My 14 yrs old is knitting this garter stitch scarf. She is almost done!
:cheering: :cheering: :cheering:
Awesome!
Thanks GG. She is having an “internet-less summer” so she is learning to knit. She can watch YouTube videos with our Wii but no browser access. I’m such a mean mom!! LOL
Her scarf is beautiful and she has every right to be proud of her accomplishment. Is she a new knitter also?
Mean moms rock! My DD told me how her DD looked at her and said, “You’re not my friend!” and she responded, “That’s right! I’m your mom.” I told my kids if they didn’t think I was the meanest mom in the world I had to try harder. Later on I got more than one thank you from them.
I tell mine the same thing.
She learned to cast on in Youth Group, then we moved and that was that. When I finally taught myself last month, she learned the knit stitch right along with me. She refuses to learn to purl.
I recently learned to knit backwards. I think a lot of my stockinette will be done with the purl rows knitted backwards. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIo-m6vfd-U
I’m going to watch that now, and hopefully she will too. I want to learn to knit continental also. It looks so much easier.
You’re a smart mom! 
Pretty scarf!
Continental is easier…for me. It might not be for you. People who started out knitting English style first seem to prefer it and find it easier. It’s all subjective. Continental is supposedly faster than English but I’ve seen video of some really fast English style knitters. Knitting fast isn’t my goal, knitting better is. Whichever way you are more comfortable with is the right was to knit.
Thanks Jan! I think she did a great job.
GG, I taught myself English style, but I’m left handed so if I can learn continental it would help.
OK. :mrgreen: Then since I’m right handed should English style be easier for me? 
It all comes down to what works for you. Have you tried Continental yet? I could not get the hang of knitting and holding the yarn in my right hand. I kept at it so that now I can do it, but I’m still not really comfortable with English style. Find the way you like best and stick with it. I plan on tryingKnitting in the Portuguese Style soon.
Ok… I see your point. It certainly looks like it would be easier for a lefty. I am still all thumbs with my needles…it’s probably scary to watch.
I’ll definitely watch that video! Thanks for the link!
That video was cool!! My kindle won’t let me make an account there so I’ll fire up the desktop tomorrow. The laptop needs a new power cord.
I’ve tried continental and I’m even clumsier that way. I’m hoping to meet someone “in real life” soon that knits.
The scarf is beautiful!!!
Your daughter’s scarf is lovely, a fantastic first project.
I’m a lefty too who learned to knit righty and English style because that was what my teacher knew. It works.
Oh, and keep on being a “mean” mom. It’s your job and you love it.
Wonderful! The yarn color is very pretty! Your daughter’s pic is adorable!
Thanks everyone! I’ll pass the compliments on to her!!
Janis, I’ve seen the photos you’ve posted and your knitting looks wonderful. Whatever you’re doing is working. Sometimes experimenting with different styles or different ways of holding the yarn makes a difference in the level of comfort or consistency with tension or the ease of making the stitches. Sometimes keeping at it until it feels more natural works. I looked back and found you posted your first FO on 6/23. http://www.knittinghelp.com/forum/showthread.php?t=113551 It could be that you’ve just not been knitting long enough for it to feel natural. I learned crochet first and it was a long time before it felt like things just flowed and knitting was the same way. I actually tried learning to knit a number of times but I was just too clumsy to handle 2 needles and the yarn. I think I was finally able to learn Continental because it was so much like crochet. Having actually learned that first it was the way I stuck with and now learning a new style of doing anything - throwing the yarn with my right hand, a different way to purl, whatever - frustrates me because I don’t like the learning curve involved. My point is that you do knit beautifully and whichever style you settle with is OK.
One place I do think Continental style excels over English style is in ribbing or seed stitch. Moving the yarn from front to back and vice versa is easier and faster, but Norwegian purling beats regular Continental purling there. Otherwise, I think they’re equally terrific.
Janis, I’ve seen the photos you’ve posted and your knitting looks wonderful. Whatever you’re doing is working. Sometimes experimenting with different styles or different ways of holding the yarn makes a difference in the level of comfort or consistency with tension, or the ease of making the stitches. Sometimes keeping at it until it feels more natural works. I looked back and found you posted your first FO on 6/23. http://www.knittinghelp.com/forum/showthread.php?t=113551 It could be that you’ve just not been knitting long enough for it to feel natural. I learned crochet first and it was a long time before it felt like things just flowed and knitting was the same way. I actually tried learning to knit a number of times but I was just too clumsy to handle 2 needles. I think I was finally able to learn Continental because it was so much like crochet. Having actually learned that first it was the way I stuck with and now learning a new style of doing anything - throwing the yarn with my right hand, a different way to purl, whatever - frustrates me because I don’t like the learning curve involved. My point is that you do knit beautifully and whichever style you settle with is OK.
I thank you, GG. I’m still learning and experimenting. I’m worried about English style because I have fibromyalgia and nerve damage in my wrists and shoulders. If I could learn continental, it would be easier on my wrists.
I am getting more confident and comfortable, though. I finished 3 dish clothes in 3 days, once I learned the pattern I sped right through them. I need to go yarn shopping, buy something other than dish cloth yarn lol. I’d like to move on to bigger projects soon.