so this definitely resonated!! I’ve also found the same -- I was all about fiddl-y patterns then. iPod nano cases, gloves…. And so many lace scarves that never got worn!
Haha loved this! I have so many cringy old projects! Minion hats, owl hats, those ruffle scarves that were trendy awhile back.
Omg the ruffle scarves! I recently donated mine finally 😆
I loved this episode so much! When I think back on my first knitting projects when I started knitting back in 2003…oh geez! But, I’ve learned so so much over the years and I’m so grateful for the tough projects, the projects that got messed up, the binding off mess ups and everything in between because all of the ups and downs have taught me so much! I’m so grateful for what you do because you’re so down to earth and vulnerable and honest with how you vlog…helps me stay encouraged and inspired and to also remember, even the great knitters have had not so great projects and everyone has to start somewhere. It’s refreshing especially living in a world where most don’t show the struggles! Thank you Natalie for what you do and keep up the great work!
Seeing your DS Case from years ago and you saying in those days, you did fiddly stuff and didn’t think anything of it. I was the same way. In my younger years, I would tackle anything and not think anything of it. Just do it. Today I would hesitate and really think about it before giving in. Fun to look back. Wish I would have used Ravelry well before I did. I used to just use it for searching for patterns.
Ok. THIS is my favorite all time Knitty Natty episode. Please do more of these (although I do love every single episode you put out).
Wow. You beat me on Ravely by two years! I didn't join until May 2010. I held on to my first 'real wool' scarf that was one of my first projects in freshman year. Got me through many Wisconsin and Chicago winters. As a beginner in 1986 I went in feet first on a Aran sweater pattern with out knowing anything about adjusting gauge. My stepmother saw my interest and got me an incredible Susan Bates straight needle set and roll up case for one of my birthdays. The technology moved to cable needles for most part but I still have my starter set in my totes.
Loved this episode…you guys are adorable together ❤
Not me realizing we were in college at the same time! That's so funny! Go Vols!
While in this time frame I was active in USN and didn’t get into knitting until 4-5 years ago. I will say I loved this fun video and this gives me hope that I’ll become a faster knitter over time.
It is fun to look back and see how our knitting and projects have evolved over time. I hope you do a part 2, Natty!
This was really entertaining to see all your early projects! You’ve been using Ravelry longer than me but now I couldn’t be without it! I am a huge Ravelry fan and it’s great to look back! Loved this x
This was so fun! I totally remember the felting craze! I made tons of felted mittens and slippers for my kids! I don’t think I was ever very good at it though, my felting always turned out wonky.
I picked up my knitting again around 2007, in my early 20s, when I finally had access to youtube tutorials. Back then they were mostly from Staci Perry of Verypink Knits. I was knitting only bookmarks, but they helped me so much in learning the SSK, K2tog and YO, and just cementing the basics.
I love that! I still use Stacie’s tutorials all the time
This is so awesome! Perfect proof that everyone starts somewhere!
Absolutely!!
This was so fun! Your moody picture was too much in the very best way 😆 I wish i had used Ravelry back then. One thing i remember best is making an entire set of Angry Birds amigurumi for my nephew. I had to freestyle a lot of them and i learned a ton. He still has them and for awhile when he was younger they were his special toys that he wouldn't let anyone else play with because they were so precious. Thanks for a blast from the past!
Great episode, loved seeing all the gems!
Loved this video! So cool to see your journey. I started knitting 5 years ago and definitely cringe at some of the things I made early on, but all part of the learning and fun!
You have a great portfolio of projects. I’ve been knitting for about 50 years. I used to keep a notebook with project deets and pics and it was way before Ravelry (world wide web even 😂). Maybe someday I’ll see if I can add those old projects onto my Ravelry page. Enjoying your content, thank you!
Wow Natalie, 2008, that is so great that you documented your projects, this was so fun to see all you've done!
I am most amazed at how good you are at documenting your work over the years -- Great history of your work and progress.
I think that I learned to knit in 2008, but I was totally oblivious to the greater knitting community (as I'm sure most second graders are haha!) for the next few years I made a few projects, all of which were squares or rectangles (if you don't count the wiggley edges from all the dropped stitches and accidental increases). So fun to think back on!
You've come a long way! I enjoyed watching this because I am new at knitting and I do a good job but I know that I need practice and it gives me hope that I'll be at your level one day lol
This was a fun video, Natalie! It would be great to see what pathway the next group of years took you down! Looking forward to watching! 🙂
Thank you! I feel like I really hit my knitting stride 2014 on so I want to look through those projects too!
This was the video I didn't know I needed! I'm a year younger than you, Natalie, and also joined Ravelry in 2008 as a burgeoning knitter. I did the felting thing (a purse that was never actually finished), the jewelry thing, the ball band dishcloth thing, the blurry photo thing. Ahh, the memories!
Omg I love this!! We lived a parallel knitting life
You joined Ravelry 2 days after I graduated high school! I did not document my makes as well and I am glad 😂 yours look great!
This is a very cute video! I wish I was taking photos of the first knitting projects, especially the socks that we were making with my grandma. It happened to start socks and then someone pointed out that this pattern was published a few years ago, so I'll have to give them credit, when actually this pattern is so simple and common that the grannies here sell it on the farmers markets for many years, so it's kinda ridiculous, how crowded and commercialised is the knitting market in the moment. Another very 'funny' case I witnessed is how some designers present their special stitches, but these stitches exist in European (and not only) vintage magazines, so the other users have to prove from where you know them or their followers go after you and post nasty things.
These situations kinda changed my position on the side that everything, even most basic socks, must be shared just in case. Before that I was very selective and shared only projects that served some advertising purpose.
Hi, Natalie! I thoroughly enjoy your content. When you showed your Ravelry account, March 9th immediately caught my eye; that's my birthday as well, although I have quite a few years on you. ☺️It's a pleasure to "meet" another March 9th baby and fellow Pisces creative.❤ I'm a long time crocheter, but you've provided some inspiration to perhaps give knitting a try, if I can find the time! 🥰
Aww a birthday twin!!
I’m a couple years ahead of you. While you were making your UT hat, I was making a UK scarf. I gave it to the guy I was dating who bought me the yarn. I actually crocheted quite a few blankets during college. Law school is when I took my break.
I also crocheted my sister a purse and that same boyfriend a rosary from my first fancy LYS yarn.
In 2008-2012 I was knitting a bunch of hats to send to US Military personnel who were deployed to the Middle East. I wish I had taken pictures. I also started a crochet afghan “quilt” that I keep setting aside because I’m using scraps only. Now it’s been 14 years and my 7 year old is begging me to finish it and give it to her.
Hi Natalie,
After watching this video, I feel like I should do better at recording my projects on Ravelry. Lol! There are a few but, not nearly as many as I have completed. Lol!
You're so much fun to hangout with, Natalie!
Happy stitching!
✌️💜🧶🧦
So fun to see how your knitting has evolved over the years! Love that Vol hat :) we’re dropping my son off for his first year at UT on Friday. Go Big 🍊!
Loved this video Natalie!❤
This was such a fun video! Sadly I didn't start really using Ravelry until later so I don't have pictures of my cringy early projects. Thank you for reminding me that I have an old digital camera that I need to get out and see if it still works or if it needs to go be recycled somewhere. :D
What a fun video. The first finished project I posted on Ravelry was a felted Booga Bag during that same time period. I carried it on and off for many years until the strap broke (when I was in a yarn store, of all places). I think it still lives in my closet (maybe I was planning to fix it?).
I would love a part 2 of this video
I started my ravelry account in 2011 and while I was pretty terrible about documenting my projects (I was primarily making hats, afghans, scarves etc...back then), I do remember the spiral scarf trend that went crazy around that time.
Lol! I'm a pretty new knitter and crocheter, but my skills have grown a LOT in the last two years, and I make garments that I love wearing all the time now. But when I first learned to crochet about two or three years ago, I made a sweater from a Sewrella pattern and - oh boy!
The list of mistakes I made:
1. I didn't know what gauge was and was intimidated by the weird looking numbers so I just decided to ignore them. Weirdly enough the sweater somehow fit on my body - not well, but I was able to physically put it on.
2. I used horrible scratchy kitchen cotton to make this cosy winter sweater
3. The cotton was from different brands so despite all being #4 weight yarn they were all slightly different thickness
4. I was a very tight crocheter but randomly decided to use a 4mm hook which is two sizes down from the reccomended hook size (which I now usually go up two sizes for, so I should have used a 6mm).
It was so stiff it felt like it could stand up on it's own lol! It was deeply unwearable and also very frustrating to make so I was disappointed. I took pictures but I deleted them out of frustration! Wish I hadnt. And mistakes continued:
5. It was a striped sweater and I cut the yarn at every color change, so lots of random little balls when I unravelled it (didn't know I could carry yarn ends up the side).
6. I read an article about how you can remove the memory from yarn by making it into hanks then soaking it in water and letting it dry. So I did that. That's _definitely_ advice catered more towards wool than cotton, because cotton doesn't really have as much elasticity or memory as wool, and it also absorbs a TON of water. But did I know there was a difference, and that it mattered? No!
7. I also _didn't_ know that hanks can get tangled super easily if you dont wind them carefully, and that you should definitely not wind a hank, run out of yarn, and keep winding a different end of yarn onto the same hank without at least tying it to the end of the old one. I did not tie it. I just wound, run out of yarn, picked up another ball, continued winding. So everything turned into a huge tangled mess when I soaked dried and tried to rewind it!
8. It took forever to dry because of how much water this dang cotton absorbed!
The entire unravelling process was more headache enducing than the actual crocheting! 😂 It almost entirely took me out.
All this to say, while I made mistake after catastrophic mistake, I did learn an enormous amount about gauge, how (not) to achieve drape in crochet garments, that not all yarn labelled the same size _is_ the same size, and that fibre content actually matters and should be carefully thought about when making a specific project or doing a specific technique. All stuff that seems obvious now and to more experienced or even some fairly new crocheters, but if you're a baby baby BABY crocheter? You truly know nothing, and you also don't know what you don't know, especially if you are learning in isolation and don't have someone to help you avoid those pitfalls.
Bonus story: when I tried to sign up for ravelry two years ago I realised when I was twelve and my mum taught me how to knit for the first time (which I promptly forgot and had to relearn recently) I apparently made a ravelry account. I was able to log back into it and found an 'about me' section that was written by twelve year old me 😂 it was about as ridiculous as you think. I simply couldn't believe I had already made a ravelry account and just forgot about it for approximately 12 years 😂
What a cute idea for a video!
Thanks!
This was such a fun video! And yes, the Ravellenics are still ongoing! You can compete as a team or separately. I always find those kind of craft prompts very inspiring, and I’ll get a lot done for those fake internet points lol.
Such a great episode!
I learned to knit in 2009. The first year i only made garter stitch scarves. I didn’t learn to purl until ai year later and then I started making mittens and hats.
I wish I had pictures of the many felted clogs and purses that I've made over the years! (The same with quilts.)
I was just doing scarfs and hats in that time 🥰
Part 2! Part 2! Haha during these years I was only crocheting squares and rectangles (lol), soooo many scarves and blankets, which are both incredibly unnecessary in the Arizona desert 😂
This is a fabulous video concept! 🎥
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed!
We are of the same Ravelry vintage. 😂 Mine says May 14, 2008. Remember how you had to be invited back then? Those were the glory days.
I tried to knit the undulating waves scarf (sans beads) just a few years back with some handspun. Ended up frogging it as the variegation didn't work with the pattern, but fun memories!
This was an enjoyable exercise for myself as I really started knitting in 2008. I remember fetching mitts being very popular as well as several Harry Potter themed hats (I made a ton of Hermione’s hat from I think half blood prince? With cables and islets). I was very into shawls and lace but also little stuffies.
Aww I love that!
LOL! I feel attacked by this video. I also made socks out of Lily's Sugar n Cream yarn. We live and we learn.
Neat, i didnt get on ravelry till way later
I wish I used ravelry to post my projects over the years. I’ve just started to post my projects and look forward to looking back at the projects and progress I’ve made.
Hello from Swansea, Illinois.
❤
Those one skein lion brand scarfs with the novelty yarn! Does anyone remember those?!?!
I wasn't knitting at all 2008-2012. I learned how to do it in the 90s and did not pick it up again until last year.
Omg I love this! I'm a bit scared to go see the cringe I have on my ravelry projects 🙈
It’s the photos and also my project descriptions that make me laugh so much 😆 The actually knitting/crochet is usually fine, if a little dated. The silly photos are all me though haha
I was making socks and hats.
After 10 years of knitting and crochet, I don't like things that are too finicky either 😊
Right?!
Omg I love this! I'm a bit scared to go see the cringe I have on my ravelry projects 🙈