I need portable activities for the long metro (subway) ride between school and home. My big crafts are pottery painting at those “paint your own” places and cross stitch. Neither can be transported to the metro very well. I’ve tried with the cross stitch, but I just seem to need to spread out more than I can, even with little things like Christmas ornaments.
So, I’ve been thinking of taking up crochet or knitting. Mostly crochet. I like the idea of one needle rather than two but knitting seems more versatile, and they both seem fairly portable. It appears from watching others that I can put the yarn for either activity in my daypack, and then work out of it.
So, is this real? Should I be looking for some other hobby? Please don’t tell me I should do homework. I tried that too. I need to spread out more.
I knit and, depending on the project, it would definitely be something you could do on the Metro. Sometimes I need to spread out (like when I’m working on something that has an intricate pattern and I need to keep looking at the instructions or a very large project, like a blanket), but usually I’m working on something that’s pretty portable. Right now I’m working on a child’s guernsey sweater. While there is a lot of intricate stuff going on, there are also big sections of just stocking stitch, which is a very easy, fast stitch to do. Since you’d be a beginning knitter, the stuff you’d start on (scarves, hats, etc.) would probably be extremely easy to take along. Plus, when you finish, you have stuff!
Since I hate to knit, I will of course recommend crocheting! Along with the “only one hook” thing, it goes a little faster than knitting. The downside is that there are not nearly as many good crochet patterns as there are knitting patterns, at least not now, because knitting is hot right now. It’s hard to even find crochet magazines these days. On the plus side, once you master the basics, you can whip out a scarf or afghan much faster in crochet, and dropping stitches is rarely an issue.
Well, there seem to be a few “teach yourself to knit/crochet” packs at hobby stores right now and that’s what I’m thinking about picking up. Is this likely to work for a person who learns reasonably well, or am I likely to need a teacher in these areas?
I definitely vote for a crochet project. For over a year I did only single crochet, until I finally got the hang of double. If you get a big hook[a “Q” is my preferred one] and some extra-chunky yarn[which covers a multitude of sins i.e. dropped stitches] you can make a fringed scarf in 4-5 hours, YMMV Smaller hooks will give you a less hole-y look, but a project will take longer to complete. I recently made a shawl for a dear lady in a nursing home. It was 20" by 60", with alternate single and double crochet rows[ one of the former and two of the latter] Took me one week. It’s been my experience that a project looks kinda’ dorky until the finish is added: fringe, border stitches, etc. It’s amazing how these techniques can transform something you wouldn’t want to finish into something you’re proud to present, or even keep for yourself. When your traveling, the yarn won’t take up much room. A knapsack or shoulder bag or carry-all does a great job of keeping it all together. I saw one woman on the subway use a camera bag to hold her yarn. I sometimes crochet with two skeins at once, and it’s nice to have everything ready to go when you walk out the door. There are some fine books and websites, even a CD out there, but nothing will beat some hands on experience with a skilled crocheter. Find one, they are always very helpful.
Well, I’m a knitter, so of course I’m going to recommend knitting! But which of the two requires less elbow room?
My favorite portable knitting project is socks done on two circular needles. They’re small, and there are large sections that are just a lot of repetitive knitting. Socks aren’t quite a “beginner” project, but they’re not that hard, either. If you like knitting, they’re maybe something to work up to.
As far as working out of your backpack–put your skein or ball of yarn in a smallish drawstring bag, and run the working end out of that. It will keep the yarn “tame” and clean inside your backpack.
I’ve knitted potholders and washcloths. Those are fairly simple and don’t take up much space. If you get a knitting bag you can keep your yarn in there instead of dumping in the seat next to you. I’m also finishing up a blanket for my daughter that is knitted in panels, so I have a long strip instead of a big huge blanket.
Are you allowed to take needles on the subway? I know you can’t on airplances, but I didn’t know they were allowed on subways.
You may want to also check out a craft store like Michael’s. They offer knitting classes for about $10 and the cost of the supplies. I know I learn better when someone shows me, rather than figuring it out from a book.
As someone who has been a long-time knitter AND crocheter (over 30 years) as well as train commuter (over 20 years) I would suggest you try both and then go with whichever one you like better. A scarf in each technique would be a good introduction.
As far as space requirements - that depends as much on the project as the number of needles. A big afgan just isn’t suitable for train work, unless it’s the sort that’s done in small pieces you later join together.
Try a knitting/crochet kit - not too expensive - or a book. If that doesn’t work, most craft stores either have classes or know where to go for them.
BlueKangaroo, I live all of 40 miles from DC and have been crocheting for 25 years. Would you like a lesson? I can get you started, and that way the book for ‘how-to-crochet’ will make that much more sense to you when you’re trying to decipher how they did THAT stitch. Email’s in my profile, and I’m at your convenience since I’m home on mat leave.
Though I had some hands-on lessons from Lillith fair I mostly taught myself using a CD-ROM I got at JoAnns…Knitting Made Easy. When I knit on the train, I usually do something basic and mindless, like a scarf. Right now I’m working on a hot-water bottle cover which is knit in the round in stockinette…which means no counting, no pattern, just knit stitch all the way around, and since I don’t have to flip the needles around when changing direction, it takes up less airspace, and I can stop anywhere…don’t need to get to the end of a row, which is an advantage on a short commute like mine, because I have to get up and out quickly…I only have four stops to ride through.
I do both. In and of itself, I prefer knitting, but crochet is far more portable. There’s only the one little needle which means there’s more elbow room AND there’s the fact that you are less likely to lose a stitch while you’re carrying the project from place to place or if the ride gets lurchy. And, if you don’t know how to do either, I think you can learn crochet from a book, but not knitting.
Actually, you can take knitting needles on airplanes. Here are the TSA guidelines on needlework. Everything is ultimately up to the TSA person who screens your carry-on luggage, but I’ve flown with both bamboo 12-inch and aluminum 8-inch needles. They confiscated my #!% stitch holders, because they were metal and they didn’t know what they were, but they made it very clear that the knitting needles were a-okay. I think they got too much bad press for taking away knitting needles from little old ladies.
Have fun, BlueKangaroo! A friend of mine has asked me to teach him how to knit, and I’m just so excited I can’t hardly stand it.
I both knit and crochet, and while I crocheted as a child, I learned knitting as an adult when I was spending too much time on the subway and buses. So, certainly, you can engage in either on the metro and it should be fine.
Which you choose would depend a lot on what you want to make. Crochet is fast and simple, but also creates much bulkier stitches. There are few patterns for crocheted clothing and many of them are ugly, though there are some absolutely gorgeous crocheted things out there, as well. On the other hand, crochet makes great afghans and home decor projects, many of which are modular so you could work on small sections on the bus. Knitting is more popular, more written for and makes sweaters more like the ones you’re accustomed to seeing.
I don’t find the one v. two needle thing to be a huge difference, but if it’s a problem for you, use circulars for everything and you still only have one thing to keep track of, and it will always be embedded in your full number of stitches so you’re unlikely to lose it.
The biggest factor in how successful you are may be in how well you memorize pattern repeats. Juggling pattern, yarn and needles on the bus is a pain, but if you’re good at remembering what you’re supposed to be doing, you’ll find it easy enough to only look at your pattern occasionally.
I have problems knitting in close places, because the yarn gets terribly twisted. Somehow it isn’t so bad if I can have the yarn a few feet away from me.
And about those TSA guidelines for needlework: they don’t allow circular thread cutters? Like, the little pendant threadcutters? What on earth could a person do with one of those?
Just what is the difference between knittting and crocheting? I’ve searched the web for a good instructional site, but have only found things that leave me more confused than before.
As I’ve said before, I want to make a few scarves based on the one worn by Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor.
Crocheting uses a needle with a little hook on the end. Most stitches involve putting the hook through a previously formed loop, catching the yarn with the hook and pulling it back through. Knitting uses straight needles that taper to a point, and I’ve never really understood how those stitches work.
Apparently there were some pendants that could be taken apart and the cutter inside could be removed. Not a good thing, in this day and age.
I’m a knitter. There’s lots of small projects you can take and make in both knitting and crochet. You can make small squares that are then sewn into larger projects (e.g., afghans). That way you don’t have to tote a big honking afghan with you on the subway or bus.
