Finger crochet/knit

[LittleJadeFrog]

I have read in several posts that a child does finger crochet or knit. What is that? How do I find patterns? Teach myself and a child? Can I?

[LittleJadeFrog]

We checked out some of the plastic ones this weekend. She said she wants to try them. I never thought of the plastic thing and the kid thing though. I should have since we call her godzilla... She does not watch where she is stepping.

 

Any way I like the spool knitter idea. Its small enough that she can carry it around. This would give her something to do in the car on the way to Memaws house besides irratate her brother! I promised her that I would buy her her own yarn.

 

Question about the homemade spool knitter, Goodie - in the pictures on the sites that you provided me (LOTS of help by the way ) the hole in the middle is big. Is the hole in a wooden spool big enough for the piece to fit into? Sorry...I don't think I have ever seen a wooden spool... . I actually thought at first we were talking about the big spools that we made into tables and chairs for our treehouse until someone mentioned that thread comes on plastic spools now. Imagine that!!!

[LittleJadeFrog]

With a 40% coupon it's probably cheap and easier to buy one anyway. I hope she has funs and enjoys this and then works her way up to regular crochet. It is so nice of you to take the time to try and teach her. Mary

 

My mom took the time to teach me when I was an adult. Of course I learned to chain and sc when I was my daughter's age. I did not do anything after making a pillow though. Now my mom and I have this in common it is the best times we have. I bring my crochet to her house and we sit and talk...and talk...you get the idea. We exchange patterns, give things to each other that we make with the other in mind. I want this for me and my daughter. Right now we are having a great time. She is picking up the chain very quickly. She made another one to put around her ankle and I adorned it with flowers.

[slicer]

I used to do finger knitting and use the plastic looms when I was younger. I don't remember who taught me, or if I just made it up as I went. It was fun, and I might use this method to help my sister (16yo) with her crocheting. I started teaching her last week, she was finishing granny squares that I started. I'd do the middle part, and she'd work her way around the remaining rounds.

[acraftylady]

With a 40% coupon it's probably cheap and easier to buy one anyway. I hope she has funs and enjoys this and then works her way up to regular crochet. It is so nice of you to take the time to try and teach her. Mary

[LittleJadeFrog]

You can get the plain wooden spools if you live near any craft store or even Walmart sometimes has them in the craft section with the wood bits.

 

I have seen the Susan Bates french knitter at the craft stores here and you could make necklaces and bracelets with it so she might like doing that. It comes in small and medium but not sure if it comes any larger. Mary

 

http://www.spinblessing.com/item.php?art=077216002586

 

Look half way down the page here. They used a toilet roll tube and popsicle stitcks to knit. Also check out what they used to make a knitting spool. Any tall round object with a hole in the center you can nail into would work and you could make a big one.

http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/knittingnancys.html

 

Our Joanne's had this machine before Christmas and then I got a gift card for Christmas and was going to try one because I had a 50% coupon but they were gone and they haven't gotten them in since. Mary

 

http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog.jsp?CATID=cat2065&PRODID=prd55154&source=search

 

Wood section at micheals...DUH!!! I LOVE that section. Why didn't I think of that.

 

http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/knittingnancys.html

 

I like this site. I saw one like the bottom one pictured in Michael's. That is the one I might get for her. Its perfect for her little hands. I made a little bag and it would fit perfectly with a 2 oz skein of yarn for her.

 

Thank you all for all of your ideas! They have been very helpful.

 

I don't know if I would make her one because I might spend all the time doing it and she might not even like it. We will see though I have alot of ideas to try!

 

 

Oh yeah I tried the finger crochet last night! Hoow uncoordinated did I feel????? I even tried on her hands... um I think I could crochet with my hands behind my back easier. hehe

[acraftylady]

You can get the plain wooden spools if you live near any craft store or even Walmart sometimes has them in the craft section with the wood bits.

 

I have seen the Susan Bates french knitter at the craft stores here and you could make necklaces and bracelets with it so she might like doing that. It comes in small and medium but not sure if it comes any larger. Mary

 

http://www.spinblessing.com/item.php?art=077216002586

 

Look half way down the page here. They used a toilet roll tube and popsicle stitcks to knit. Also check out what they used to make a knitting spool. Any tall round object with a hole in the center you can nail into would work and you could make a big one.

http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/knittingnancys.html

 

Our Joanne's had this machine before Christmas and then I got a gift card for Christmas and was going to try one because I had a 50% coupon but they were gone and they haven't gotten them in since. Mary

 

http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog.jsp?CATID=cat2065&PRODID=prd55154&source=search

[goodie2shoes]

You do have to look the only place I found them was in a craft store I think it was Michaels. They were where you find little wooden decorations for things ............not in the needle craft area nope these were with the wooden things you paint like cut outs etc or do dad you glue on things..

I am almost sure my darling husband didn't make the hole larger he just helped me measure the distance between the nails. I do remember wishing when using ww yarn that the hole could have been bigger. If I had it to do over again I would have him make it larger. But he is a carpenter with all the tools etc.

The one I see use thread sometimes instead of WW yarn but we used WW

Mine looked like the one here on this site.

http://www.allfreecrafts.com/kids/corker.shtml

 

I have seen the wooden spools on the web I will check and see if I can find any listed for sale

 

Here is a ready made wooden one second section down

http://pages.e-yarn.com/6030/InventoryPage/1115440/1.html

 

Plain wooden spools here all sorts

http://www.howee.com/shop/index.php?action=search

[LittleJadeFrog]

seems like this finger knitting thing is so complicated. my advice - teach her to crochet with a hook from the start so she won't have to re-learn again.

 

Problem is that she is having such a hard time learning to crochet.

 

She did her first chain the other day! I held the yarn and showed her how to do the rest. She the rest all by herself. Little bit at a time I guess. I put a jingle bell on it and she wears it like a bracelet. Now she can't wait to make one for her ankle!

[Anya]

seems like this finger knitting thing is so complicated. my advice - teach her to crochet with a hook from the start so she won't have to re-learn again.

[Jess.in.WI]

oh gosh, finger knitting! I had forgotten all about that! I actually did a presentation on it in 5th grade (I think).

 

All I did was loop the yarn around each finger, they lay the yarn over the fingers and bring each loop up and over and keep going... wow, great memory, thanks!

[acraftylady]

When I did this as a child we would get a long skinny piece that comes out. Never really did anything with it but I guess you could use it as trim on something.

 

Now I have embellish knit. You just crank the handle and out comes the cording and you can decorate things with it. They also have one for wire to make beaded necklaces. Mary!

 

http://www.bond-america.com/products/embellish-knit.html

[goodie2shoes]

Yep you have to play around with the hand knitting til it comes naturally then it should be easy to teach her. One thing about fingers is you always have them with you and if you have a bit of yarn Yippee cheap entertainment. I was a Girl Scout leader for years and have 4 grandgirls now so anything that doesn't cost much and keeps them entertained is a good thing!!!!

 

have seen the spool knitters and the round things too in the store and thought of getting one for her. That's the ones that has like the pegs on it, right? They are pretty cheap now. Is this the same basic concept as the finger knit?

Yep I had the same problem with what they sell as spool knitters they are cheap plastic and the "prongs" would be gone quickly if my experience with kids means anything. When making your own you can use as many nails as you want in even numbers, Makes the finished product look different. Doesn't cost much of anything except around here you have to buy wooden spool most thread comes on plastic now. I can't imagine using the plastic ones I have seen in the store the pegs are so puny!!! Plus you can make different versions, just remember nails with no head such as finish nails, a hammer and voila!!!

 

 

Pictoral of homemade one here and how to use it..

http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/knittingnancys.html

 

Several tutorials just remember the more nails the more complicated

but as in most things the result is more pleasing, you can start a child out on a 4 or 6 pronged one easily. Once you master it

 

http://www.knitting-and.com/knitting/tips/spool-knit.htm

 

http://www.allfiberarts.com/library/howto/ht00/how_use_corker.htm

 

http://www.sweaterscapes.com/spool.htm

 

 

The larger round plastic things sold in sets work on the same principle they are just larger!

http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/how-to-loom-knit.html

 

This last one has a how to on the round "knitting looms" pictoral The others are spool knitting ones how to make the spool, use patterns etc.

Give it a try if you have basic crochet or knitting skills either one you can use these it is the same principle wrap yarn move loop on off over the newly wrapped yarn.

[LittleJadeFrog]

Ohoh oh I just found a pictoral one teeehhhheee

 

http://yarnlady.com/newsletter/2005/endaugust2.htm

 

This def helped me understand! So if I am getting this right - You can make a chain with 1, 2, 3, or 4 stitches - depending on the number of fingers you use? Thanks. This looks like fun! I might have to try!

 

I have seen the spool knitters and the round things too in the store and thought of getting one for her. That's the ones that has like the pegs on it, right? They are pretty cheap now. Is this the same basic concept as the finger knit? I guess since I crochet and have so much freedom, I just can't picture how to work on one of these things. I guess if it has instructions I can figure it out.

[sakurasaku]

I have a Japanese finger knitting book that covers basic knitting stitches and Tunisian crochet (!). The book has patterns for scarves and hats.

 

I was at the craft section of a local Japanese bookstore (LOVE that place) the other day and found a few other finger knitting and crocheting books. Some of the patterns looked really good! Guess it's getting popular over there. I haven't seen any books in English, unfortunately...

[jmccrochet]

I taught an eight year old to crochet after she picked up the basic concept of the chain by finger crocheting. We used her chains on the Christmas tree, which gave her a sense of having made SOMETHING and within a couple months, she had hook in hand. And, might I add, she had pretty good tension once she started with the hook after practicing with the finger-crocheted chains.

 

Joyce

[acraftylady]

You don't even have to make spool knitters now they have them at the craft store for like $2 by Susan Bates or Boye I think it was. How about one of knit around gadgets to make a hat or scarf? I was at a crochet group and someone just whipped out a hat in no time and it looked pretty easy. Mary!

[goodie2shoes]

The finger work I did was more like knitting and less like crochet you cast on your fingers.

 

Here are a couple of web sites

http://www.maggiesrags.com/tips_fingerknit.htm

 

 

http://www.waldorfhomeschoolers.com/fingerknit.htm

 

Ohoh oh I just found a pictoral one teeehhhheee

 

http://yarnlady.com/newsletter/2005/endaugust2.htm

 

 

Have you ever thought of making her a spool knitter

I made some for the kids in the neighborhood several year ago

and taught them they were kindergarten age and up

several boys (wink)

 

I bought wooden spools at a craft store, then my darling husband put in 4 or 6 finish nails the kind with little or no heads on them , set them all the same height above the spool. We used nut picks or small steel crochet hooks to help the yarn over the top, they just wrap the thread or yarn around the nail then slip the prevous one over I can find a tutorial for that one if ya want.

[LittleJadeFrog]

Thanks Darski! I will see what others might say.

[darski]

So do you think this would be a good way for a young child (6-yrs) to start learning to crochet? She wants to learn so bad but is having a hard time picking it up.

 

Can she use any basic pattern? I can't see that any intricate patterns (I could help her read them) working.

 

i can't speak to this. Others who have more experience might know.

 

I learned to crochet at 6 with a steel hook so I never went the easy route

[LittleJadeFrog]

I

 

it just means that you use your index finger instead of the hook to do the crochet. You just stick your finger through the loop and pull yarn through... that's pretty much it

 

So do you think this would be a good way for a young child (6-yrs) to start learning to crochet? She wants to learn so bad but is having a hard time picking it up.

 

Can she use any basic pattern? I can't see that any intricate patterns (I could help her read them) working.

[darski]

I

I have read in several posts that a child does finger crochet or knit. What is that? How do I find patterns? Teach myself and a child? Can I?

 

it just means that you use your index finger instead of the hook to do the crochet. You just stick your finger through the loop and pull yarn through... that's pretty much it