Learning to Knit

rainbowrisin

shinydriver wrote:

I learnt to knit today! Have done 3 rows and dropped 2 stitches :rotfl: I'm not sure I am a natural!

That's less than one dropped stitch a row...that's not bad at all...you're a natural, trust me.:p

Pipkin

I think it depends on what you are going to knit, and the wool you use.

I can get a lot of cheap wool here, but I have found that it does not wash or wear very nicely, and so I would be wary of using it for something which would require a lot of time and effort, for example a jumper for an adult.

It would only be worth knitting a jumper with the good wool, which would make it prohibitively expensive as others have said.

I think it is well worth your while if you are knitting say a scarf or cushion cover, as you can afford better wool for the smaller quantities required, and have a nice item, exactly as you want it, for a lot less than you can get it on ebay for example, plus it's a real buzz when you have made it yourself.

thriftmonster

And check out internet sites - ok I'm addicted and dh has a slight problem with the amount of wool I keep in the house - if however you tell people you're knitting you might get a fair few donations

Kimmywim

hello all, my mum used to teach me how to knit when I was younger, and I really used to enjoy it. Sadly she has died now and I feel I would like to start again, trouble is I have completely forgotten how to cast on and off, is there a website anyone can reccomend that has simple diagrams/picture?, as there is noone left that can show me now.

morg_monster

Kimmywim have a google for "how to cast on" - there are loads of websites. This one even has videos! http://www.knittinghelp.com/knitting/basic_techniques/

One thing to remember - pure wool is gorgeous, but can be very itchy, especially around the neck. Also acrylic wool has the benefit of being able to be washed and tumble dried. I read a good way of deciding whether a yarn is going to irritate you is to tie a few strands around a necklace and wear it for a day. Wool with some cashmere in doesn't itch (but is more expensive!). Oh and for those who don't like the click of needles - again more expensive - but wooden needles are gorgeous, no clicking and much easier on the hands, especially for people who have arthritis. It is a shame that its usually more expensive to knit than buy a jumper, but you do get exactly what you want. For kids its not so pricey - especially if you use acrylic and use up scraps to make hats and scarves etc.

finally - a true story. I was walking along the south bank in the summer and noticed a guy sitting under a tree knitting a scarf. Not something you see every day, I thought. As I walked past him, another guy (a skateboarder!) stopped and asked him where he learned to knit, because he really wanted to learn but he didn't live with his mum anymore so couldn't ask her... I was gobsmacked and couldn't stop grinning for ages!

carriel_2

There are so many websites that you can learn to knit from, the one posted above is one of the best, also pop over to https://www.knitty.com & look through the archives for some inspirational free patterns.

There are alot of people on here saying that Acrylic yarn is no good, I have to firmly disagree with this. Yes, there are rough, nasty acrylics out there, but there are also some lovely ones. I would recommend acrylic to a beginner as its easy to work with, doesnt split, its not expensive & it will be washable.

If you choose pure wool, you cannot machine wash it as it will felt, yarn with added silk can be lovely to work with, but may stretch when knitted up.

I've been knitting for a while, at the moment I am working on tiny baby items for a premmie baby charity, I use a lovely soft baby acylic from the charity shop at 99p per ball.

Its also worth looking in charity shops for knitted jumpers, you can get a lovely big cashmire blend jumper for a couple of quid, unravel it & recycle the wool.

bertha

Yes knit! I feel lost without my knitting. There are lots of things you can knit other than clothes, have a look at my Christmas tree (post 113 in the thread)

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=322142&page=6

I'm now knitting the same stockings to spell out MERRY CHRISTMAS and will attach them to ribbon to use as a wall hanging for next Christmas.

It's much easier to learn if you can get someone to show you the basics.

shona_2

That is gorgeous, Bertha - I too have loads of plans for next Christmas - including the Xmas Crackers kit I bought from Tesco 73p for 6 - all I need to do now is work out what to put in them! Home made tiny gifts if I get organised enough!

Shona

Seesaw_2

I bought the new knitting mag that came out about a week ago - 99p for magazine, needles, 2 balls of wool and a DVD (which I haven't watched yet).This is one of the "get the installment for the next 100 weeks to knit a scarf" type publication but I only wanted the starter kit.

Lizzieanne

jellycat40 wrote:

I knit scarves, last Xmas I knitted several with the fluffy wool that is so fashionable at the mo. The wool cost me £2.95 a 50g ball last year. This year I have paid 50p a ball for it! So everone is getting a nice new scarf this year as well. My daughter keeps complaining that I do not make them long enough but if I make them too long they get tricky to knit as the scarf becomes heavy and twisted!

Louise

I made lots of those fluffy scarves for Christmas presents this year - everybody loved them!