Me Too Stupid!

[DesertCrocheter]

Well, I spent this year (and it took at least 2 months of plugging away at it most nights) teaching myself to knit (still continental) but otherwise the English/American way (I knit combined). So I was going backwards from most of you. I sat there with a book in my hands, the laptop on with knittinghelp videos on loop, and just kept going over and over and over. You stick the needle in this way? What? It was almost excruciating. I can do it enough that I've made several scarves and it didn't take a month. But give me the continental combined style I learned from my Polish mommy anytime. After relearning that a few years ago, it seems like old hat. But I never really mastered knitting as a child, when she first taught me. Too many thumbs, I guess.

 

If it helps, think of it this way. Learning a new thing keeps our minds young, with those synapses firing aplenty and keeping those brain cells alive. That already makes you superior to those who give up, or, worse, never even try something new. So a big pat on the back for having the gumption to tackle a new skill.

 

patty

[moggy]

I used this video on youtube to teach myself to continental knit...

 

[Kimblee]

I can knit pretty well after 4 days of practice...

 

Can't Purl. Pretty sure its satanic even to try. lol

 

(seriously, is there a trick to it?)

[Hookerangel]

Well Olivia when I was a wee girl of about 8 we were learning how to knit in school. Everyone had to knit a pair of slippers - the teacher took my wool and needles of me and gave me crayons instead as I just couldn't master the craft at all. My mum then taught me to crochet and I've never looked back. Although I admire all the beautiful knitted items I see I just DON'T have the patience for it. My friend in work was knitting a baby hat and it took her about 2 days while I could whip up a baby hat in about an hour - she was astounded and asked me to teach her to crochet.

[eyrthmother1]

I can knit pretty well after 4 days of practice...

 

Can't Purl. Pretty sure its satanic even to try. lol

 

(seriously, is there a trick to it?)

 

 

practice practice practice, is the only secret i can really think of. are you doing throw or continental style?

 

w/ the continental, 1 thing that seemed to help me is the way i wrapped the tension thread. I did it like i do w/ crochet (around little finger and over forefinger) w/ a slight twist. the twist for me was to wrap the forefinger backwards (come underand around...yes i realize its odd, but i tend to be that ways it seems). it kept the thread closer to the needles so i could sorta scoop the yarn down and up. and then lots of practice.

 

Sandy (hope that helps some)

[autumn_nights84]

It took me two months to get knitting to start to feel comfortable for me. All I can do right now is knit and purl and it took me another month to make 2 dishcloths I found that watching the videos on knittinghelp that someone already posted the link for really helped, same with googling diagrams sometimes the diagrams helped me more than the videos.

 

There are some cute free dishcloth patterns here http://downcloverlaine.blogspot.com that are good to learn to knit with.