Saturday, June 6, 2009

Crochet and Knitting: Do you have a favorite?

I love both crochet and knitting. I can't choose one over the other! Making your own fiber fabric with mere needles and hooks fascinates me.

Knitting has been a life long passion, since my attempt at age twelve at a single mitten. Many years later and no more mittens, my closet is over-flowing with my knitted sweaters from Icelandic Lopi to multi-cabled designs.

I love the drape of knitted fabric as it falls below your needles and turns into a woven fabric.

Right now, I have a sweater that is still on my needles begging to be finished. It was started last fall, but it took a back seat to a busy life and felting!

I discovered felting about a year ago. My washing machine has never been the same since. I get excited by the magic of felting knitted pieces. Transforming their size, shape, texture and colour through the unthinkable harsh treatment of the wool tossed around in the hottest water. Of course, it's just another excuse to knit.

I have a collection of knit felted bags of various sizes and shapes. I use one for my needle felting supplies. Another one protects my cherished digital camera. Yet another totes around wool and needles. Shamefully, one hangs at my back door empty and unused. I made so many I started giving them away!

I started crocheting around the same time I took up knitting and thus discovered another passion. Granny squares were an early specialty. Amigurumi is not new to me. I was making crocheted frogs, mice, kangaroos and the whole animal kingdom in the 1970s!

I like the structural dimension to crochet as your hook can create pieces with form and dimension. It is such a versatile art.

My crochet fiber jewelry is fun to design and wear. Necklaces, bracelets and rings use the best of crochet's ability to give pieces structure.

My crocheting has not escaped my felting craze. I love felted crochet flowers. I pin them on bags, me and others!

My mother's 1950's crochet pattern books are a gold mine of ideas and inspiration. Crocheting purses from these vintage patterns gives me an opportunity to explore fashions of the past as I learn old techniques of design.

Don't ask me to choose a favorite, because I can't. Can you?

Express your passion for your favorite fiber art in a comment to this post.

Happy fiber arting!

2 Comments:

dawn said...

I never have gotten the hang of crochet, so I'm all knitting girl :)

Alpaca Farmgirl said...

So glad you brought this up. I am dying to learn to crochet. I have a feeling that I am going to love it. I recently tried spinning and that was a FAIL.

I had signed up for a class and we had a baby alpaca born that morning so I missed it. Maybe soon...

Love your blog. Thanks for participating in Fiber Arts Friday!