Garter stitch

Did the title bore you? Are you letting out a big yawn out there in cyberspace?

I was worried about this stitch because what could I say about it that you don't already know.

Which got me thinking about the knitting I've done with garter stitch, and then I realized I had a bunch to say. Probably not terribly insightful, but here they are...

Garter stitch tips

DO NOT KNIT LARGE FLAT THINGS WITH SMALL NEEDLES IN GARTER STITCH. You will NEVER finish it.

Garter stitch stretches like a mo-fo. Take precautions if you want a garter stitch sweater.

Garter stitch works really well for edges, since it will lay flat, unlike Stockinette stitch. But you knew that already.

To knit garter stitch in the round, you have to knit one round, then purl one round. But you knew that already too.

I find garter stitch really shines when you use plush yarn. (but really, what stitch does shine when you use crap yarn) The dense nature of garter seems to love (or maybe I love) cashmere and merino in particular. The ridges add the right amount of texture to all that fiber goodness.

My favorite baby blanket pattern is knit in garter stitch. It's from Melanie Falick and Kristin Nicholas' 'Knitting for Baby'

It's my favorite because you cast on 4 stitches. It's my favorite because it's easy and it's easy because it's knit in garter stitch.

Oh, and Barb has some interesting background. It's called Garter stitch because it used to hold up stockings, which were knit with, you guessed it, stockinette stitch.

Stockinette Stitch, plain, crossed and twisted

I have a beef with most stitch glossaries because I find them a bit cold. The entries often are just a bunch of k's and p's with some asteriks. You'll see a lovely little swatch of a stitch and think, 'how lovely that would be as a sweater' and then realize that it has this horrible tendency to snag on every door handle in your house.

Not with Barbara. She gives you these little tidbits of advice.

(You thought I was going to say 'purls of wisdom' didn't you. Well, just so you know, this is also a writing experiment for me and I feel like if someone is taking the time to read my little stitch journal, I have a responsibility not to make her throw up in pun agony.)

Also, right off the bat, Barbara is mixing it up. You would think she would start where everyone starts, with Garter Stitch. But she starts with Stockinette. And she gives you a variations.

So stitch observations for today...
1:) I didn't realize there were variations of a stitch, I thought there would just be different stitches.

2:) When I started knitting the swatches, I recognized the end product as that weird twist I would get in some of my previous knitting because I tried to pick up stitches that got knocked off my needles because I'm too lazy to use the needle protectors that prevent aforementioned lost stitches.

3:) I never knew you could purl through the back loop.

Oh, and Barbara's factoids on stockinette stitch - it has a tendency to curl and the crossed and twisted versions are from ancient Arabic methods of knitting.

Okay, now I've drunk the koolaid...

So since this is a new blog, I thought I'd use my first post to introduce myself and explain where I came up with this idea.

My friends call me VV, which are the first and last initials of my name. I live in Seattle, but I just moved out here from Raleigh, N.C. about a year ago with my dog, cat, salt water aquarium and husband.

In addition to knitting, I spin, crochet and I guess now, blog.

I like the idea behind 'The Guiness Book of World Records.' The idea that 'normal ol' you' could be special by growing your fingernails, for like 6 years, and get your name in a record book.

I like the 'idea',  but in reality, I think people should cut their nails pretty often.

So with this in mind, imagine me sitting on my couch (it's red if you need a visual) on a dark, rainy winter day in Seattle, listening to NPR about 'Julie and Julia' where Julie Powell decided to make every dish from Julia Child's 'Mastering the Art of French Cooking.' I thought what a wonderful way for a 'normal ol' someone' to pay homage to someone she admires and elevate her skills and be a 'slightly better than normal ol' someone.'

So that's it, that's how I got the idea, which really isn't mine, but I'm doing it anyway.