Knitting Inspirations

I am a seasonal knitter, usually beginning mid-fall and continuing until about the end of February.  The urge to pick up my needles is inspired by cool weather and a desire to create some unique Christmas gifts for family.  This year I began a little earlier and am pleased to say that I’ve already completed a sweater for my two year old great niece, I guess her birthday was the spark that started me this year.  Because I have started earlier than usual, I have more ideas of things I would like to complete before Christmas, maybe too many things.

Your library is a great source for patterns and ideas.  I know that I have found some wonderful patterns and ideas for my knitting projects in the many great books in our collection.  Some great titles are: Knitted Animal Hats, 60 More Quick Baby Knits, Cutest Ever Baby Knits, Not Just Socks, and Socks from the Toe Up. 

Maybe you would like some company as you knit.  There is a knitting group that meets on the last Tuesday of the month in the Kentville Library from September to May.  Several branches hosted knitting groups last year.  Inquire at a branch near you or maybe you would like to start such a group.  They meet and bring their knitting with them.  It is an opportunity to talk with fellow knitters, share patterns and ideas.

One of my new, but fast becoming a favourite source for knitting patterns, is Pinterest.  It is just, WOW!  You can see the completed project and then pin it to your account, so you have this wonderful, graphical source of patterns.  Many of them are free, others are for sale as a downloadable file.

Perhaps you are new to knitting or would like to learn.  There are books for beginners in our collection as well.  For a great source on-line try http://www.knittinghelp.com/  The glossary will tell you what all those abbreviations are, for example M1B, and many of them have a video included that shows you how to do it.

This little boy’s sweater is my current project, which I found through Pinterest as a free pattern.  It will be a Christmas gift for my new great nephew.  It is so much fun and very rewarding.  Hopefully you will soon picking up your needles.

Charlotte Janes,
Head of Systems and Administration