Then pick up the needles, and join the fun!
There’s no need to be afraid. Trust me, I worried about if I could learn, if I’d like it, and what other people would think about *gasp* a guy knitting. I’ve worked through my knitting neuroses (mostly), and I can tell you that you have nothing to fear.
Easy for the person posting under a pseudonym to say, right? To explain in brief, I wanted to keep my knitting blog separate from my film blog. When I started I was very uncomfortable with how I thought my new hobby might be perceived by friends, family, and everyone else. Writing as “the secret knitter” allowed me to talk about my experiences without worrying that people I knew would stumble upon the blog.
I continue to use an assumed name because I feel I can be more open than if my name were plastered on the sidebar. It’s not a well-kept secret—go here if you must know who I am—but one that gives me an illusion of privacy to permit me to do more personal writing than I might otherwise.
OK, now that that bit of business is out of the way, on to more relevant matters…
I’m in my sixth month as a knitter, so I am certainly no expert. That said, I’ve picked up some knowledge that is worth passing along to those of you beginning now. Since numbers make for easy organization, here are six tips that will make knitting more pleasurable for you:
1. Find a knitting friend.
If you’re here, chances are you already have that covered. I started knitting because my friend Kristin convinced me to give it a shot. I’ve been lucky to have her around to answer questions, fix mistakes, and knit with from time to time. Sure, a teacher could serve the same purpose, but for me it’s been more comfortable and more fun to have a friend to share the interest with. One of the things I’ve come to love about knitting is how it brings people together. You’re lucky to have this group. (I’m up in Ohio, so it’s unlikely I’ll be popping in on Monday nights.)
2. Go at your own pace.
My first fourteen projects were scarves, thirteen of which were in garter stitch. That’s going overboard, although in my defense most of them were being knitted with a Christmas deadline in mind. You can mix it up faster than that. My point, though, is that you should stay as safe or get as adventurous as feels right. Find what works for you.
3. Allow yourself to make mistakes.
I had low expectations for what I thought I could do, so I knew mistakes were inevitable. Still, with a perfectionist streak, that’s not always easy to accept. Nevertheless, as clichéd as it sounds, that’s how you learn. Look at a dropped stitch as the chance to learn how to pick it up or to undo stitches, not a cursed error that’s going to ruin your hard work.
4. Knit regularly.
When I started I had an ambitious goal and exceeded it, largely due to a commitment to knit a little every day. Granted, that’s not always possible, but I think it helps in your first days and weeks to plug away until knitting becomes a habit. When it becomes a natural activity and not something you have to think about, you know you’re well on your way.
5. Document your progress.
Whether it’s making a list of what you’ve done, taking photos of your FOS, or blogging, keep track of your growth as a knitter. When I looked at my first bunch of FOs that I gave as Christmas gifts, I was astonished by the progress I made. The first scarf I knitted was embarrassing when I compared it to what I had done two months later, but it gave me a boost of confidence that I was improving. Plus, I think it’s nice to have reminders of what I’ve made, especially for those items I’ve given away.
6. Have fun.
I’ve mentioned on my blog that learning to knit is one of the smartest things I chose to do in the past year. It might not be a stretch to say it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. No joke. I can’t believe how much it has helped me relax, give me confidence, provide a sense of accomplishment, and make new friends. Ultimately you’re knitting because you enjoy doing it. Be proud of your work. Share it. Show it off.
Welcome to our knitting community.It’s nice to have you join the club.
Showing posts with label novice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label novice. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Friday, March 23, 2007
turn, turn, turn
The best -- but most frustrating -- knitting lessons come through mistakes. Through a mistake yesterday, I think I've come to understand something I didn't know was possible in knitting.
It was such a beautiful day yesterday at Kniterati Headquarters (central division) that I took my knitting outdoors for a quick twenty-minute session. I had stopped the night before in the middle of a row. (Knitting a scarf the long way -- 360 stitches -- means I sometimes stop in the middle of a row.) I picked it back up and knit my stockingette stitch happily by the fountain. When the twenty minutes were up, I was surprised to find out that I was not yet at the end of the row. But I packed it back up and went on with my day.
Later that night I picked it back up, finished that row, and then went on to the next row. 360 knit stitches later, as I reached the end of the row, I realized something was wrong. The band of stockingette stitch was much narrower at this end than when I had started at the other end. In fact, when I counted rows, there were only 4 at this end -- but 6 at the other end!
I looked over the whole long scarf and there -- in the middle of the row, but closer to the end I had just completed -- was the place where 6 rows suddenly narrowed to 4. I couldn't figure it out. I knew you could add and subtract stitches. I didn't know you could add and subtract rows.
I unknit back to the transition point and stared at my needles. 6 rows on the left needle, now 3 rows (after unknitting) on the right. And then I realized what must have happened.
When I started knitting by the fountain that afternoon, I must have turned the work. The needle that was supposed to be in my left hand was in my right hand, and vice versa. Instead of continuing to knit onward on the row I was in the middle of (row 4), I knit back across the stitches I had just finished, back to the beginning of the row (adding row 5). Then I knit across the whole piece (adding row 6 to the first part, then merely finishing row 4 after getting to the point where I had turned it).
Earlier that evening, before I discovered my mistake, I was looking at a pattern that featured mini-bobbles. The instructions for the bobbles said "Turn." I know what turn means in tatting, but I couldn't picture it in knitting. Turn what?
Now I know. Put the needles in the opposite hands, thus turning the work over back to front, and thus working back across the stitches you just finished adding. Ta-da! I learned something, and it only took me 100 unknit stitches to do it.
Or more ... I still have to figure out how to proceed. I think I have to keep unknitting ... but I'm not sure I'll know where to stop.
Has anyone out there made this mistake before? I haven't seen it described in any of the "common mistake" tutorials I've perused (not that I've perused many, because I'm overconfident in my abilities and assume I'll never make a mistake). Or is this a novice rite of initiation I should have been expecting?
It was such a beautiful day yesterday at Kniterati Headquarters (central division) that I took my knitting outdoors for a quick twenty-minute session. I had stopped the night before in the middle of a row. (Knitting a scarf the long way -- 360 stitches -- means I sometimes stop in the middle of a row.) I picked it back up and knit my stockingette stitch happily by the fountain. When the twenty minutes were up, I was surprised to find out that I was not yet at the end of the row. But I packed it back up and went on with my day.
Later that night I picked it back up, finished that row, and then went on to the next row. 360 knit stitches later, as I reached the end of the row, I realized something was wrong. The band of stockingette stitch was much narrower at this end than when I had started at the other end. In fact, when I counted rows, there were only 4 at this end -- but 6 at the other end!
I looked over the whole long scarf and there -- in the middle of the row, but closer to the end I had just completed -- was the place where 6 rows suddenly narrowed to 4. I couldn't figure it out. I knew you could add and subtract stitches. I didn't know you could add and subtract rows.
I unknit back to the transition point and stared at my needles. 6 rows on the left needle, now 3 rows (after unknitting) on the right. And then I realized what must have happened.
When I started knitting by the fountain that afternoon, I must have turned the work. The needle that was supposed to be in my left hand was in my right hand, and vice versa. Instead of continuing to knit onward on the row I was in the middle of (row 4), I knit back across the stitches I had just finished, back to the beginning of the row (adding row 5). Then I knit across the whole piece (adding row 6 to the first part, then merely finishing row 4 after getting to the point where I had turned it).
Earlier that evening, before I discovered my mistake, I was looking at a pattern that featured mini-bobbles. The instructions for the bobbles said "Turn." I know what turn means in tatting, but I couldn't picture it in knitting. Turn what?
Now I know. Put the needles in the opposite hands, thus turning the work over back to front, and thus working back across the stitches you just finished adding. Ta-da! I learned something, and it only took me 100 unknit stitches to do it.
Or more ... I still have to figure out how to proceed. I think I have to keep unknitting ... but I'm not sure I'll know where to stop.
Has anyone out there made this mistake before? I haven't seen it described in any of the "common mistake" tutorials I've perused (not that I've perused many, because I'm overconfident in my abilities and assume I'll never make a mistake). Or is this a novice rite of initiation I should have been expecting?
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