The Knitters Thread

Catwoman_Kent

seraphina wrote: »

Is anyone else here on Ravelry? (I think it's www.ravelry.com) It's got a great community and stash of patterns - I'm currently knitting some lovely cabled wrist wamers.

Just requested an invitation- thanks

Reverbe

Catwoman_Kent wrote: »

For Double knitting wool you'll need 4mm needles but you could get away with 3 3/4 or 4.5mm as there's not much in it. Go to a proper wool shop as I'm sure they'll be more than willing to help you.

We no longer have one it closed. There is a market stall but often staffed by young girls and I would feel obliged to buy from them after advice and they are not cheap.

rufusdog52

Catwoman_Kent wrote: »

I'm in Rainham in Kent - are you a nieghbour?

A friend on the train liked my cardi yesterday so i said I'd knit her one and charge her £10 plus the cost of the wool (10.50) It's a very long cardigan and she seemed very pleased with that.

Hi Catwoman I'm in Gillingham just up the road. Only just really found this thread, I'm usually on the special occasions board. I started knitting again just before Christmas. Made my daughter a cable knit cardigan in aran and some dolls clothes for the children in the family. I have the wool for a chunky style cropped cardigan, its a mohair kind of wool which I was given but is quite thick so think a chunky pattern would be fine. Been looking for a nice modern pattern, found one before Christmas on ebay but didnt win it.
I'm knitting bits to make some knitted dolls at the moment, making up the pattern myself as I go along after someone on the other board showed me the knitted dolls on the AK website. I ordered some fancy coloured balls of wool from Kemps in the sale to make some clothes for them. Just going to have a go at sewing the bits together to see how they look.

blueberrypie

I thought of starting a MSE group on Ravelry, for those of us who are a little bit addicted to both - what do people think?

Reverbe

well so much for my goal to get knitting in 2009 - I have been trying all day from a book and can't even do a slip knotand cast on with this thumb method which they reckon is easy peasy... I am not very good with my hands but didnt know it would be that hard.

blueberrypie

Reverbe wrote: »

well so much for my goal to get knitting in 2009 - I have been trying all day from a book and can't even do a slip knotand cast on with this thumb method which they reckon is easy peasy... I am not very good with my hands but didnt know it would be that hard.

There's an Ealing/Acton group on the Ravelry site - even if that's not convenient for you, you could join up and ask them if there's a group closer to you, or a shop where you can get help.

Reverbe

cool thanks for that blueberry. I am just a little downhearted at the mo cos my slipknot failure came after 6 hrs of fruitless internet job search...

maytaurus

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maytaurus

Reverbe wrote: »

Hi everyone! I'd love to learn how to knit but I don't have anyone to teach me..I bought some needles and wool a while ago and a book but I can't get to grips with it. Where does a non crafty beginner start and is it too difficult for someone who isnt normally good at crafts or with their hands? I dont want to get too ambitious at first just like squares I can make throws with or scarves etc...Havent even a clue if the needles I got or wool etc was the right sizes - all seems too complex

Hoping this might help you ...

Cast on40 stitches
Begin by tying a slip knot in the yarn. ... the slip knot will be your first stitch.

Step 1 - Hold the wool out in front of you and twist to form a loop.
Step 2 - Reach through the loop, grasp the dangling right end by the middle, and pull it through the loop, being careful not to let the end come through.
Keep your left hand steady, and a knot will tight around the part you are pulling through.
Step 3 - You can now hook the new loop around things (like your thumb or a needle!),
Pull the main length of the wool to tighten around them.

You make the stitch the same way, but instead of placing the left hand stitch onto the right needle, you slip the right hand stitch right off. That way you'll always have forty stitches (for example, after your first stitch, you'll have thirty nine on the left needle and one on the right). Continue this way until you've completed a row, then turn it around and do the same thing all over again. Keep knitting until you have a square that measures 8 inches all the way around.

Then cast off....

Knit two stitches as you normally would. Then take the first stitch, the one furthest from the end, and lift it over the second stitch, sliding it right off the needle. Knit another stitch and repeat until only one stitch remains. Cut your yarn and pass the tail through your last remaining stitch, pulling it tight.
You've now made an 8 X 8 square!

mioliere

Maytaurus - that's an excellent tutorial! Would you mind if I copied and pasted it onto the Knit your Square thread? I'm sure it would encourage many newbies who aren't confident about knitting.

Reverbe - it may be easier to use wooden needles when learning to knit. I have tendonitis in my hands and was starting to struggle and slow down with steel needles; my Mum suggested I try wooden ones and I find them so much more comfortable and quicker, too. Good luck with the knitting - once you have picked it up, you'll wonder how you found it so difficult!