Knitted Item Swap?

#1

Just curious if anyone would be interested in doing a knitted item swap?
I’ve just seen an afghan squares exchange where each participant knits
let’s say 12 squares and then sends to 11 other people so that
everyone ends up with 12 different squares to sew together into
an afghan. It looked like alot of fun and seemed like a brilliant way
to do some stash busting! It didn’t matter what type of yarn you
used or what pattern just so long as each square measured the set
size.

Anyway, I’d love to get involved in something like that or if not
something that big then even a sock swap, scarf swap, insert
knitted item here swap…haha Just thought it would be fun to
swap some actual knitting…

Any thoughts?

Libbie :slight_smile:

#2

I could go for that. I give away most of my knitting anyway. So at least if I give it to another knitter, they would know the work that went into it.:wink:

#3

i like that idea. i have several currently unloved random balls of yarn that would just love to be made into freindly swap squares im sure.

#4

Sounds nice, but it’s not one I’d take part in.
My skills aren’t all that fantastic yet, so whatever someone would get from me would be VERY simple and most likely disappointing. Add to that the fact that I work (besides at home) 11 hour days, and just don’t have the time to get something whipped out in a limited deadline time.
Just some random thoughts. Don’t know if others are in the same situation as me or not, but it might be a consideration…

#5

I like the idea! I think something like dishclothes or scarves or even socks (redheadrachel would like that!) can be good ideas. It can also be a learning project for people too! if someone doesn’t know how to make something but are willing to learn and have the dedication then they should join. All the people in the swap will be making (for example socks) so they’ll be plenty of help for anyone that’s having a problem doing something. Plus there’s tons of internet resources. :slight_smile: I love swaps and I think knitting something for someone and possibly learning a new thing, would be a fun challenge

#6

I’d be up for it when it gets off the ground

#7

Oh my gods, I would LOVE to … but I’m such a slacker about stuff, I’d probably never get it done until forever. Add to that … I really don’t like a lot of the knit stuff I’ve run across for myself, so most of what I would get, I’d probably regift.

#8

I think is a great idea! Maybe we should think of the time, like two months to finish the item. Some of us are not fast knitters… :oops:and when life comes along… hehehe! Anyway, if you guys start this swap i will love to join.

#9

I love the idea of the afghan squares.

I would have to opt out of a sock swap as I haven’t mastered dpns yet, nor magic loop… I have frogged my husband’s tie which won’t show the ladders about 50 or more times now for I can’t figure out why or how I start knitting one way, then reverse so my once knitted side is now purled and the purled side is suddenly knitted.

#10

Ok, so maybe we should post a poll to see what the most people
would be interested in doing? Anyone know how to do that? hehe
go ahead whoever does. I certainly don’t want to exclude anyone and
as Samsam said the idea of it being a knit along is so we can all help
each other out! Also, I think we need to be reasonable with the time
and not expect anyone to belt out anythign too fast… And, for
what it’s worth, if we did exchange afghan squares I’d be fine with
receiving a simple garter st or stockinette st square from those who
are still new to the craft.

Anyway, someone who knows how to post a poll maybe put one up
with a few options and see what people would go for…? Also, I
have no idea how to host a swap so if this starts going forward
there would need to be someone who’d want to do it…:slight_smile:

Libbie

#11

I like the square idea, in that, it would be small areas to try something new… I have never done cables, and this would give me an opportunity to try them (or something else), without taking on a whole project… Not that I would be opposed to another item, but I am not that efficient of a knitter, or experienced…

Look forward to seeing what happens!!

#12

Count me in xx

#13

Regardless on what pattern you can knit I think it’ll be great to have a blanket made from the squares knitted up by those who’ve joined in.

#14

Sounds like a great way to use my stash yarn–like the idea of making “blocks” to send. I would be great to have a “blanket” with other knitters work on it.
Count me in.

#15

Hey Sunny, the same thing used to happen to me ALL the time…!! About not knowing if I was on a purl side or a knit side when I come back to my work after a day or so, or even after just a few minutes of playing with the cat!

Learning what the stitches “look like” and the anatomy of how that stitch is put together is a GREAT HELP, but kinda abstract and hard to understand before it all clicks, and believe me it did CLICK. Like, one day I’m all “this will NEVER MAKE SENSE AHHHHHHH” and then all of a sudden I SEE what I’m doing and it makes sense!

Anyhoo. In the meantime, I tried to pay extra attention to which side the tail thread was on from the cast on. Or, weave in to about 2 or 3 stitches on the bottom RIGHT corner (of the right or “correct” or “public” side) and that way I’d always know when the scrap of pink on my green scarf got to the right-hand side I was on the right side of the piece and if it went to the left-hand side I was on the wrong side of the piece.

Sorry if that seemed uber obvious but it took me a while to figure it out!

Oh, and magic look can look REALLLLY intimidating. But it’s really not. SOOOOOO much better than DPNs I think. I’m using Silver’s sock tutorial doing two toe up on one circular needle to kill two birds with one stone: learning socks, learning magic loop.

#16

Yeah, that would be okay with me, too. If everyone used their own ideas of types of stitches, and patterns, it would add texture and interest to the completed afghans.

Sunny

#17

Ok, I figured out how to post a poll so if you are interested in this
swap go vote so we can decide what to swap! :slight_smile:

Thanks…
Libbie

#18

scarves would be nice ! simple or not; many choices… felted purses too. I’m not into afghan squares:waving:

#19

Just taking this idea and running with it, lemme know what you think.

How bout taking the 12 squares and dividing it out over the span of a year, one square per month. Each month you send your square to a different person (meaning in for Jan you send to person A, for Feb you send to person B, and you might be getting a square from person G one month then one from person H the next, and so on).

Beginners can work on simple color squares, or simple textured squares, more advanced of us can do image work/more advanced techniques. Depending on how others feel, you could try to mix it up so everyone’s final piece will have roughly equal amounts of “newbie squares” and “pro squares.” Plus, that way say if one person’s not so advanced and makes 12 single color square blocks and recieves 12 crazy intricate detailed work, well… I guess maybe the other way to do it might be to have separate catagories for beginner/advanced?

I dunno, but the 12 and 12 thing caught my eye. It’d be nice to have a themed knit-along-swap, and spread out like that we wouldn’t have to make a huge committment with a close deadline, and instead one simple (or complex, depending on your skill level and schedule) afghan square per month which seems a lot less daunting, I think. Though, it would be a greater committment over a long period of time (meaning it would be stinky if a bunch of people dropped out after a few months leaving that same number of people with unfinished throws)…

I dunno, just a suggestion.

I still haven’t decided whether or not I’d want to join, I guess it really depends on the final parameters and schedule… The semester just started up again so I don’t know if I could commit to anything that large unless it was relatively spread out over a bit of time.

#20

a.shin.grace.
wow… that sounds like a cool way to approach it… I had expressed curiosity on how it could work in the “Poll” thread … not sure if you have been to that one yet…

and the timetable would give “newbies” a chance to move “up” from that … And it would split up the mailing costs. And still allow time to work on other projects…

Unfortunately a very valid concern in the “commitment” factor… But I thought it was a well thought process, if the “right” people were involved…

[COLOR=SeaGreen] Side note: not sure how many go to crochetville (I know there are some of you out there), any way… they have a “Hall of Shame” and they keep track when people don’t fulfill swap obligations… and they are forbidden from future swaps until they perform restitution… They one thing I don’t like about their “swap rules”, is you have to be a member for so long with so many posts… I have been here at KH for almost a year and have half the posts of some people that have only been a member for a few months… I am just pretty shy… [I]PLEASE NOTE: I am not suggesting such a thing here, just thought of it becuz of the topic.[/I][/COLOR]