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Author Topic: . Learning to knit ?  (Read 43880 times)

RUSTYME

  • Joined Oct 2009
. Learning to knit ?
« on: June 16, 2014, 12:36:57 am »
Ok , how hard is it to learn to knit ?
Don't have sheep as yet , but can have as many fleeces as i want .
I would like to learn to knit before i get any sheep , so no wasted fleece .
I knitted a trawler net when i was about 12 , meant to be a scarf ! , don't want to do that again .
So is k1  p1 really hard to learn , always remembering i am brain dead ! Cheers

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: . Learning to knit ?
« Reply #1 on: June 16, 2014, 05:52:40 am »
No, not hard :)

And more about muscle memory than brain larnin', so shouldn't be a problem ;)

Lots of good resources on YouTube, if you can access that?

Otherwise there is bound to be a knitting group in a town or village nearby who would love to show you.

 :idea: You could try crochet too.

And what about a peg-loom? 
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

Louise Gaunt

  • Joined May 2011
Re: . Learning to knit ?
« Reply #2 on: June 16, 2014, 06:25:53 am »
Knitting is not difficult, like all things it is mastering the muscle memory and then the jargon! My daughter has recently started knitting, and after a few internet discussions to sort out her mistakes, she is well on her way to being a very good knitter. Isn't there a step before the knitting, I.e. The prep and spinning if the wool? Or have you got that covered?

Clarebelle

  • Joined Jan 2013
  • Orkney
Re: . Learning to knit ?
« Reply #3 on: June 16, 2014, 07:21:29 am »
I find knitting really difficult, I just couldn't remember which row I was meant to be on, I constantly dropped stitches without realising, it was just awful.

However, I find crochet really easy. I taught myself using pictures from the internet. Once you realise the principle is to create interlocking loops which form the stitches it is really easy. And it is very versatile, I've just recently learnt to crochet a cable pattern.

Ina

  • Joined Feb 2012
  • South Aberdeenshire
Re: . Learning to knit ?
« Reply #4 on: June 16, 2014, 07:33:36 am »
Considering Rusty's specific circumstances, it might not be as easy as you all make it sound... With no proper computer youtube is not really an option, and he does not live anywhere near a village or town where he could join a group! I find it rather difficult to "just explain" with words what you need to do without practical input.

Russ, knowing that your aunt visits on occasions - is she a knitter, and could she show you? Or somebody else from your extended family?

Bionic

  • Joined Dec 2010
  • Talley, Carmarthenshire
Re: . Learning to knit ?
« Reply #5 on: June 16, 2014, 08:47:41 am »
I find knitting really difficult, I just couldn't remember which row I was meant to be on, I constantly dropped stitches without realising, it was just awful.

You can get round your row problem by doing every row knit (garter stitch) then it wouldn't matter, no pearl at all to worry about.
Russ, I don't think its difficult but some people do have problems handling the needles as they seem to flail around quite a bit when you start. I don't like long needles very much but some people tuck the ends of long needles under their arms so I guess its just what you get used to.
As Clarebelle has said crochet is easy and as there is just one stitch on the hook at a time you don't drop stitches as you can in knitting.
Russ, if your Aunt can't show you perhaps I can come over one day and go through it with you.
Life is like a bowl of cherries, mostly yummy but some dodgy bits

ZaktheLad

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Thornbury, Nr Bristol
Re: . Learning to knit ?
« Reply #6 on: June 16, 2014, 08:54:18 am »
I haven't done any knitting since I was a teenager  :-[ but did enjoy it.  I did howveer find the casting on the hardest part but the actual knitting was easy enough.  I never reached the dizzy heights of my grandmother though who could knit unbelievably quickly whilst reading ot watching telly at the same time.  I was extremely slow at knitting and had to watch every stitch to avoid making any mistakes.   Have to also admit that I didn't progress beyond a scarf shape and even that wasn't wearable! 

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: . Learning to knit ?
« Reply #7 on: June 16, 2014, 10:15:01 am »

If you learn to knit in the round you only have to do knit stitches.  It can be slightly complicated once you divide for the neck, but flat knitting has to be increased and decreased too.  Another advantage of knitting in the round is you can use a circular needle, which is easy to manage and the whole lot fits in a pocket or bag for travelling.

There are excellent books on knitting - do you go to the library?  They are sure to have something there, and once you get the hang of how to do it, you can take the book back.

Louise will be putting a piece about knitting on the TAS site later in the year.
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

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clydesdaleclopper

  • Joined Aug 2009
  • Aberdeenshire
Re: . Learning to knit ?
« Reply #8 on: June 16, 2014, 10:45:02 am »
Russ, can you get to a library? If so there is a great book called "Stitch n Bitch" by D Stoller that is very comprehensive with loads of pictures. I have used her crochet one which is great.
Our holding has Anglo Nubian and British Toggenburg goats, Gotland sheep, Franconian Geese, Blue Swedish ducks, a whole load of mongrel hens and two semi-feral children.

Louise Gaunt

  • Joined May 2011
Re: . Learning to knit ?
« Reply #9 on: June 16, 2014, 11:24:43 am »
Charity shops often have books on knitting for not very much money, that way you can have a permanent reference. Failing that, I am sure the knitters on here, myself included, have books we could lend you. Casting on is always a bit of a hurdle when you start knitting, especially as there are so many different methods!

RUSTYME

  • Joined Oct 2009
.
« Reply #10 on: June 16, 2014, 05:09:41 pm »
Blimey , see if i can answer all that lot lol .
First , i have memory problems , does't show too much on here , apart from me repeating myself , but things take a long time to 'stick' in the memory bank .
No pc and no youtube , very old mobile phone .
Nearest library is about 10 miles away but no car and no regular bus service , plus it would take all day to get there and back and cost about £7.50 , i have no money , lol .
I can't buy any books from charity shops etc same reasons as above , no bus , no money etc .
Anytime soon i will be down the land , off grid , no leccy , no room for books , i will be in a 15' caravan .
My aunt comes down from time to time and is an excellent knitter .
I should think she could hammer the basics into my head when she is down next , she is coming soon to help me shift more stuff anyway .
I can already spin and i have weaved/woven too . I used to work as a  knltter , on an industrial 'Dubied' hand knltting machine for 3 years .
 I just can't knit by hand  !
Not sure how my hands would cope with crochet ? 
I can sew on a machine but my hand sewing is basic at best .
 Will see if my aunt can get the minimal basics in my head in a week , allowing for the fact that i will be busy doing other things , i'll see what she  says  .
The thing is , she has less patience than me , which is the reason i can't teach anyone how to do anything , i'd hit them on the head if they don't things right , don't fancy getting stabbed with knltting needles .
Thanks folks .

mojocafa

  • Joined Sep 2012
  • Angus
Re: . Learning to knit ?
« Reply #11 on: June 16, 2014, 05:14:06 pm »
I find   :knit: physically impossible

If you have man boobs you might too as I just can't get the needles to meet 
pygmy goats, gsd, border collie, scots dumpys, cochins, araucanas, shetland ducks and geese,  marrans, and pea fowl in a pear tree.

RUSTYME

  • Joined Oct 2009
.
« Reply #12 on: June 16, 2014, 05:59:34 pm »
lmfao , no , no man boobs to get in the way .
5'9" , 12.5 stone and pretty fit due to all the walking and manual work , so no excess fat , just enough for normal existance lol .
God , the images i have in my head now !!! lol .

RUSTYME

  • Joined Oct 2009
.
« Reply #13 on: June 16, 2014, 06:40:13 pm »
I am not the club/group type at all , i have joined a few in the past , but rarely get past the first visit . Plus the village hall  is basically Welsh , very Welsh area , i have no problem with that , i love the place and the people , but as i can't cope with more than 2 people chuntering at the same time in English , a dozen yammering at the same time in Welsh would push me right over the edge ! , even though i know most of them .
Also , a 2 mile round trip walk in the evening is not on the to do list atm , i walk enough as it is already lol . I just want to poodle about at home in the evenings , must be getting old .

mojocafa

  • Joined Sep 2012
  • Angus
Re: .
« Reply #14 on: June 16, 2014, 07:15:46 pm »
Quote from: RUSTYME link=topic=47610.msg429433#msg429433 date=
God , the images i have in my head now !!! lol .
[/quote


 :roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim:    :roflanim:
« Last Edit: June 16, 2014, 07:18:09 pm by mojocafa »
pygmy goats, gsd, border collie, scots dumpys, cochins, araucanas, shetland ducks and geese,  marrans, and pea fowl in a pear tree.

 

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