Learning to Knit

Seraphim

SallyForth wrote: »

Wow, I am jealous. Around here the Charity Shops charge a £1 each for pair of needles, if you can find any.

eBay sometimes has some good deals... I recently bought a vintage knitting needle box with "an assortment of needles in it" for £12. When I got the box, there were 24 pairs of needles and several singles (including DPNs) which I thought wasn't bad going!

Nicepeach

Hi,

I've just started to knit too!

I could actually KNIT but couldn't remember how to cast on or cast off which was a bit of a problem! When a friend mentioned she had started knitting again I asked her if she would show me the basics & she kindly did.

I asked the Nursing Home where my Nan is if I could have a set of her old needles as she has had a stroke & can no longer knit & sadly cannot speak so couldn't teach me. They gave me some from their stock (which already had some knitting on them!) & I took them to my friend's a couple of weeks ago & had my first lesson!

I started off with the wool which was luckily attached & then went to a local charity shop for some shorter needles & more wool after a bit of practice.. I acquired a pair for £1 & a ball of cotton yarn for 25p & I promptly knitted 2 dischcloths (as instructed by my friend - "good practice to get you started". (To make dishcloths just cast on about 40 stitches and knit every row until you have the size you like.)

I have since acquired a few more pairs of needles from charity shops but I would recommend that you shop around as most do seem to charge £1 a pair but I found one shop who charge just 20p a pair & some shops don't have them out on display but will produce a massive variety if you ask!

I also managed to acquire wool from Charity Shops. Again, ask if you don't see any & they may have some squirrelled away. A word of caution though, don't be too tempted too quickly by a small bag of odds & ends which are sometimes quite pricey. If you go to a haberdashery store or wool shop they may have whole balls quite cheaply.

I too looked on the internet for some instructions when I got stuck & just "Googled" "knitting instructions & came across a wealth of easy to follow videos.

I also looked on the internet for some free knitting patterns and found one for an Easter Chick which I completed successfully & to my total amazement! It was a very proud day! I intend to knit more chicks & give them to the charity shop from which I bought the needles as they put a chocolate egg in them & sell them!

I also found some easy free Easter patterns on Jean Greenhowe's website which I have managed to complete successfully.

I am hoping to start bigger things soon but am enjoying making small things which I can do quite quickly which is quite encouraging.

Hope this helps.

[Deleted User]

Once you've mastered the basics, this is a fab source for free patterns:

http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/

Catriona

YouTube is the place I learned to crochet, you can pause it and play it again as often as you like and it never runs out of patience!

This lady is great, and she also has left and right handed tutorials, so you can use whichever suits you best

Have fun! I've really taken to crochet now and hardly a week goes by without some kind of wool-based project for me XD

Charity shops: some will say they cannot sell yarn, some will. Some others will not be able to 'sell' you yarn, but will accept a donation for it instead. The same applies to needles, hooks and anything like that; it's always worth asking, as every shop seems to have its own rules

Ms_Nidge

Hi, lovely to see so much interest in one of my favourite past times. I could write loads but I guess these would be my top tips:

1. Check out your library for books, if you can't find any that you like then find one on the web and then ask the library to get it in stock. This might cost you a few pence (depending on your library and it's charges) but it's much cheaper than buying a book without checking it out first.

2. Go to your local yarn shop (if you're lucky enough to have one) and have a wander around. Pick up the different yarns, see what they feel like, see what colours and weights of yarn you're drawn to...have fun!

3. Ask at the yarn shop or your library if there are any local knitting/crochet groups. They often meet in a cafe or bar and you can go along to get help and inspiration. They're great social events too.

4. Look online, there are some terrific blogs and websites with instructions and help and lots of lovely people knitting and crocheting wonderful things. I would recommend knitty(dot com) Interweave knits and the yarn harlot or for something different check out the anticraft [sorry, as a newbie I'm not allowed to post urls... :]

5. When you're sitting down with your yarn/needles/instructions make it a special event. Sit somewhere comfortable and well lit, put on a nice bit of chilled music, have a glass of wine/cup of hot chocolate to put you in a happy frame of mind. For me knitting, crochet and spinning are a form of meditation and a treat to myself.

Hope you learn to love it as much as I do
Nidge x

sarluk

Thanks again to all who replied

My OH came home yesterday with 3 pairs of needles and a bag of wool for me off MIL I actually suprised myself and found that i did actually remember how to cast on yay have nearly finished a large square and am off to youtube now to find how to cast off.

A huge THANKYOU to one mser' who offered to send me needles and wool very kind of you.

Knitting is so theraputic am glad i decided to give it a go again.

Nicepeach

Hi Sarluk,

How's the knitting going? Hope you are making good progress.

I've knitted a few more little animals (like the rabbit best) to stick chocolate eggs into.

If I was VERY clever I'd be able to post some pictures on here but I'm not!!! I'll ask my 17yo son to help me - when he has time...

Went to the library the other day & got some beginners books, am going to try & knit some cushion covers. Also going to try a hot water bottle cover & buy a hottie to go in it & send it to my lovely friend as a gift. She gets lots of tummy aches so I think she'll like it & it will be useful.

Happy Knitting

sarluk

Hi Nicepeach...

welllllllllllllllllllllll.....i knitted a square and was really pleased because it was a very nice square shaped square:rotfl:....had a look on you tube how to cast off....followed it and was thinking yaayyyyyyy im doing great here then got to last stitch and did exactly as they did it on you tube aaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnd i havent a clue what happened it just all started coming apart:o so square ruined. Am currently doing another square but am dreading getting to that last cast off stitch again lol.

I'd love to get to being able to knit cushion covers and hotwater bottle covers:D
I know what you mean about doing the pics i always rely on my 18 yr old son to show me;)
x

Nicepeach

I've done that before!!! :mad:

My remedy was to do what my friend showed me i.e. leave the last stitch to be cast off on the needle, cut off the yarn with plenty to spare, stretch the last stitch a little (whilst still on needle) and pop the cut end through the last stitch, then pull stitch off needle and pull cut end tight.

Hope that makes sense??? I can't seem to follow written instructions as easily as being shown or watching an on-line demo, hence repeated googles etc.

Good Luck x

Careful_with_that_Axe

I've wanted to be able to knit for a long time and a friend finally taught me a couple of years ago. It's safe to say that I am now obsessed! I barely go anywhere without yarn and needles.
There is a very good free site; www.ravelry.com which has a wealth of advice, patterns etc. Registration is free and the people on the forums there are very happy to share information and experience.