Just popping in to show you what Julia made. About a month ago we were shopping in our little town. It is a gold rush town with a fun, touristy downtown area we like walking around in. At one shop Julia spied a pretty Santa hat, knit in red with a wide white border. She was holding it and looked at me saying, “I think I can make this”. Now you need to understand she hasn’t knit anything before this. Last year I did teach her to cast on and she knit about four rows (literally) and set it down. That was the extent of her knitting experience.
I told her to go for it. After she took a picture of the hat for a reference, we drove over to my favorite place in Grass Valley, Ben Franklin’s. She found yarn she liked in red and white and we went home.
Relying on YouTube, she started in. She figured out how to cast on, knit, and purl. She practiced a bit and then started on the white section. (I kind of know how to knit but my skills are very limited. I have been of no help to her.)
Soon she was ready to add the red so she figured out how to do that and then looked around for a stitch she thought would look good. The red section took quite a while. She had to decide how often to reduce the number of stitches (well, she also had to learn how to do that!) to get the hat to taper. Soon enough she decided it was the right amount of long and pointy. (Note my technical knitting terminology.)
Heading back over to YouTube, she figured out how to make the pom-pom for the end. I love how big and fluffy it is.
Of course when she looks at it, like all makers do, she can see things she needs to work on or would do differently if she made it again. But I am really proud of her. She thought she could figure it out and she sure did. One thing being stuck at home has done is provide plenty of time for this sort of project. She is now looking on line for ideas of what to knit next!
Ok – that’s enough bragging for today! Remember, Wednesday is Guess Who day. Come back and try your luck at figuring out which blogger is which by looking at their childhood photos. You don’t want to miss it. The pictures are so darn cute!! See you in a couple of days!
I’m a very experienced knitter and I’m very impressed with Julia’s hat! Tell her to check out Ravelry. It’s a free online website with an amazing amount of patterns, yarn information, groups to join with like-minded or local knitters and many more features!
I will tell her – She might find something fun to make there. Thanks Lee.
I can’t knit to save my life so I’m totally impressed! Way to go Julia!
Thanks Cindy. I am sure you could figure it out if you wanted to. It just depends on what grabs our interests. I am always super impressed by those who seem to knit without even looking down at the needles. Just clicking away and visiting with a person all the while. When I was attending PTA meetings at Julia’s school there was another woman who would do this and it was so curious. Her projects were gorgeous and she seemed to be on auto pilot. Crazy!
Wow Julia! What a fabulous hat! Kudos to you for working it out. And that pompom is the bomb! Bernie you earned those bragging rights.
The pompom is my favorite part – she was right to make it so big and fluffy. It really adds to the hat. Thanks Barb. 🙂
I love it when our kids show how smart and crafty they can be. I’ve tried knitting several times and have never gotten past a dishcloth. Excellent Julia!
Me too! Julia certainly has little to no interest in sewing but does love lots of other creative outlets.Thank you Tamara.
That’s incredible! She has the creative bug for sure. She did an excellent job. I’ve knit one row in my life, and it was so tight I couldn’t get it apart. I’ve stuck to crochet since that day. My hat is off to her (pardon the unintentional joke), and she is just so darned cute!
Haha – good one Linda. I didn’t know you always crocheted. I know you make pretty things and are into yarn. I haven’t crocheted. I have a vague memory of my grandma teaching me to but I never actually did anything with that. Maybe I should try. When I knit I always have a very tight stitch too. Julia was dealing with that as well but she feels like she was able to relax the stitch and loosen it up a little.
Julia deserved all that bragging for figuring that one out. Both so cute.
Thank you for tolerating my maternal brag! I am proud of her for this one. Take care Doris.
Julia, that is very impressive! I love the hat, and your smile say it all. Bernie, I’m like you. I have limited skills – I keep trying though. Scarves, just scarves. Long and straight. Haha! I love that Julia just went after it and made it work. So fun!
Yep – scarves, long and straight. That is the extent of my ability too. I tried to take it farther than that but my knitting stitch is always really tight. It just isn’t my thing I suppose!
I love her wearing the hat too! She did an awesome job. You’d never know it was her first project. I’m so inspired!
I agree – She did a great job. Thanks Tracie. 🙂
What a great job she did! And may I say how impressed I am with the size of those stockings!
Like Julia, I had a strong desire to learn to knit. Cute story – I was very little and my family was at a hotel reception. There was a woman sitting in the lounge near the fire and she was doing something with bright blue yarn. I later learned it was knitting. I was so fascinated just watching her but kept checking to see that my parents didn’t leave me, and then I’d go back to this woman and her knitting! Preteen years had my curiosity up once again and I bought an instruction book and began to teach myself. As many of you commented, my knitting was also very tight – so tight in fact that I snapped one of those cheap plastic (or were they Bakelite??) needles right in half! After 55 years of knitting hundreds projects, I no longer have a tension problem😂. Congrats Julia! Your hat is wonderful, and even more so because you knit it from a photo – you’re my kinda lady!!
Thanks for the story Barbara. So cute – I am glad you stuck with it even after snapping a needle! Once I was in a yarn store (back when I was trying to figure knitting out) and the owner was such a nice person. I asked her why my project wasn’t coming out right. She looked at it and said, ‘you know – knitting is supposed to be relaxing. Your stitches are sooo tight.’ She was right of course and I was using up tons of yarn because of it. It just seemed so hard to figure out how to make the stitches looser though. Oh well. I am glad Julia is having fun with it though.
Congratulations to Julia – what DID we do before we had YouTube tutorials (read an old black and white tiny-print pattern, trying to figure out what the heck those directions meant – that’s what).
No kidding. YouTube is an amazing resource for so many things.
Wow! Fantastic job, Julia! I’m so totally impressed that you could learn and actually make a hat from looking at videos, and it turned out terrific! You’re the sort of person who could do most anything you set your mind to, I’m sure! Merry Christmas!
Way to go Julia!! The hat is adorable. What an accomplishment! I love it. H would probably love one😉
What a great result for a first project!
She is very talented.
She should check out Ravelry. All kinds of patterns on there, free and $.
That is amazing! Way to go Julia! She reminds me of my great aunt who just made things out of her head because she couldn’t knit very well…!! To have done this without a pattern and have it turn out so well, all thanks to YouTube and determination and a good dose of creativity. Love the positive, can-do attitude.
So pretty and so cute. You look adorable, Julia. Of course Bernie has enough reason to be proud. I’d be bragging a whole lot more if it is my daughter 🙂 Merry Christmas to you.
You’re right to be proud and bragging-such ingenuity and creativity! I’m not a knitter either and the red stitch, whatever it is gives such great texture! A really cute hat on a very pretty girl-such a great smile! May her crafty ventures take her far.
Love it!! And it fits her so well. I know nothing about knitting but I imagine that is a trick in itself to get the size correct.
What a talented family. Such a good job.
She did good!!! That’s one great looking cap! She’s braver than I would have been, for sure! I know basic knitting, but am better at crocheting. Congratulations to her!!!
Great job, Julia!! That’s impressive!!!! YouTube is so great for learning new things. When I worked at the public library, I taught new-comer computer classes, mostly to seniors. I introduced a very few websites and YouTube was one, and I gave the example of my husband teaching himself how to install drywall from youtube, and showing me enough so I could help. Knitting is another great example! Such a fun hat!
OH she is amazing for having a plan and making it happen. The sky’s the limit now. I just learned to knit during this quarantine period and have already embraced lots of new steps and challenges. I find many helpful videos online. Julia is off to a great start and ought to be so proud of herself!!! Well done!!!
The hat is as cute as Julia is!
Oh My Gosh! I love it. How cool that she just decided she could do it and then she did. We used to have a Ben Franklins where I live, but no longer. When I read about you going there it brought back some good memories. Julia looks great in her hat. Good job!
I wonder how many BF stores are left. I do love mine.
Thanks for the compliment about Julia – I will pass it along to her. She was very determined, that’s for sure!
Okay now I’m encouraged to try it again. I have made half hearted efforts in the past to learn to Knit but was never successful. however I continue to want to learn. Your daughter has taught me by example to just get on YouTube and do it! Thank you for sharing her experience Bernie. Continue to stay safe – it’s almost over. Carol