June 29, 2013 Passing it On

After a wonderful chat on June 22, we asked for some suggestions for upcoming #knitchat sessions, and we got some great ones.  Next week's topic will be ways we pass on the knitting bug to others.

We already talked a little about knitting in public, but that is certainly a good way to generate interest,

Q1. Do you go around prepared to teach?  I frequently carry around some extra yarn and needles for just that purpose.  What about you?

Q2. Do you have any special tips or tricks for getting a beginner started? 

Q3. What is your all time favorite beginner project?

Q4.  How do you handle someone you are trying to teach who is other hand dominant than you?

Q5. Supplies: do you start people out on straight needles or circular needles?  What weight yarn works best for a beginner?  What type of fiber?

Don't forget our interview coming up on July 6 with Heather Ordover from Craftlit.

I’m very excited to announce that Heather Ordover,the host of my favorite podcast, Craftlit, will be joining us for an interview on July 6, 2013. If you have any questions for Heather, please post them here.

Taken straight from the CraftLit web page:

CraftLit®, a podcast for busy people who love books, has been hosted by Heather Ordover since 2006. The show started specifically as a way to get classic literature to people who were busy working with their hands. The hour-or-so weekly episodes are Audiobooks with Benefits™—an episodic audiobook that also includes background and insights modern readers sometimes need to make a classic book come to life. Not just rehashing the literary criticism du jour, Ordover guides you through the book with a wink and a smile so you are able to get the jokes and not just giggle uncomfortably while fiddling with your drinking glass. 
In 2011 she spun CraftLit off into Just the Books—all the lit, none of the craft, a version of the show that runs in parallel with CraftLit but appeals to those in the audience who appreciate her “teach to the joke” story commentary but aren’t interested in the crafty chat.

Upcoming #knitchat KAL for August: Fetching

A suggestion was made during today's #knitchat to try a group KAL, so I propose we try Fetching fingerless mitts.  They are easy enough for a beginner, but spicy enough for someone with experience, small and portable for summer, and they'll be ready just in time to wear in September.

Fetching Mitts on Knitty.com

If this goes well, and folks want to try another KAL, we'll be looking for suggestions, so don't forget to get your favorite patterns out there.  If we have a second KAL, we'll vote on a pattern.

#knitchat Topic for June 22, 2013: Summer Knitting

I think for most of us, summer knitting presents a bit of a challenge. Between the heat, and the fact that we are always on the go, our choice of projects and yarn may change from our cozy winter norms.

Join your host Lynn (@Lynn4MK) on Saturday, June 22, at our old, and apparently more convenient, time of 11am EST over on Twitter, to discuss how to beat the heat with your summer knitting. Come armed with tips, yarn choices, and project selections. Feel free to share discussion points here in the comments section, and over on the Ravelry group. Join in by following the hashtag #knitchat over on Twitter. New to Twitter chats and need help joining in? Just ask!

Knitting in Public

As we all certainly know, this week was World Wide Knit in Public Week, and this seemed like a timely moment to discuss this topic. I myself am a frequent public knitter, and I have to say, this practice has exposed me to some very interesting questions and comments. Some questions we will discuss:

1. What types of places do you find yourself knitting?
2. What is the funniest thing anyone has said to you about your knitting?
3. Do you ever end up giving spontaneous knitting lessons? Do you leave the house prepared with materials to teach interested people?
4. Do you have any Knit in Public events going on near you? What kinds of things do you think would pique the public’s interest?
5. What makes a good portable project to take on the go? What are your favorite patterns that lend themselves to public knitting?