Knitphobia

[rascalsmom]

I think I suffer from knitphobia. I taught myself the very basics of knitting a few months back...never really made anything, though. It was almost like I wanted to be able to conquer learning to knit. I think knitted things are absolutely beautiful, but every single time I pick up the needles, I have to relearn how to cast on, to knit, to purl...and I end up getting frustrated. I put it aside, say NEVER AGAIN, and get the crochet hooks back out. I even subscribed to this subforum to get tips....

 

I really would like to be able to knit, but it feels so awkward...and it seems like it isn't easy to undo a mistake like it is in crochet. Am I wrong about that??

 

Am I alone in these feelings?? Is there something I can do to overcome this block I seem to have?? I know, I am pathetic. Or am I just a crocheter through and through????

[Aggie May]

:cheerRemember, "Rome was not built in a day."

You did not learn to walk without falling over so you will not learn to knit in a day either or without making mistakes.

Every mistake you make is teaching you something as in every phase of your life.

 

:eekWe all started at the beginning and had trouble casting on, dropped stitches, made extra stitches where they should not be etc.

 

I became very proficient with the knitting needles because I chose to buy a wool shop and had people asking me to make things for them.

 

:eekBoy, was that jumping in at the deep end!!!

 

Rather than admitting there were things I could not do, I just gave everything a go and eventually started actually making things without patterns.

There were lots of failures along the way but they got less and less as I learned more.

 

Save some of your mistakes and failures so that later, you will be able to compare them with the good stuff.

 

It will start to become second nature, just like when you learned to read when you started school, you take that for granted now.

 

If you are having any problems, we will all be here to help you sort them.

 

You are right, knitting problems are a little harder to fix than crochet problems, simply because there are so many extra stitches on the needles but if you are keep practicing, the mistakes will get less and less.

 

If the cast on is the problem, just cast on lots and lots of stitches until it is looking good, much the same as when starting to crochet, making miles of chain is a good thing to do.

 

I suggest you find Cable Cast On and learn that because it is the very best of all cast ons, well for me it is.

 

I never use anything else.

I also knit with Circular needles which are the very best thing since sliced bread.

 

:eekDont try to run before you can walk, there is plenty of time for you to learn fancy stiff so just knit squares which have a cast on, knit a bunch of rows, until it is square, then cast off. Eventually you will have a blankets worth of squares and you will be good at Cast on, Knit and Cast off.

 

You can also get exactly the same effect by casting on and Purling all rows then casting off so you will have learned how to purl but will have squares which look exactly the same as the knit ones and they can all be used together.

 

When you have enough for a blanket, sew them together, alternating the direction of the knitting and you will have created a great blanket.

 

If you do lots of little squares, you can make a small baby blanket, if you make bigger squares you can make a bigger blanket.

 

Hope I have not given you too much information to start with so good luck.

 

Have fun.

Colleen:hug

[Mermaiden]

I have not done much knitting, but am at the point I feel comfortable with it. What it took for me was just starting to work on something, and not putting it down, until the awkward feeling went away! Same thing happens with crochet, but you probably don't remember.

Pick out a nice long project like a scarf with a pattern stitch that you want to get used to, and just work away at it. Halfway though, you'll realize that you're a lot more comfortable.

 

For me, I chose to do a repetative stitch over and over (knit stitch only, no purl), so my scarf is done in garter stitch. It's kinda like if you chose to make something in SC only.

Or you might choose to make it in Stockinette to practice your Purl.

Or make a pair of washcloths, one of each.

 

Good luck!

[DesertCrocheter]

Oh, I agree, knitting (still) feels so awkward to me that I don't have the totally enjoyable, yarn-fondling, look-I'm-making-something experience I have when crocheting. But in order to get more comfortable, I've spent most of November and December knitting scarves for the vets and right now a Project Linus blanket, and it's starting to almost, almost feel like it might someday be natural. I'm determined to plug away at it, however, because I'm stubborn and hate to admit failure. Patty

[Angeleyz14]

Everyone's advice is wonderful.

I re-learned to knit before teaching myself to crochet.

My grandmother had me knit a scarf first in all knit. Then when I was comfortable with that, purl it all...my third scarf was in stockinette (knit 1 row, purl 1 row) and I just got creative from there. My daughter has a blanket with some holes and rows that only go part way across because I forgot what I was doing and where I was when I set it down, but she doesn't care.

Just be patient with yourself. All good things take time. :hug

[rascalsmom]

Thank you everyone. I suppose I just expected it to feel as natural as crochet does to me....I am an impatient sort that way. Mermaiden you are right, I am sure I don't remember the crocheting feeling as awkward, as that was probably close to 30 years ago that I learned to crochet! Wow, I am getting old....

 

I will give it another go, and I actually do have some circular needles, I will give them a try. That might make it seem easier.

 

I admit that sometimes I feel that I am wasting time---time that I could actually be MAKING something with a crochet hook.

[mudpie]

I learned to crochet first (nearly 50 years ago!) as well. A few years later I had to learn to knit in junior high school. I loved the idea of knitting, but I never really "took" to it like I did crocheting. But I made probably a million pair of slippers for my relatives (the only thing I knew how to make). Struggles through them with stitches so tight I had to fight them off the needle. But I kept at it and over time things just worked themselves out. Now, I'm not going to tell you I'm an expert knitter, but I am totally at peace with my needles. In fact, I would rather knit than crochet something 9 times out of 10.

 

Stay with it and just relax and enjoy it.