Men Who Knit Promoting and inspiring the art of knitting amongst men.

Ok so its my first time and somethings are good tight- but not when you cast on!! arrrgghhhh!!!

So I sat down with my supplies to attempt my first hat.  Nice alpaca yarn, two skeins, not wound into a ball or in a workable roll, just skeins.  I had hand wound some yarn I spun myself so i thought no problem, I will just make a ball by hand.  It seemed like in seconds I had a mess of yarn.  Fighting the urge to pull hard I worked the length I had into a ball, worked it through the maze, wound some more, worked the maze, shook it, wound some more.  As I type this I still have a mess but this is me taking a break so as not to get even more frustrated. I will be taking the second one back to the store and having them wind it on that thingamajig that does it in seconds versus the hour or so it will take me. Sigh.

Whenever I am working on a project that I am just creating out of my mind, I will scribble down a few notations.  Like a pattern motif, bound off so many stitches here and there, picked up this number etc.  Then someone asks me for the pattern.  Then I try and write it out.  I should take better notes.  Instead I get so involved in the creative aspect that I forget about the diligence of good, detailed note taking.

Any suggestions from my fellow comrades out there?

Not to good at this, but I will try and post the sweater I recently completed.  I used the concept of decreasing from Ann Budd's handy book of sweater patterns for the set-in sleeve; otherwise the design is mine, experimenting and ripping (when it did not look right to me).  I used wool from cottagecraft (in Canada).  But I must learn the tricks of sucking in the stomach muscles etc when being photographed.

As I type this it says 2 users and ........106 guests online!!!  WOW

I decided to teach myself how to knit continental-style today. I've got the knits down, but I think I'm twisting my purl stitches. Maybe I'm wrapping the yarn the wrong way... I'm using the videos at KnittingHelp.com to guide me along.

I've been going through my stitch dictionary to find something with an interested texture. I have been eyeing the staggard brioche rib, but I do love a moss stitch scarf (pictured left).

I think that one of the things that I like about kniting is the time it takes me to do certain things.  Patience is required to come up with the design and colors for such a simple item as a scarf.  Here is the progress so far.  I like long scarfs and this one looks like it may be one of those.

Just wanted to know what experiences people have had getting onto a plane with their knitting.  I have heard that wooden needles are okay but the metal ones are not.  I would hate to get to a gate and have them say I can't take it on.  Thanks!

Greetings from the land of NASCAR and barbecue wars.  I'm a librarian in North Carolina who's trying to start a knitting group for teens.  The girls are responding but the guys are slow to buy in.  I'm posting a flyer with "Man Enough To Knit Strong Enough To Purl" and photos of men of various ages knitting, but I could use some suggestions.  I'm over 50.  Any ideas on what might appeal to the younger crowd?  Thanks in advance for your insights.

Um, well I have started a new project which really is just a scarf but working with a different textured yarn which is the new part.  I also just bought more needles, a pattern and yarn for another project and i have some other yarn for another project that I am thinking about.  Starting to get piles of knitting things.  Is this a disease I have caught??

     Joined last week and thought I would say hello. I am NOT a man, but I hope you guys don't hold it against me! I am a designer who is VERY interested in designing men's knits and hope to learn from all of your experiences. I think the current availability of designs is pretty slim, and would like to work on changing that.