Knitting is so frustrating! I’ll never finish this stupid simple scarf! I worked on the thing for hours, trying to be careful and get everything right. It’s just a simple friggin 2x2 ribbing pattern. Nothing complicated.
After hours of working on it and having it start to actually take some shape and have a bit of length (well, ok, only about 8 inches or so), I totally screwed up a row. I tried to fix it and messed that up. I tried to unravel a couple of rows but couldn’t figure out how to thread the needle back in even after watching Amy’s video a couple of times. I finally just frogged the whole thing. Arrrrgh!
I just don’t see how you people can make all of the very nice stuff I see pictured when I can’t even do a stupid scarf. I’m hopeless.
I used to frog everything because i didn’t know hoiw to fix my mistakes. Check out the “destination row” video on this page? That’s how I always do it now when I have to rip. It won’t help you now, but hopefully in the future.
I don’t know if it’s mentioned ont he video or not, but when you are picking live stitches back up after ripping, if you pick them up twisted or backwards, it doesn’t matter… you can fix it when you get to that stitch as you’re knitting the next row.
Just remember that this is a NEW skill set you’re learning… and not only learning how to do the stitches, but also putting those movements into your muscle memory–that takes lots of time and lots and lots of rrepetition… and mistakes!!
You’re not hopeless. I’ve been knitting since my age was in the single digits. Trust me, I’ve had my share of messes. Just take it slow and don’t feel the need to rush. One step at a time, one stitch at a time. Remember, no one starts anything being an expert.
I feel for ya!!! I had started a baby blanket for my neice and was about 40 rows in… and whooops… dropped a stitch… yikes! Anyways… I ended up having to frog the whole thing. I wished I hadn’t now as I could fix it since I have more experience.
I’ve only been knitting since august, but the learning curve is steep. Trust me! You’ll get the hang of it all in no time. I did a few dishclothes and then went straight to hats. they are sooo easy to manage and take far less time than a scarf! I am working on a scarf for myself at the moment and I set it down about halfway through every evening to work on another project because I find it so BOORRRRING.
Trying knitting a few small things… maybe a kitty toy or dish cloth so that you can finish it and have that great feeling of something complete! It is the best motivator you could hope for. I am all for the instant gratification!
If you have a kitty… take a small amount of your scarf yarn, knit a square that is maybe 3x3 inches, fold it corner to corner, sew it up almost the entire way, stuff it full of stuffing… cotton balls, dryer fluff… whatever takes up room and doesn’t fall through the holes in the knitting and add some cat nip. Then go play with kitty for a bit to relax and only after that… go back to your scarf.
Don’t give up! You should have seen the first loaf I bread I tried to make when I was young. Dad finally had to bury it because the dog wouldn’t eat it and it didn’t disintegrate over a harsh Iowa winter. :whistle: (He finally buried it.) Now I can make a great loaf of bread, it just took time and a LOT of practice. You too will get there with knitting.
Thanks for the encouragement folks. I took a deep breath, cast on, and started yet again.
I’ve watched that destination row video several times. I guess I should have a set of circular needles. For now though, this time I’m going to thread in a lifeline every so often.
I have degrees in Electronics Engineering and Computer Science and would have never dreamed I could feel so stupid as I do right now LOL
When I was learning to knit (I am self-taught) and I would make a mistake, I had to frog everything. I just couldn’t figure out how to get it back, once I messed up.
I thought "knitting is crazy, if you make one mistake, it’s all over!"
But that was in 1998 and I have learned a thing or two since then…
I am just saying, we’ve all been there, and you will look back on your scarf someday and just have a good laugh.
Wow that sounded very condescending! :doh:
I am just saying, you WILL advance and grow from here! Just keep trying.
Also, I get into the rhythm of the pattern. I don’t count. I just know when I’ve purled three instead of two and back up a stich. It’s difficult to explain, but you just realize that the knitting didn’t feel right. I can also feel it when I split a stich or when something isn’t quiet right.
That’s exactly why I went with the ribbing. I started with a simple garter stitch one and wound up adding a bunch of stitches. The ribbing forces me to pay more attention to the stitch count.
Don’t give up!!! We all know how you feel I mean it took me almost a month and a 1/2 to make a simple garter stitch scarf and 6 months to learn how to purl. You’ll get the hang of it. My DH used to teach in a local art school and when his students would get frustrated and want to give up he’d tell them that they were still learning and it didn’t matter how beautiful something was. That comes with time. The important thing now is to just do it, do it all the time, and when you screw up you do it again.
Maybe restarting it this time wasn’t so bad after all. It’s actually looking better than it did the last time and I’m catching my mistakes right away (so far) and am able to correct them before I commit them to the row.
I’ve decided that I am not going to frog it again no matter what. I’ll either figure out a way to fix any mistakes or just live with them and keep knitting. After all, it IS a first project.
I mean it took me almost a month and a 1/2 to make a simple garter stitch scarf and 6 months to learn how to purl. You’ll get the hang of it. My DH used to teach in a local art school and when his students would get frustrated and want to give up he’d tell them that they were still learning and it didn’t matter how beautiful something was. That comes with time. The important thing now is to just do it, do it all the time, and when you screw up you do it again.