[shygirl]

i learnt the basics so if i can do it anyone can.

[Ina]

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.

Fleecewife - you can knit practically everything on circular needles, any flat item - I never use anything else (except for socks or other tubular items that are too small for circulars)! I agree with the advantages (you don't poke your neighbour in the ribs when you knit on public transport...)

[SallyintNorth]

I use circs for everything too - even socks.  I use the so-called 'magic loop' technique (or Mickey Mouse Ears, which is how I think of it), which suits me fine, but I've seen other people use two circular needles (per sock) to do socks.

[Lesley Silvester]

Russ, if your aunt can get the basics to stick in your memory, I'm sure you will soon get the hang of it. My father, who had rheumatoid arthritis which had badly deformed his hands, managed to knit a few items very slowly. I still have a child's hat he knitted and he's been dead for nearly 37 years.


Mojo, that is a rubbish excuse.    I, together with most women, manage to get the needles to meet in the middle. Or maybe man boobs are different to woman boobs. 

[RUSTYME]

I suppose it depends on the size of the boobs and the length of the needles and arms ?
Are man boobs different to woman boobs ? Only one way to find out ! lol .
Anyway , i hope i can pick it up , the odd jumper would be handy .
PS , don't google knitting with big boobs !

[Lesley Silvester]

Naughty, Russ.


My son, who doesn't have man boobs, learned to knit when he was a small boy and he only has one hand and a short forearm so it is possible. Of course, he might find it difficult if he had man boobs.

[madcat]

It's worth using circular needles if you can get hold of any, I knit both flat knitting and circular on mine.
I use sets of double pins for socks but that's a long way into the future for you.
I knit slow and have to concentrate.

Could you arrange to visit a neighbour for lessons, one to one at a quiet time with lots of cups of tea.

[RUSTYME]

I'll see what my aunt has going spare , i can borrow some needles off her for now , and then get some later on when i have some money .
I won't nick  her wool though , she pays a fortune for it , although she can get very cheap stuff off boot sales , she buys and sells at them all year .
Practicing on the cheap stuff would be good , as i can then just bin it after !
, saves wasting real wool .
Gradually getting rid of all plastic clothes and replacing them with cotton , wool , linen . Just got a few things made with a mix now , i just wear them out and replace as they fall to bits , no waste , no expense .
Got to sow some linseed next year . I worked out that i will have enough for 50yds of material @ 48" wide , and that was with a lot of wastage , as i want the seed as well .
So shirts and trousers should be covered , just need to learn to knlt , and that will cover jumpers etc .
I know i could get a knitting machine and smash'em out by the dozen , but machines go wrong and needles break  and they cost a fortune , plus i would kill a home type machine in minutes .  So , 'clickety clack' it will be if ? , i can pick it up .

[Louise Gaunt]

Russ, my family keep reminding me it is just knots on sticks! I agree, circular needles are the way to go for flat knitting and knitting in the round, especially if that is the method you start with. I am a " tuck the needle under my arm " sort if knitter and sometimes get a bit frustrated with a circular needle, but each to his own!

[ellied]

I learned the basics of 2 stitches (knit and purl I assume) as a teenager living in Germany, no sense of size/shape/tension required, just a few basic shapeless tunic tops but I thought I was doing ok.  Back here got told I was knitting backwards and gave up completely, maybe 30 years ago.

Today I was heading to the fibre/felting shop for a place to wait for the GP to phone me while I was in walking distance of the surgery to collect the prescription - rather than do the 8 mile round trip twice.  Turned out they had a knitting group in and I have major social anxiety going on, but somehow managed to stumble into a relatively friendly crowd of varying levels who assure me I am welcome to go along any week, come and go, knit, crochet or just talk.  I am actually considering it

Ideas I had while there include not starting with things that require a specific size or to match another piece ie socks, gloves, sleeves.. one woman was finishing a bag, thought that could do me, or perhaps a shawl, something that is essentially shapeless and sizeless and could be whatever it turns out and still used.  I will start there, with a single ball of wool and my late mum's massive needle selection to pick from, and let you know if it's feasible.

Suggestions from others included just circular knitting, one stitch all the time, or on straight needles just alternate rows of knit and purl that make it obvious which one you're on, and occasionally knit 2 stitches together as if by accident to make it taper down if required.  I reckon not doing it by genuine accident is more of a challenge, but who knows..

Any handy hints I'm happy to pass on, or receive from your aunt via you if it helps remember things to share them which is what I find! 

[Ina]

I learned the basics of 2 stitches (knit and purl I assume) as a teenager living in Germany, no sense of size/shape/tension required, just a few basic shapeless tunic tops but I thought I was doing ok.  Back here got told I was knitting backwards and gave up completely, maybe 30 years ago.

Nope - you were knitting the correct way round, it's the Brits who knit backwards! 

Seriously, I think the German way is much easier - it even looks faster; but I'm probably only saying that because I'm too stupid to learn the British way...

I would suggest you start with a scarf; much the easiest. Just check occasionally that you still have the same number of stitches in a row.

[RUSTYME]

How to Knit Basic Stitches http://www.learn2knit.co.uk/knitting/basic-stitches.php
ha ha ! I think i will be able to work out what to do from the above link .
It will be painful , but doable , i think ?
So , when i can get some needles what size do i get ?
What will i be knitting ?
I thought a thick chunky jumper .
 First attempts will just be swatches , to get tension right and stitches even , then go for the chunky jumper .
If i can get the hang of it , and i manage to make something that looks like a jumper , i'll keep it until i get some real wool .

[Ina]

My advice would be - don't start with needles too thin (too fiddly) or too thick (at least I find thicker ones difficult to handle). Something like 3.5 - 4mm might be best. If you tell us what you'd like, I'm sure somebody would find a few spares knocking about... For practice, you could also knit loads of squares and sew them up into a blanket (or a cushion for starters!). They would have to be roughly the same size, though...

[Lesley Silvester]

The blanket idea is a good one Ina, so at least the squares have a use as well as being good to practise on. If you are using chunky wool, Russ, you will need needles that are 5mm or 6mm.

[RUSTYME]

Yes , the blanket from squares is good , my little nan ( gt gran , only 4' 11") used to do that . Hundreds of squares made from wool she got from old jumpers that nan , her daughter , got from jumble sales .
Problem i would have is there are no jumble sales round here , charity shops to far away and too dear .
Aiso i don't want acrylic or poly whatever . I don't mind using it to practice  with , even knit , undo and re-knit .
I can have sheep fleeces , but i will be in a 15' caravan with 3 spaniels , so no room for anything like a spinning wheel , not even a spindle , needles i can squeeze in .  There is no rush for a jumper or anything else .
So if i made a jumper , i could keep it till i had real wool to use , then bin it , but a blanket made with acrylic or poly would be around for years , and i do want shot of plastic , man made fibres .
I wear cotton socks , cotton denim jeans and trousers , cotton undies , cotton or linen shirts and wax cotton coats . Acrylic and poly 100% has all gone , acrylic , poly cotton mixes go in the bin when they wear out , and get replaced by cotton , linen etc , all natural fibre .
This is the reason for me wanting to learn to knit , so i can provide all my own clothing , in conjunction with weaving home grown flax , wool etc .
I did this years ago , 30+ , but mum was alive then and knitted my jumpers etc , while i did the weaving , i also made my own leather too , got to start that again as well . I can get cow hides for free  from local farmers , just need the salt , lime and containers to treat them in , the other stuff needed  can be provided either by dog or chicken , and that is free and plentyful !
So the 'wool' will be what  my aunt can get cheap on boot sales , i have no idea what it will be .
 Even though i worked in knitting factory for 3 years , to me wool is just thick or thin ! I know , what a div !