I'm not particularly crafty but I have always wanted to learn how to knit and I know several girls who knit like fiends. They've started up a local Stitch n Slosh wherein a few crafty ladies have a beer and knit their hearts out. The first meeting is tomorrow and I already have my yarn for my first ever knitting project! They are lending me the needles for now and starting me off with a scarf. Wish me luck!
Good luck with knitting!! I've done it before and kinda found it tedious. I can crochet if I'm in the mood but that's not very often. I hope you find it fun and fulfilling!!
for you!!
I sometimes knit and do other somewhat crafty things to keep my hands occupied while watching TV. I can't really do anything like that solely on its own, unless I am finishing something up (in which case I have serious motivation) or doing a small bit before bed. Not that I just do those things in front of the TV but I do have to have some other distraction. I have also heard of 'stitch and bitch' sessions (do a sewing or knitting craft while chatting/gossiping) and I'm sure there are others. It sounds like great fun!
The key to knitting is to ensure that you keep the wool loose. It sounds strange when you read it, but I'm not kidding. Just keep remembering that, and your friends will remind you.
At first you will find that the tightness of the wool will vary so much that you won't be very happy with how it looks, but once you feel comfortable you can undo what you have done (or keep it for posterity) and then start your scarf. Or just start it and have a 'creative' scarf as your first one
For your first project I would suggest something with larger needles and fluffy yarn as you make more scarf with less work.
I'm being technical though... the best part is learning a new hobby and hanging out with friends!
Knitting! Holy crap-fun! After an hour and a half and one beer, I have a teeny bit of scarf going and I am ridiculously overjoyed with it! I'm still getting the hang of holding the needles and the yarn and whatnot, but I have gone from zero confidence in learning this to a whole whack of "hey.. I can do this!"
I am going to putter away at my scarf over the next week until the next Stitch n Slosh meeting and hopefully I won't get too stuck on it before then.
Cool beans! I bet that is way more fun than just trying to learn on your own. That's what I did, and while I was getting the hang of the technique, it hurt my tendonitis horribly, so I ended up sending my knitting supplies to an online friend. For now, I am sticking to cross-stitch, but I love the idea of doing crafty stuff in groups like that!
I learned to knit (I can do a decent stitch) last year or so with the book Stitch and Bitch. I had wanted to start a group to make prayer shawls. The project that I wanted to do fell through, though I am still interested working on it sometime later.
A couple weeks ago while at my mother's, she taught me to
finger knit. It is only good for thin scarves or to knit/crochet a couple thing bands together to make a wider scarf. (It ends up only being about four stitches across.) Funny enough, I am amused by it and am fairly fast if the right yarn. I made mom's group 5 knitted boa scarves with a thick yarn with eyelashes. Think yarn that looks like a muppet. I told Mom that it helps that I have big hands.
I would kill to have the opportunity to sit down and learn how to knit from someone. I've tried learning by watching videos and by CD instruction and so far I'm a failure at knitting. It's also been over a year since I last tried now. My biggest frustration is that I DESPERATELY want to knit a hat because NONE of the hats you buy at the stores are big enough around for me. Even the men's hats are too small (okay, so I have a big head). Someday.......
ForMyACDs: Do you have a knitting shop near you? Often they will have 'learn to knit' sessions to get people started. And don't worry about cost... the ones around my home are free because they want to get you started so that you can buy more yarn! There are no guarantees that you will have this chance but it can't hurt to ask around.
I have started a 'Knit and Bitch' with someone from work. I suspect that it may be Kandahar's first such club! I am knitting a pretty simple hat for a guy who is travelling to Canada and he's not used to winter weather (it is 27C here right now, and the city he's visiting has an average high that hovers around freezing these days). He's not from Canada so the cold will likely be quite a shock to the system! I am also working on a crochet blanket but I have been postponing that work until the hat is done. The squares are all done so the next and final step is to sew them all together and then put on a small border.
My friend is knitting socks, although his handiwork is also ensuring that the guys at work give him slightly more space which is always useful in a cramped place!
I have another friend who has mentioned that he would like to learn how to crochet so we'll see how that goes! Mostly I think that he's looking forward to a commited opportunity to bitch
After a hiatus from the Stitch n Slosh due to time constraints on the organizer, it started up again last night! She held it at her house next to a lovely fire that her DH built for us and I was impressed with how much work I got done in an hour and a half. So far it looks like we're back on track to meet every week or so, so I might actually get this damn dishcloth and scarf finished at some point!
I'm also a knitting failure. I've had multiple people sit down to teach me, and even a "Knitting For Dummies" book, but nothing works. I'm pretty sure I lack the craft gene. I can almost sort of crochet, but I'm terrible at it. I lose count of the stitches, etc. My "scarf" turned into a triangular pot holder.
The juvenile part of me imagines a combination dishcloth and scarf.
cassia Wrote:The juvenile part of me imagines a combination dishcloth and scarf.
Not a bad idea, I can keep warm and wash my dishes at the same time!
bellis_coldwine Wrote:After a hiatus from the Stitch n Slosh due to time constraints on the organizer, it started up again last night! She held it at her house next to a lovely fire that her DH built for us and I was impressed with how much work I got done in an hour and a half. So far it looks like we're back on track to meet every week or so, so I might actually get this damn dishcloth and scarf finished at some point!
Hey, I have just started knitting myself. I learned from a book over winter break. I am headed out now to meet with real people at a Knitters Meetup Group. Unfortunately, no slosh involved. I am excited about learning to knit doggie sweaters. A friend of mine made one for her little chihuahua, and it was so pretty. I wanted to learn so my hands are busy when I watch TV; otherwise I end up biting them. So far, I am making big pointless squares of something. I don't even know how to tie it off or whatever it is called.
I finished my dishcloth tonight! It is the wonkiest damn dishcloth you'll ever see but *I* did it and *I* finished it! I am so pleased to have accomplished that. I also started my scarf tonight, knitting double and learning to purl, I knit one row to get started and will continue to plod away at that for awhile.
Hey! How perfect does a dishcloth have to be?
As long as it holds together, washes dishes and brought you some pleasure in learning a new skill- who is to judge?
One of the barriers I experienced in teaching adults is that they are easily embarrassed and quit when they are just in the rough early stages of skills.
I just knitted my first hat! I am feeling so accomplished. Hats for everyone at Xmas time this year.
I took up knitting years ago. I taught myself out of a book called "learn to knit" and started with a VERY complicated cable knit sweater for my first boyfriend. I knitted like a fiend until it was done (had to skip the cabling on the back, as it would have taken me too long to finish it.) It took me MONTHS. It was GORGEOUS when all was said and done.
But way way way too small for him. I was heartbroken. He pretended to love it though. LOL
That was in 1990. Geez, it's been a long time.
So what other books do you guys recommend to start learning?
A coworker of mine is a big time knitter and has been encouraging me. She gave me some printouts to get started and as a "Get Well" present she is buying me some larger (Starter) needles and some yarn so I can, in theory, start during my recovery.
Kirby: I bought the Stitch n Bitch book and it is awesome. I highly recommend that to get started.
It's so funny- I checked out several knitting for beginner books from the library including Stitch and Bitch but my coworker (the big time knitter) bought it for me as a "get well" present. Actually, she said it was her attempt at luring me into the evil world of knitting so she has someone else around who gets it
lol
She also bought me some yarn and needles she thinks are the best for beginners to learn on. I'm really clumsy and have a hard time with small, detailed work because I often end up doing things left handed which totally screws them up (I'm ambidextrous but learned to use my right hand for most everything since that is what was taught...) so it takes me longer and sometimes things are completely backward- lol. She thinks it'll be fine though.
Anyway, so I'm set. Yarn, needles and several books to help me get started
I'm excited, but now a little scared I'm going to let my coworker down!