Handmade 2013: Win a Twice As Nice Pass!

I am a knitter, but I also have a square loom at home that gets use every now and then, and a drop spindle that I have a love-hate relationship. But I do love ALL THE THINGS and this year, I want to master some of the techniques I haven’t managed to yet, and learn to crochet. So help me learn ALL THE THINGS and chillax in the knitting lounge with ya’ll. :)

I knit, crochet, sew and bake. I never have enough hours in the day and I’m terrible at starting projects and not quite finishing them – but then, that just means there’s always something for me to get stuck into when I have a spare moment! I SO want to do some Handmade classes this year, but with 4 kids all participating in various (expensive) activities I just can’t afford it at the moment. I will definitely spend some time hanging out in the Knit Lounge though :)

I’m a chap who knits, and that’s still the crafty thing I do most. I’m planning on learning to crochet. But I’ve always been fascinated by card weaving, ever since a statistician on a field trip to Stephens Island (where I was bitten by a tuatara, though that’s nothing to do with craft; incidentally the easiest way to tell tuatara apart is to write a number on the side of them with a Sharpie) who wove me a beautiful bookmark from cotton thread and a deck of cards punched with holes.

oh oh oh oh i would LOVE to win this.
Now that i live in Wellington i was physced for Handmade! but due to cashflow i havn’t been able to afford to go to any classes :(
I love to craft, knitting and dyeing are my #1 loves at the moment but i also love to hand sew, create multi media canvas’s and the number f things i want to try are endless!

I like it ALL!! I knit (have just started making up my own patterns), I crochet (self taught via YouTube videos), I sew (I have a Dip in Fashion Design), I scrapbook, papermake, take photographs, paint, dye, draw, reguarly burn my fingers on my hot glue gun, I love glitter and sequins and often find them in my bed of all places, I card make and finger knit and crossstictch and screen print and generally have driven my mother mad with scissor since I was a small child.

She even had a jacket printed with “I run with scissors” for me!

My favourite saying is “It’s a design feature” whenever I make a small error ;)

Sometimes living a multi-crafty life can be frustrating! I often envy people who have One True Love for a hobby – I can’t help myself from dipping into everything so I’m constantly feeling a bit guilty, surrounded by half finished projects (except for baking projects, somehow baking projects always reach a timely and delicious conclusion). I’ve got two thirds of a rag rug, half a scarf, half a cardy, a collection of almost but not quite finished braided bracelets and a pile of very pretty fabric I need to be brave enough to attack with scissors. Things seem to stagnate over the summer but then the first rainy day comes around and I get excited all over again.

But the feeling when I finish something, or learn something new (even just a new kind of stitch) is the BEST. Last year I tried my hand at bone carving, print-making, fashioned some wooden kitchen spoons and a leather satchel and learned how to crochet flowers under imminent threat of tantrums from my nieces.

Next up I’m itching to learn how to use a loom, and I just dug out my Mum’s old collection of macrame books. Oh boy do I love to get down and crafty. Jeeze.

I love all sorts of crafts – knitting, crochet, cross stitch, sewing, etc are still current crafts, particularly now for our grandchildren (four plus one on the way) fitting them in around work and family activities. In the past have done macrame, used paint tubes, taught various crafts to children – you name it, I’ve probably had a go at it!

I’m not as multi-craftual as I would like to be, Knitting and baking are my passions and I dabble a wee bit in crochet – with plans to learn more. I would LOVE to learn to sew and to decorate cakes, and to make things like cheese!

I am predominately at knitter at the moment, but in the past I have sewed and crocheted. I enjoy baking, but don’t have enough time to do much. I’m sure that will change at some point! One of my goals is to learn to make cheese. My mother is from a farming background, and one of my early memories is going to visit relatives on the farm and eating home made cottage cheese.

I was taught to knit by my nana and grandma, now they had both passed on I don’t seem to be able to get any further that booties and hats for u my unborn bubba! Taught myself the cable knit pattern but can’t master dropping or picking up stitches! I also love to sew and bake, my favourite being with chocolate!! Always been more of a crafter and always want to learn more but lack of money has made it hard to go to classes would love to win so I can keep learning and then pass on my knowledge!!

I get bored with only one craft, or with only one project within a craft. Sometimes I’m jealous of those monogamous crafters, who can stick with one craft or project, but it’s not me. I do tend to stay in the fibres and fabrics range; knitting, sewing, spinning, patchwork, cross stitch. But my papercrafts is one box (mainly kept as I have a daughter) and my beading is one small box.
I’m wanting to learn to weave and play with dying yarn. But these tie into my primary crafts of knitting and sewing. I want to spin more, but my 20 month old daughter tries to ‘help’.
I’m so lucky my husband agreed to finding a house with space for a sewing room.

taught to knit by my dad, can crotchet but not great fan used to sew most of my clothes and kids have quilted,drop spindle spun not very good am doing cheese making workshop and a dropp spindle class but no masterclasses

I love to dabble in all kinds of crafts but my favourites are knitting and sewing – although I have recently learnt to crochet which is my current distraction.

I have dabbled in many crafts, but my favourite is Knitting. I have made Quilts by hand and machine, and did Crosstitch, Bargello and Macrame until my eyestight got too bad. I still sew ocasionally, but also Spin and Crochet – still mastering those skills. I was brought up cooking and Baking, and once did know how to ice cakes like the professionals do. Pottery was another thing I once did. Oh, and I can’t forget the Wine, beer and cider making I do – that’s a whole new skill to master. There are still so many new skills left that I can learn or adapt my existing knowledge. Events like Handmade inspire me to try something else learn new skills, so I’m looking forward to that.

I am a knitter. Have been for years. Mum taught us all to knit probably when we were about 6-7. Rediscovered knitting once I was a SAHM and grabbed some time when the girls were asleep to try new patterns and knitting techniques. I love cooking and baking. Try a new recipe for dinner most nights and love baking too. Have tried cupcake decorating once but really am not artistic in that medium at all…..still love to do it but am realistic about what the end product will look like. LOL. Would love to learn to crochet!

I love knitting, baking and preserving. I’d love to try weaving and spinning. I’m mostly self-taught but I try to take classes to gain more confidence when I’m trying something new. One day I’d love to take a project all the way through from picking a fleece, spinning and dyeing it, to knitting a finished project.

Hi, I’m Kathy and I’m a craft-a-holic.

It doesn’t matter what it is or how little time I actually have available, you will always here me coo-ing “ooh, I could make that!” at a fair or “I’ve always wanted to do that…” as I drool over evening classes. Some I’ve actually done – picture framing was a memorable one – but there are a dozen more on my ever-growing list of ‘one day…’ projects, like pottery: I’ve been itching to do that for 20 years. I guess I should finish what I’ve started first – like the giant cross-stitch that’s covered in decades of dust and and the eclectic box of sewing projects, but I usually just end up baking.

Mostly I knit, but I picked up crochet last year. They’re both fun and make it easy to justify my ridiculous addition: I mean, a girl NEEDS a dozen matching hats and scarves, right?

;-)

I have always loved crafts. I quilt, knit, crochet, can sew clothes but would really like to learn to do it properly, I see so many talented seamstresses out there, and that would be one of my goals. I can also hand stitch. I have started to teach my children the art of crafts, and admire anyone who can put their hand to it. I am often lost when people look at me and ask how do you find the time and I say, my time is precious and I want to enjoy making something with what I have.

I love baking, cooking, soap making, cheese making and love to learn and watch other people.

My first ‘making’ was paper dolls. Mum would draw model figures on the long white cardboard that came with knee socks (it was the 70s!) and I would spend hours tracing their outlines on to paper and ‘designing’ a whole wardrobe. Wish I’d kept those figures now. We even made them able to stand. Nowadays I knit knit knit. I love turning yarn into something useful. Especially socks!

Sewing, knitting, baking & cooking (was in charge of cakes and desserts at my work when chef training many moons ago), taught myself some crochet last Christmas. Used to make recycled envelopes out of magazine pages. Used to cross stitch. Would like to try book binding and re-upholstering furniture and cheese making – among many things :)

I love needlework and have always been a cross stitcher. So much so, that I finally got up the courage to join my local Embroiderers’ Guild. I have finished a couple of rather large cross stitch projects and given myself permission to set my ‘to do list’ aside and not to do another one until I have learned some new skills and techniques. I have signed up for a couple of local classes and would LOVE to do more, but my pocket money is limited!! I am left handed, so to learn something new really can be tricky. I am absolutely dying to learn crochet and tatting and the list could go on and on and on! I would really love to have the opportunity to attend classes and lectures at Handmade as I never been to one as I have always been put off in the past due to cost.

I’m mainly a knitter but I try to bake most weekends as well and have just started to do some origami flowers as well. I’ve been knitting about 6 years since my sister taught me and now can’t imagine life without it!

My mum taught me to knit when I was about 7 and I’ve been knitting ever since. I mostly knit for my two little girls and I also knit for giving to family – I especially love baby knitting! I always have several projects on the go and knit on the train to and from work. I love the challenge of a new technique and I spend way too much time browsing patterns on ravelry. I also bake and have done some cross stitch, crochet and sewing in the past but knitting is my favourite.

Sewing/quilting is my main thing, with knitting/crochet a solid second. A bit of embroidery and jewellery rounds out my main interests, although to be fair I’m a bit of a magpie so if something interesting catches my eye it doesn’t take long and I’m having a go!

I mostly knit, dabble in sewing, and attempt many makes of different sorts when i feel inspired.

I guess you could say I do a craft for a job so I don’t really consider it a craft, I make costumes. I also spent 6 years doing an embroidery course but I love, love knitting and soon spinning.

Knitting, sewing, gardening, lots of food stuff, especially preserves… don’t suppose writing is a craft really, is it?

I mainly knit and sew but I also cross stitch, make toys and have done some card making and tatting. I’m trying not to gain new addictions since I don’t have the time or the space. At the moment I am still just managing to resist the urge to learn to spin. We have also dabbled in cheese making which was a lot of fun.

I sew (lots), working as a quilt maker, but sew clothing for myself and my children as well. I’ve recently rediscovered the love of knitting, I was never very good but have the love for circular needles and luxury yarn. I have high hope of learning to knit socks one day.

I knit and sew, can do more than this as I’d have no room to store the stash LOL

A wannabe knitter, I dabble here and there one hat I made for my two yearold son still fits him at 5.5 years ….. mostly I sew gifts for friends and make things from old broken kids books. Crochet and how to read a knitting pattern are two skills on my 2013 list to knok off yet!!

I knit… sew occasionally. but I too love the portability of knitting, and how it makes any sitting/waiting time productive :D

I am a knitter and lover of wool and fibre and I’m definitely guilty of being a collector and stasher of many balls of wool. More balls of wool than anyone really needs to feather their nest with. I like trying and learning new things and techniques which I can then practise making things for my son, family and friends.I’m currently looking into square micro looms to rediscover single yarn weaving. I also sew, stitch and paint occasionally too when I get the time. So I would love to hang out with other like minded HandMade crafter’s in the Knit Lounge ;)

I’m so glad you’re doing this again this year! :) I have never been to Handmade and would love to experience it. I am by and large a(n obsessive) knitter, with some dabbling in spinning. I would love to get some structured instruction on spindling, try weaving, or get in on the silver treasures workshop.

I just started knitting, and I love it!! I finished my first beanie yesterday, well, I still have to sew it together though! :) Next challenge will be crochet, I can’t wait to learn some more!!

Hi Tash and team,

I have dabbled in lots of things over the years, textiles of any sort being my addiction…………..but now its yarn, yarn and more yarn. Am aiming for sable! (stash aquisition beyond life expectancy).

Karen x

I’ve been engaged in knitting, crochet and embroidery for many years. I learnt from my mother and my aunt and I’m currently passing on my skills to my daughters and their friends. They call me on the the ‘Knitty helpline’. I’m still learning myself(joy!) and I think if we can all take the opportunities that come our way and share our skills we can make our world a better place.

I love anything that I can potter around with am make something with and like yourself enjoy that knitting is a very portable craft. I’ve even been known to knit in fields and race event centres after my race. I now have a knitting bag that says “{gasp} she knits in public!”.

Ooh! So much craftiness attempted here… I knit, cross stitch, hand sew, machine sew, do crewel work, wooden bead dying and threading, paper mache, jewellery making, felting and even a little wood carving all to varying degrees of amateur to average :-)

Ooh! So much craftiness attempted here… I knit, cross stitch, hand sew, machine sew, do crewel work, wooden bead dying and threading, paper mache, jewellery making, felting and even a little wood carving all to varying degrees of amateur to average :-)

At this time of year I’m all agog with crafting possibilities, but being self taught my projects both in knitting and sewing always fall short of my expectations and so Handmade looks like a good way to learn a skill or two to make my projects more satisfying.

sigh So many crafts, so little time. Knitting takes up most of my time at the moment, but I’ve also been known to do cross-stitch (sometimes very cross stitch when I’ve miscounted squares), needlework, and drag costumes for a Hulk Hogan doll I inherited (don’t ask). I also occasionally wrangle beads and tiger tail too, and make random objects out of paper (the last one turned post-it notes into a floral lei). I’ve tried and loved wood-block printing and spinning, and I really, really want to get to grips with sewing (for my size rather the Hulk doll’s) and crochet. Plus I have my eye on one of those looms in the store. And I miss drawing and painting…I think you get the picture! :)

If you can describe my job as crafting indexes, I think I can sneak this reference in too. (Tash, you might appreciate this.) I came across the following reference when I was trawling through the Speaker’s Rulings:

Knitting, in Chamber, 15/6
“Knitting is permitted in the Chamber except by a Minister in charge of a bill in committee.”

(I don’t think I’d be able to get away with it though!)

ALL THE CRAFTS! Well, several. Most recently fibrecrafts – knitting, some crochet, drop spindling, getting up courage to do the ‘wheel thing’. But I’ve also done origami, calligraphy, jewellery making and other things I can’t think of right now. For someone who hates sewing (it starts with trying to thread the needle and only gets worse) I seem to have to do a lot of it to finish my projects! I <3 you, magic loop knitting in the round!

At the moment I really love Knitting! So mainly I knit, if I had more time I would love to learn to sew properly and get back into woodwork and spend a bit more time mastering crochet! Last year I went to a class at handmade where we hand stitched hexagons which was really fun and did some free lance quilting on the sewing machine I really enjoyed this and bought a sewing machine but its still in the box, while I spend my spare time trying to complete one just one knitting project before I get distracted by the next. This year I would love to learn to spin!

I have dabbled in other crafty things over the years, but have always come back to knitting – it’s so portable. Great for destressing (well, as long as I read the pattern properly!) too. Still do some sewing, mainly for repairs and alterations. Would love to have a go at spinning, felting and anything else yarny.

So I follow HRYC on ravelry, facebook and the website (in the least stalkerish way possible), and have just googled to find out what Handmade 2013 is. Oh. Em. Gee. Nearly wet myself I want to go soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo bad. I love knitting and yarnbombing, would definately be keen to go and learn some new techniques at Handmade like the beaded knitting class and the cable without cables (although, I am going to start coming to Sat sit & knits and learn to actually cable too). If I won, I would make loud excited noises and jump up from my desk like the people on the nz tax refund woohoo adds!!!