Tuesday 19 October 2010

My new hobby - knitting



When I was little, my gran taught me how to knit. I never really knitted more then a simple scarf but I used to like knitting. My gran made lots of our clothes, hand knitted jumpers, cardigans and just last year I asked her to knit me a matching beanie and scarf set since I knew moving to Malito would mean moving into a freezing, cold, sometimes snowing winter.


My gran is living in Australia, so it's a little hard to have knitting lessons with her, but I have found more then one willing teacher here in Malito. Bel fidanzato's mother is fantastic at knitting so she is helping/re-teaching me how to knit. Knitting is hard enough to begin with, but try learning new patters in Italian...so hard. I know the English words for the stitches, but had a difficult time trying to understand bel fidanzato's mother at first. Her knitting is like her cooking - no instructions, nothing written, all the patterns are in her head and she adjusts them as needs be. I cannot knit like this as I am just a beginner! When we made our first pair of baby booties I was very annoying as I made her stop after each row so I could write the instructions down. I have the instructions now, and the other day managed to make these little, white booties without any help.



Don't look too close as they are a little wonky. One foot is wider then the other, but I am happy with the result of my first, solo effort of knitting booties! I have to add some pom-poms or a ribbon for the ankle part, but I am ready to make more now. Since both my sisters are pregnant I have an excuse to knit lots, and lots of baby booties.


I didn't want to stop at booties though! I want to make as many things for my baby as I can. A neighbour gave us some old knitting magazines and I was so happy when I was flipping through and found English translations! It is so hard reading a knitting pattern in English, that I could not contemplate reading it in Italian. All these abbreviations, crazy names for simple stitches....thankfully the magazine has Italian instructions too so when I don't understand my English part, I get bel fidanzato's mum to read the Italian part.


I have decided to make baby a little jumper. It is very simple, and was one of the 2 patterns marked 'simple' in the magazine, thus the reason I chose it!



This is the back. Thus far I have knitted the jumper without help, but tomorrow I will have to go and ask bel fidanzato's mum for help since the instructions are turning a little strange...and I have no idea what I have to do next. Not to worry though as baby is not due until the end of January so I have plenty of time to knit him lots of little, cute clothes!















4 comments:

Sarah Elizabeth said...

It is quite amazing how similar our lives are at the moment! We're definately blogging twins now! I love the colour of the baby jumper and those booties are too cute. Now we can compare notes on knitting as well as house renovation! x x

Helen said...

Hi Leanne

If you'd like lots of free knitting patterns (in english) and lots of online tips and help join ravelry.com. It's a free online knitting community with more than 100,000 members world wide. I put baby in the pattern search and came up with 8000 free patterns. Youtube also has loads of clips on knitting how to's.
best wishes, the booties are lovely
H

Claire said...

OMG, I can't believe your knitting - Your a changed woman! I have to say, I am super impressed with your booties, you can't tell there is a single thing wrong with them - they look absolutely perfect. Well done. Franks's First Birthday- I can't wait to taste your gran's lovely pizza again. Ahhh it's the best pizza in the world.

See you soon hopefully.

LOL

Claire - PS I am still in the boot! No driving, working for me...Just studying!

Leanne was in Italy now in Australia said...

Hi Sarah,
It is amazing isn't it!

Hi Helen,
Thanks for that link, I'll check it out as I am always on the look out for easy patterns in English.

Hi Claire,
I am a woman of many talents! I am going to start sewing too...ha! I have a lot of free time on my hands, and winter is approching so there is not a lot I can do!