...and I am the lady person that decided she wanted to set up a knitting club. I'm going to set this out as a Q&A style session with myself as both questioner and answerer (I think I just made up 2 words there, haha), and if there is still something you want to know, just pop the question in the comments section and I'll answer them in another post! Right, you ready? Here goes...
How long have I been knitting for?
On and off for several years but properly for, I'd say, the last 2. I'm a very visual learner and couldn't pick up things easily unless I watched another person do them so it took me a while but once I understood the basics the more complicated stitches have been easier to understand and get to grips with.
Why did I start knitting?
I've seen my mum knit for years (she's the one who taught me over and over again until I finally caught on) and decided that I wanted to do it. I think I picked up on knitting just as it was re-surging in popularity and so bought lots of books at the bookshop I was working at.
Why do I knit?
Right now, I knit for pleasure. I find it very relaxing and it's a great way to take my mind off anything that's bugging me or that I want to forget about for a while. Christmas is another matter though, and I've been recently making all my family's gifts! Haha, yes I'm behind...a couple of people will be getting IOU's (Whoops! Hehe) Knitting is not something I'm using to make money from right now, but hopefully in the future I'll be able to sell patterns/garments that I make...I'm just starting to design/create my own knitting patterns and am finding it very rewarding when the pattern works! Haha.
Why did I set up a knitting club?
It's something that, since I became serious about knitting, I've wanted to do. I went to a couple of other knitting groups/clubs around London but didn't really feel like I was able to chat to many people - too noisy, too many people, too many formed groups of knitters who knew each other. I know this sounds weird, and the people that I did talk to were very welcoming but like any community you get little cliques or just feel like you don't really belong or are getting out of the situation what you expected to. So I decided to set up my own - firstly The Last Wednesday Knitting Club in Notting Hill, which has been a success in my eyes, i.e. people actually turning up each month, and from January 12th Wednesday Knit² will be taking place in East London. I've made new friends and have a great time each month just getting to chinwag with a group of like-minded women (men haven't come along yet, but they are very welcome!) and knit!
Do I have any tips for wannabe knitters?
Yes. Don't give up! It is really frustrating to begin with when you can't remember what you're doing or meant to do and when all these holes turn up in your scarf and it gets thinner and fatter at certain points. But don't throw down the knitting needles just yet! Knitting gets easier the more you do it, like everything! And I've still got the first piece of sample/practice knitting I ever did and look back at it fondly and think, "Yeah, I've got skills now!". I have taught knitting and crochet and watching someone get past the knitting wall of frustration is very rewarding for both me as the teacher and them as the student.
What else do I do other than knit and run knitting clubs?
I am literally a Jackie-of-all-trades! I am a teaching assistant, bookshop worker, casual shop assistant, admin assistant, blogger, wannabe illustrator/writer/artist.......I do lots of things and enjoy them all. Hopefully 2011 proves a little calmer in terms of my employment but at this stage in my life I guess I can just chalk it all up as life experience that I will look back on fondly and tell tales of when I'm old and greyer! Haha.
For those who are eagle-eyed you may have noticed that I'm crocheting in one picture. This blog won't purely be for knitting - any crochet that takes my or Kim's fancy will end up on here for your viewing. We love all yarn crafts and welcome knitters, stitchers and hookers alike! Hehe.
So I hope you have enjoyed this wee introduction. Kim's is up next and I hope you enjoy reading hers and stick around to check up on what we blog about and find interesting in this little woolly world.
xx Knitter Love xx
The first review I'm posting today, and is of the book above, 'Love...Knitting' by Val Pierce. This book is just as good for a beginner knitters and advanced knitters alike but knowledge of the basics is recommended before diving into it! There are step-by-step instructions at the beginning, so if you need a bit of a reminder of stitches and techniques then they are at hand, but if you don't need them you can just dive right into the many amazing projects the pages have to offer. My first project is going to be the Shimmer Headband. I'm trying to get through my stash and this projects requires only 50g of 2 colours - one for the headband and another for the bow decoration attached. It's very on-trend with a lot of knitted headbands I've seen in the shops recently like this one from Lowie... 
