Begin to Knit?

[anoramaxsis]

I started to knit 3 weeks ago. I went to youtube and watched tutorals. They have been a big help. I am knitting a poncho. The stitches look great. The biggest thing was handling 2 needles. Good luck!

[Autumn]

I am going to take leap of faith here and assume the book had instructions for other items as well. I think this is fantastic. Instead of just giving a sheet with one pattern, you were given a bunch of patterns with the premise that you were learning a skill and this is one place to do more of what you have begun. I think there is something in building a level of expectation for learners that we miss in our spoon feeding world.

 

I once taught a 4H sewing club and I really liked their POV. they were building future women and just kept adding bricks to the foundation with each club studied.

 

I pulled the book out- it is from the 1960's. It's called 'Let's Learn To Knit... It's easy as pie!'. It is labeled as a boye classroom knitting instruction program student manual. It has Cable stitch mittens, a furry angora hat, a turtleneck dickey, a pompom hat and scarf, a poorboy shell, a classic shell, pages of stitch instructions for the different stitches with pictures, and a few pages of knitting equipment, (yup, they called it equipment!) showing different knitting notions in their packages. It also has a couple of pages of a knit stitch pattern guide. Ah, the memories! The 4-H leader had everyone make the same pattern (the mittens) It was under the notion, that if someone was having a problem with an area, while she was helping someone else, someone who understood that 'area' could also help their neighbor! I think 4-H groups are great for building future women! We learned a lot, and not just about knitting!

 

Susan Bates also had/ (don't know if it is still in print) called Knitting for Beginners Learn To Knit and is for right or left hand knitters. The book I have is from the 1980's.

 

And the American School of Needlework has a book called Learn to Knit In Just One Day by Jean Leinhauser. (1994)

 

I found the Susan Bates book and the American School of Needlework book at a yard sale recently in a stack of crochet books I bought.

 

Also, Lion Brand www.lionbrand.com has a learn to knit tuturial on their web site as well as a crochet one, the last time I noticed.

[kazily]

It might not be a good comparison but it reminds me of writing left handed & right handed vs being ambidextrous. Teaching your hands to do something different was also a good explanation given.

 

I can *barely* knit, meaning I get off to a good start, I know how to do the knit & purl stitch but then cannot seem to get in a comfy flow. Probably because when it isn't going with a nice smooth motion, I'll end up putting it down & pick up my crochet project

 

I'm teaching myself Scottish Knitting at the moment (Tunision) just to expand my crochet possibilities & I hope that I can convince my brain to do this foreign thing to a point that my hands don't seem to stop & look up at me with "What?" hand signs lol. That's the way I feel about learning knit as an experienced crocheter. So far it is going ok if I can just get the first stitches on the return row to be the same tension as the last stitches on the return row. My stitches tighten up on the left side of my swatch's.

 

With both of these new things, we have to keep at it & hopefully be interested enough to keep going. I am envious of those that learned to knit AND crochet as a child. My older hands have trouble learning new tricks lol

[flyinghigh]

I really appreciate all your helpful tips!

 

My mom found the Stitch 'n' Bitch book for Knitting, and I was given a book about knitting/crocheting purses, along with a set of size.. ten I believe circular needles. The women at the knitting/crocheting group I go to were very encouraging in my endeavor, so I know I can ask any of them for help if I need it. There is also my grandma. And I would LOVE to watch video on youtube, but my internet is like, dial-up speed, so I have to wait about ten minutes for the video to load before I can watch it, and it's very frustrating.

 

However, I will persevere, and eventually buy some needles and get crackin'. I'm pretty confident I can pick it up eventually, because for once I'm actually determined to learn!

[DesertCrocheter]

Nikki, join us in the special usergroup for knitting (we have beginner and experienced groups) right here on the 'Ville. (Go to your user cp page to add this to the forums you can see and access.) You can get great knitting help and advice from your friends right here on Crochetville! Patty

[anoramaxsis]

The best I can do is offer encouragement. I had major problems with the two needles. Once I got past that and practiced I made it. Hang in there it will happen for you.

[rekunj03]

knitting consists of section consists of simple step-by step instructions including casting on stitches, the knit stitch (also known as the garter stitch), the purl stitch and finally, instructions on casting off. The learn to knit pages feature pictures of my hands and include all the instructions you will need. If you run into problems, make sure to drop into the forum and ask for help as we have quite a few experienced knitters who are always happy to lend a helping hand.

[DawnofMarch]

The other thing you can do, too, is to search YouTube for demonstrations of different stitches or find some sort of other stitch videos (I believe Annie's Attic has something like this for knitting and crocheting). It helps to watch the stitch being made over and over again. This is how I FINALLY figured out how to do the treble crochet stitch.

 

I figured out how to do the quadruple crochet stitch just recently and it was just because I was fussing about with a new skein of yarn and experimenting because I was bored with making hats for the time being.

[darski]

knitting consists of section consists of simple step-by step instructions including casting on stitches, the knit stitch (also known as the garter stitch), the purl stitch and finally, instructions on casting off.

 

Technically this is not a garter stitch until you make several rows of nothing but Knit stitches. Garter stitch refers to the pattern that is formed by making only knit stitches... just as stocking stitch is what you get when you alternate between knit and purl.