I managed to inspire my friend Heidi back into knitting during her recent visit to Struan Farm.
Getting people knitting, or at least exposed to current knitting trends, is a bit of a personal crusade of mine. Most people aren't aware of the interesting, cool designs and fibers available now, so communicating about this is part of my mission.
Heidi had been a serious knitter in the past, so we could honestly categorize her as experienced but "lapsed."
I can be quite cunning if the situation requires. First, I gave her a Cashmere Bandana Cowl I knitted her for Christmas:
Next, I let her fondle some handspun alpaca yarn:
Then, I took her to nearby Riverdale Alpacas to see alpacas firsthand and tour Julie Mansell's mill, where she processes fleece and spins yarn. We were able to interact with the animals in the paddocks and fondle even more yarn. (Of course she'd seen our sheep and frolicking lambs already, which had softened her up.)
When we returned to Struan Farm we cast on and in no time she was halfway through Mel Clark's Aran Scarf pattern from Knitting Everyday Finery before she departed. (Okay, I did contribute the handspun alpaca and knitting needles, but it was for a worthy cause.) The prospect of returning to winter in Germany after a summer visit to New Zealand might have also been a contributing factor.
It was interesting for me to see that she knits and purls entirely differently to the way I do. The yarn is wrapped in the left hand around the fingers rather than "thrown" by the right, although the stitches look the same when knit. I could see what she was doing with the "knit" stitch, which she calls "right," but the "purl" or "left" stitch was much more complicated, at least for me! This technique is called "Continental," "German," or "European" knitting. There are lots of You Tube videos on it as well.
I'm happy I've managed to inspire her to re-join the club and remember the secret handshake. And the deal is that she's going to hunt down some Wollemeise for me.
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