The Gauge Wars: 3KCBWDAY7 To Knit or Quilt? That is the Question.

I learned to crochet first. I was a youth leader at church and another of the leaders was teaching the girls to crochet so I sat down and learned too. At the time it seemed easier to learn than knitting. I made a few scarves, hats, and a really cute pair of mary jane booties for a new baby. During all that crocheting though I always liked the look of knitted garments better. Understand that I was naive and did not really know about all the possibilities of crochet (I have seen so many amazing crocheted projects during this blog week). But the interesting thing is that I did not want to learn more. I REALLY just wanted to knit.

Several people tried to teach me to knit but it finally took reading a book for me to really catch on. And since then I have not looked back at crochet much at all, except for a little help on the legs of a soaker I made. I don't have a desire to crochet anymore. I can't really explain it. I just prefer the way a knitted garment looks better and needles to a hook.

BUT my crafting balance is the battle between knitting and quilting. I have been tying quilts with my mother since I was a little girl. I started piecing my own quilts right before giving birth to my first child and currently have a few unfinished quilts going.

This is a scrap quilt for me based on the pattern here. I really like it because I am incorporating fabrics that I received from my grandmother's stash when she couldn't sew anymore. Many of them were scraps leftover from dresses she made. It is fun to look at the fabric and remember her.

Here are the other quilts in progress. The top one is a another scrap quilt but the tiger is my first and only attempt at paper piecing. I was so pleased with how it turned out. Unfortunately it was being made for a baby I was expecting and then I lost the baby at 13 weeks. I continued to work on the quilt as I grieved. It served it's purpose in helping me heal and I have not gone back to working on it since. I am not sure if I will finish it or not. It just needs a border and then the backing and quilting part.

The other one is the crazy quilt I talked about here. And below that is another ticker tape quilt similar to the one in this post. I LOVE that vintage floral sheet that will be the back of this quilt. The colors are perfect for me. It makes me happy to look at it. Actually my mother in law had sheets like this that I was so tempted to ask for but then I found three of them at a thrift store. Such a lucky find!

So here is my balancing issue. I have all these great quilts that need to be finished but I have all these knitting projects that need knitted too. When I have a free moment at home I have a debate about what to work on. But really lately most of my crafting time has been when I am out and about, riding in the car, or waiting in line so knitting wins out as the more portable craft. And even when I have sat down at my sewing machine I have wanted to sew knitting projects like this needle case or this bag.

The funny thing is that I am really swayed by what I am reading. If I am reading quilting blogs I want to go quilt and if I am reading knitting blogs I need to go knit. Reading these fictional quilting books is what really got me trying new blocks and styles in quilting. And picking up fictional knitting books like this have me running for my needles. I seem kind of fickle to my crafts. It is clear that right now I am in a period of really favoring knitting. Hopefully my quilts don't feel too bad. I am sure the tides will turn eventually and I will come back to them. So sorry...but I am off to knit.