Now, this is one thread that's not about what you might expect. Or rather, it is. With me being homebound in the evenings for a while, I thought I should pick up something that keeps me (not too) busy. And with me being pretty groggy at the end of the day right now, it shouldn't require too much concentration. Something besides surfing the internet, I mean. I'd like to give either sewing or knitting, or any of those things a try. I have noone to teach it to me though, and can't book one of those courses either. Does any of you know how to do one of those things, or know a good site or book for autodidacts? The person who gives me the most helpful advice will get one of my first works as a thank you.
Hey ! I'm knitting a lot at the moment, I learned how to knit, crochet, embroider, sew, etc. when I was a kid, and it does help pass the long winter evenings, and you can do it in front of the TV, or while chatting too, which you can't do with reading. Now, how to learn is a good question, obviously it's easier when you have someone to sit with you and show you... Embroidery is quite easy to start learning, there are many printed sewing canvas kits complete with the threads and needle and full instructions, and DMC do some really nice trendy ones too now, where you actually get a finished product out of it (embroidering on a bag, pencilcase, etc.) See here There are also all kinds of knitting kits, from beginners upwards, and beginners crochet guides too. On a price range, I would put crochet as cheapest, then embroidery and last knitting, but it all depends what you want to buy and how much you want to do (and of course where you buy from, I get great deals on my Sunday market...) As for pure sewing, as in making stuff (clothes, costumes, bags, cushions, etc.) I would say if you don't have a sewing machine or don't want to invest in one, it won't be all that much fun, because you will be quite limited in the size and quality of what you're making... Now of course you can mix sewing with the other activities, you will need to know how to sew to assemble complicated knitting (jumpers, hats, etc.) for example, or you can embroider on something you have sewn and vice versa...
I like to do cross-stitch kits. It's just one simple stitch but you can do a lot with it. Bookmark designs are small and give you something useful at the end. They also don't take too long to do so you can try it out and see if you like it.! Here you can get kits with the necessay bits from many of the gift shops associated with English Heritage and similar places for about £5. It may be similar in Germany. If you get the bug and want to be more adventurous then have a look at this site http://www.lyndisfarne.com/discworld1.html I have a box of kits which I really need to start doing once I get more time in the evenings.
I knit, crochet, sew, embrodies things and make lace. Heck, I do most anything where I can 'create' stuff, this includes writing, drawing, paining, sculpting and designing jewlery. I'd go with Katcal's suggestion, buy an embrodery kit (DMC has some really neato stuff) and get at it. Everyone can do cross-stiches and you get great results if you have a bit of patience. Crochet and knitting should be taught by someone. It's difficult to try and 'read' onself to how to do it. All kids in Sweden have 'craft', we have to learn all the things above. Yes, even the boys. I always liked wood and metal-craft better than sewing though. Hammers are great when you are frustrated.
That's a load of good ideas. There are lots of books in German too, but unfolrtunately the target group for crafts in Germany is very... conservative. So I would never mind to try sites and literature in English, or even French or Italian.
Macrame is fun. And easier than knitting (though knitting is also fun). http://www.elainecraft.com/instructions/instructions.html
I learned most of what I know about knitting from books but I agree you need to actually have a person show you how to do the basic techniques. If there is a yarn store near you they might be able to show you the basics or could refer you to someone willing to do it. I got most of my knitting instructions from a neighbor lady. I don't think it took all that long for her to show me what I was doing wrong. I wish I could thank her but she's been gone a long time already. She was one of the most interesting people I ever met. She was born in Germany, raised in Minnesota. Married very young, she and her husband farmed and had four children. Two were born before she was in a major snowmobile accident that cost her both feet, two were born after. Her youngest daughter was three when she was killed in a farm accident. She had been using a borrowed tractor that had a faulty starter, when she used the screwdriver to jump the battery that last time the tractor was in gear and she was unable to escape and was dragged down the field by the implement she'd been using. It was a loss for the whole community. [size=12:dcef471995][/size:dcef471995][size=7:dcef471995][/size:dcef471995]
