I would DEFINITELY go back to the group with the “regulars”…I know it can be intimidating to try to break into a group, but my experience with knitters has been overwhelmingly positive - they love to teach and share the joy of knitting. I am at best an intermediate knitter, and yet I LOVE helping other people. I have had great help from this site, but I also think there is something to be said for in person hands on instruction.
Don’t give up!
As my mom put it: its just yarn. don’t let the yarn be the boss. you are the boss of the yarn.
I am in a frog-a thon too… I just put aside my lace challenge project. frogged it 4 times. threw away the ratty frogged yarn. I’m moving back to something that doesn’t require as much counting, for now. Felting! makes the mistakes disappear… (LOL)
anyways, hang in there…
Hi,
When I first started to learn to knit lace I used larger gage yarn so I could better seen the stitches and I used, and still use plenty of stitch markers between pattern repeats in order to keep track of the number of stitches. This helps much more than you might think because as you knit each section, you begin to recognize if something is not right in any section so that you may be able to correct your errors sooner than later. If it was just a yarn over that was missed, you can then just pick up from the row below to compensate. Many people have mentioned that “Lifelines” are helpful when knitting lace and if you own Knitpicks needles I’ve heard you can attch a lifeline using the small holes at the cable end to attach a lifeline rather than having to use a needle and a length of contrasting yarn later. If you are knitting from charts, using either highlighter tape or a post-it note to mark the line you are on is helpful. Also, when you put down your knitting, marking either where you left off or what row is next helps. Don’t give up! Much of it is just giving yourself time in a quiet place and practice. Good Luck
I would definately not be shy about going back to the place that has the “regulars” and asking some questions. I have a buddy here at work that brought her scarf in numerous times for help from me, and I was happy to help. Any knitter worth her weight in yarn is always happy to help, and if they are rude about it then you know not to go back! 
Hmmmmm where in NJ? LOL are there any good shops up there? Its not far from MD.
Seriously, just ask. Soemtimes it takes a few times to get it to click. No worries, we are here to help.
And I have found knitting groups are filled with wonderful people. Give it a shot!!!
Sounds like you might be trying too complicated things when you need to get more comfortable with simpler stuff. There’s always room for questions here so don’t worry about that! I’m very excited that I’m going to teach knitting this fall… if you every come into Manhattan? I could give you lessons for a very low price. Don’t give up!
I think I am starting to feel a little better about my knitting. I went to the library and checked out “Knitting in Plain English” for some at home help and I have not been to 2 other knitting sites where there are some very long posts that are somewhat negative, stuff like what to say to people who ask you what you are doing (I have read some responses that I consider to be rude) or how to say no to them when they ask if you could knit something for them. Oh, and I think I will start going back to the knitting group that meets in the town we might be buying our house in but I will wait until after it is a done deal!
That is something that is real nice about this site, it is always a positive place to come. Thank you to all who have given me what I needed-great advice and some much appreciated moral support!!:cheering: