For some reason I'm still on the Knit U list and have been reading about many Knit U member's fear of knitting charts. It almost seems fashionable to say "I can't do charts" but by saying that you're pretty much giving up fair isle and intarsia which is a shame. I wonder if there is a way charts can be made so they're less fear-inducing. I've certainly seen some charts that looked as if they were done by hyperactive monkeys so perhaps knitting publishers could do a better job of printing their charts out?



There are all sorts of little additions I like in charts - for instance, I like charts that number each row. Also, it seems to me that if the chart was for a pattern done flat the publisher could put a little symbol, perhaps an arrow, on the wrong side rows to alert knitters to do that row the opposite direction. Universal symbols for charts would be a good thing and I like charts that are printed out well and are large and legible. I've done colorwork from charts that were done in black and white instead - now that is just silly.



I wrote here previously about the Aran knitting class with Alice Starmore. At the time I was a beginning knitter but she immediately went about showing us all how to follow a chart, essential for doing any of her patterns. After my initial learning curve, I felt it was a much more intuitive way of knitting.



My exciting news is that I have finally finished a knitting project. I don't know if this means my knitting slump is over but I'm just happy to have accomplished anything in the knitting department. I made some fun bunny slippers out of size 8 dpns and Nature Spun worsted. I used the same ear pattern and embroidery as I did in the bunny mittens. Snickerdoodle doesn't really care about my knitting for the House Rabbit Society - he just wishes he could open the container of raisins.