My autobiography as a Knitting Lady

EllaMy name is Ella; I was born in Italy where I live.

I started knitting at school at the age of nine (if my memory is not failing). My technique was awful and my first works were poor and mostly unfinished. I gave up knitting the following year, at that time many things seemed to me more attractive.

I took up again needles a decade later (some time ago…), by that time I had already started designing and sewing the most of my clothes so I thought I could try and make just the same with knitwear. My foggy knowledge of stitches and an uncertain technique didn’t discourage me. My first attempts were good enough to induce me to stop buying ready-made knitwear and start creating it myself mixing my knowledge on pattern making and sewing, my notions on knitting and my love for the history of fashion.

My interest in knitting (as my interest in sewing) is strictly related to the creation of clothes and accessories I could actually wear. I don’t think about it as a hobby (although very relaxing sometimes), it’s my way to have tailored clothing at a convenient price.

 

Mi chiamo Ella e sono nata in Italia dove vivo.

Ho iniziato a lavorare a maglia a scuola all’età di nove anni (se la memoria non mi inganna). La mia tecnica era pessima e i miei primi miseri lavori sono rimasti per lo più incompiuti. Ho abbandonato la maglia l’anno seguente, all’epoca tante cose mi sembravano più attraenti.

Ho ripreso in mano i ferri una decina di anni più tardi (qualche anno fa…), avendo già da tempo iniziato a disegnare e cucire da sola la maggior parte dei miei vestiti ho pensato potesse essere una buona idea provare a fare lo stesso anche con i capi in maglia. La mia nebulosa conoscenza di punti e tecnica della maglia non mi ha scoraggiato. Ho trovato i miei primi lavori buoni abbastanza da indurmi a smettere di comprare capi in maglia belli e pronti e cominciare a farmeli da sola mixando le mie nozioni di disegno, creazione di cartamodelli e confezione, quelle (meno solide) di maglia e il mio amore per la storia della moda.

Il mio interesse per la maglia (come del resto quello per il cucito) è strettamente legato alla creazione di abiti ed accessori che io possa effettivamente indossare. Non vedo la maglia come un hobby (anche se la trovo un’attività rilassante), ma piuttosto come il modo per avere capi su misura a un prezzo conveniente.

19 responses »

  1. What a nice store and good for you to get back into knitting again

  2. ybawany says:

    Dear Ella,

    Thank you for appreciating my work.

    I’m really impressed by your work and by your story too, mainly because I have had a similar experience. I took up origami for a few months and stopped altogether. About a decade later, I decided to give it a shot again, kind of like you.

    A hobby defines us as who we are; it seems to fill up a small portion of the void that we feel in our existence.

    Keep Smiling,
    Yousuf

  3. Sarah Jordan says:

    Thanks for liking my blog post 🙂 Nice digs!

  4. craftandchat says:

    Ciao Ella,

    I like your blog!

    Mi piace knitting and sewing and cats and Italy! We have a lot of similar “likes.”

    Ci vediamo,
    Ellen

  5. Hi Ella,

    Do you have any of your patterns available?

    Maribeth

    • Ella V says:

      Unfortunately I have no patterns available. I make my patterns “my way” (starting from tailoring techniques I know much better), I’m not sure if everybody could understand, probably it would be easier to explain the method itself. I’ll add a schematic for Easy Clint Poncho when I’ll pubblish a page for it as soon as possible.

  6. suth2 says:

    Have just had a quick look at your blog. I will be back. It looks very interesting and one I would like to follow.

  7. girovaga0 says:

    Grande idea la versione inglese! Complimenti!

  8. projectpixie says:

    Hey Ella!
    Thanks for liking PROJECTPIXIE I have only just started this blog, and am new to all this, and haven’t even advertised it yet, so it’s great a fellow crafter likes it!

    Love your work and LOVe your spicy opinions! Go girlpower!!!

    BACI!!

  9. What a great way to view knitting! I view all fiber work as art. I was very interested in the “slow food movement” (which came years after I went vegan and local as my personal protest of corporate agriculture and inhumane treatment of animals) and see parallels with fiber world (and blogged a little about it – sweatyknitter.wordpress.com). I have not heard any discussion of “slow clothes/slow fiber” in the U.S.; is there any in Italy?

  10. digipicsphotography says:

    Thanks for liking my blog. I’ve been knitting since I was 16 years old. I enjoy it very much. I also crochet and sew.

    I like your blog. I’ll have to visit more often.

  11. Thanks for the like on my blog post!

  12. Glad you liked my kitty necklace. Its fun to find folks who have similar interests. I am also sewing myself some clothes this summer! Happy knitting!

  13. maiknits2 says:

    Hiya, Ella! Thanks for liking my blog post. Am looking around yours. Very impressive works of knitted garments. Love! I am a new follower now. 🙂

  14. boomiebol says:

    Hi Ella. Thanks so much for stopping by my blog

  15. Sono molto invidioso della tua capacità di pubblicare il tuo blog anche in inglese. Dovessi farlo io ci metterei settimane per produrre pagine in pessimo inglese. Grazie per avermi fatto sapere che ti è piaciuto il mio post. Sei la prima a farlo.
    Anche se ti parrà strano, ho imparato a fare a maglia più o meno verso i sette anni, anche se oramai non pratico più da moltissimo tempo.
    Mi riprometto di leggere con attenzione il tuo blog. Ancora grazie.

    • Ella V says:

      Non mi sembra strano il fatto che tu lavorassi a maglia perchè io ho imparato a scuola e l’avvio delle maglie me lo ha insegnato il mio compagno di banco che era molto più bravo di me, le nostre maestre con la maglia ci insegnarono che non esistono attività da “maschi” o da “femmine”. Grazie per i complimenti tornerò a visitare il tuo blog.

  16. Ciao Ella,
    Grazie for liking my post. Your blog is very unique and I love how you use both languages. Meraviglioso 🙂

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