Learning to Knit

Pink.

Hi silvercharming,

There's an earlier thread with lots of advice and links on learning to knit that may help so I've added your thread to it to keep the suggestions together.

Pink

Larumbelle

Wow thanks for all the replies peeps! I tried to search last night, it wouldn't work for me. I'll have a good look through this thread and check out all of the websites

I know that knitted blankets aren't the cheapest (or the most practical) way to go but I thought it might be a way of getting them to use them! I seriously worry about the neighbour in particular. Last winter we nearly broke in because we hadn't seen her for a few days and there were no lights on. She doesn't have any family and she doesn't seem to have any friends either, except for us and a slightly more sprightly pensioner who lives in the other bungalow on our row. Luckily I decided to climb the fence and bang on the bedroom window first... she was okay, just so scared about gas and leccy prices she'd taken to hibernation - she'd literally moved her kettle and her breakfast cereal into the bedroom and was living in her bed. She'd switched everything off, even the fridge :eek:. And she'd heard the door but was too cold to get up and answer it. It made me so sad and angry. And the thing is, I don't think last winter was particularly cold. :eek:
So anyway, she is very proud and I think she was a bit angry with us but we got a lady from age concern to come and talk to her in the end and talk to the gas company for her and put stuff back on again. And we have plenty of sleeping bags etc and we offered her one and she said no. She's a bit funny about accepting stuff, she won't let me help her out when her arthritis is bad, she doesn't even have a lift to the shops unless we're going anyway, and when it snowed she wouldn't let me get anything in for her until I pointed out I was getting bits for most of the other neighbours (we are a couple privately renting a bungalow, all the bungalows are housing association ones for pensioners and most of the houses are full of older people who bought their council houses). But she loves home-made gifts, if I take her a cake or some veg from the garden she loves it, but when I bought some choccies for her birthday she made me return them. So I think if I suggested or bought something from the shop she might not like it, but if I made her one she might not be able to say no! I know she is already in a bit of a tizzy about winter coming, it's the constant news reports about the gas hikes I think. She says things like if she could still knit she'd be making a blanket for herself and that she might have to wear her coat in the house but then it would wear out the coat faster. To be honest it just makes me so angry, this lady is in her eighties, she worked bloody hard for this country during the war and bringing her family up, and now she is too scared to put her gas fire on.

And my mum is nearly as bad. She gets really cold down her right hand side because she can't move them properly, but she won't use the heater or the fleecy blankets we bought her... because they're ugly. This is the mother who still furnishes her house with every bit of tat we ever made in school or girl guides or whatever! I don't live near my mum any more but my sister said one time she went down there my mum's arm was blue with cold and bad circulation. So again, I thought if I made her a blanket, she'd be happier using it. So I know knitting's not the cheapest way of doing things but i think it might get results. Devious aren't I

So anyway, where was I?! Oh yeah, knitting. Thanks for all the help peeps, I'm going to have a look at all the sites and threads and become a lean mean knitting machine. OOOOH! Now there's a thought! My mum used to have a knitting machine! I wonder if it's still in her loft? Is it difficult to use a knitting machine?

Savvy_Sue

The actual knitting on a machine isn't hard, and it's ideal for blankets, although supremely boring, but I can't remember whether you don't have to cast on and off yourself, IYSWIM.

I would ask around local shops, and the library, to see if there isn't a knitting circle somewhere.

As for knitting lefthanded, you can sit opposite the person you're learning from and mirror their actions if that would help, rather than sitting beside and doing the same.

wttgill

i love knitting and find it really relaxing and it keeps your lap warm while your doing it there is a new magazine out called lets knit that has basic instructions in, also the domaknitrix book is excellent fun

taney

Hi,

Can anyone please suggest me where can I buy wool from...which shops sell them?I couldn't find anything local in solihull

thanx in advance!

Larumbelle

Taney, I don't know anywhere in Solihull, but in Coventry the cheapest place I have found is a lady at carboot sale. I'm not talking about odds and ends, but 'proper' stock, she used to have a shop but didn't get enough business so she does the carboot instead. If you want something specific they will order it for you to pick up the next week. Maybe have a look around places like that? The carboot that I see her at only runs until the August bank holiday, so I will try to find out where she trades from the rest of the time.

boredjellybean

Hi there I would love to be able to knit! the most I have ever managed was knitting squares to make a blanket for my two daughters - they look a right mess though lol I think I need to back them with fleece & maybe quilt them to keep it all in place, but hey ho

I am now pregnant again with my third & will soon have to dust off the needles to start on our new bubbas blanket (gawd help us)

I would also love to make some very very basic gifts for christmas perhaps scarves for friends children etc does anyone have any advice for a total beginner who really struggles grasping the whole knitting concept!

bjb

SoniaM_2

One of the things i want to do is start knitting. The long term goal (once we've got our smallholding) is to have a couple of alpacas, so i can harvest the fur and make my own wool, and ultimately jumpers, blankets etc.

Where can I learn how to knit? Any knitters out there? Who taught you? I've looked at local college courses but haven't seen anything. Any suggestions welcome!

weezl74

Hiya sonia,

I guess it partly depends how you like to learn things, but I learnt by looking at the advice and diagrams on the hobbycraft website last year, and managed pretty well and making lots of christmas pressies!:D

It's here if you're interested: http://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/craft_techniques/technique_54.html

Hope that helps!

Weezl x

SoniaM_2

Thanks for that Weezl - I hadn't found anything like that myself, so that's great. I shall give it a go!