I believe I am the newest knitter on this site but would like to pass along something I learned.
Don’t worry about being perfect. After getting frustrated (down right mad) with my knitting I decided to ‘just knit’. Not worrying about what it looked like, or mistakes, I started knitting nothing in particular, leaving mistakes, and changing stitches along the way.
After I finished about 20 rows I went back and looked at what I done. :?? Then I watched the videos on correcting mistakes and started fixing the problems with what I had done. I figured I had to learn this anyway.
I repeated this until I started being comfortable with the stitches and fixing mistakes. :happydance: :happydance:
Although I am still a long way from being what I would call a ‘knitter’ this helped me get over being frustrated and worrying about everything having to be perfect.
You know what else I noticed when I was a new knitter? Unlike you, I kept frogging and starting again when things were imperfect (i.e., constantly). But that just made it worse because my yarn just got kinkier and rattier so my stitches just got more and more uneven. Now I know better so when I do frog and my yarn is kinky, I wet it and straighten it out. I noticed that it doesn’t matter with some yarns, but there are a few where it really makes a difference. So new knitters, listen to GennyLynn’s advice and just keep going. You’ll be impressed with your improvement along the way too, I’m sure.
I agree with that too, except I’d use a decent cheap yarn like knitpicks wool of the andes (WOTA). The first yarn I got was Patons Decor which was a 75% acrylic / 25% wool blend and I had a hard time with it – at first I thought it was because I was just not getting the hang of knitting. But then I got some KP WOTA, and even though it was probably (I think) a little less expensive by weight, the elasticity of the wool made a really big difference – it was much easier to handle. So I’d definitely avoid acrylics to begin with and go for wool. (I just finished some socks with another acrylic/wool blend and I again found it a bit more difficult to work with, even though I’ve been knitting for a while now. Just wasn’t very springy, and thus less “forgiving.” I still can’t knit with cotton.)
GennyLynn, your advice should be etched on a brass plaque and given to every new knitter with her/his first pair of needles! Bravo! You may be the “newest knitter”, as you say in your post, but you are truly The Knitter, capital letters!
I also appreciate the advice on yarns, I haven’t learned all the yarns and the differences between them. Although while looking at a craft store I am eager to use some of the softer ones.
Any suggestions on yarns for ponchos for small girls. I would like for them to be very soft but yet strong.
I’m a new knitter too, having learned by watching Amy’s English Method video on September 9th (yes, I remember the day I found knittinghelp.com!!). I’m not quite a one-month-old knitter yet, but have made 3 scarves with the basic garter stitch. I think your idea is great - just knit several rows and look back to figure out where you goofed. That’s how I learned. My biggest mistake was throwing my yarn over at the last stitch and “adding” stitches as I went along. :wall: But once I realized what I was doing, I’m careful and don’t do it anymore. My next project is a poncho for my daughter, who having just started kindergarten, is a budding fashion diva-ette.
Good luck to everyone - this site rocks and I can get lost reading through the old posts!!
Hapa Girl - Sounds like you are moving right along. I’ve had problems with adding stitches too, and I’m still not sure where they are coming from :pout: I have finished my first ‘project’ it’s not your typical knitting, I made book end covers for those old style metal book ends. I guess you would call it more of a ‘craft’ than other types of knitting. I am going to try to put a picture of them on my blog.
I also have a scarf I’m working on in garter stitch. I’m hoping to have some things done for Christmas gifts this year, but I don’t know how much I’ll be able to finish. :oops:
I agree with you this is a great site. The people are friendly with lots of good advice, and I wouldn’t be knitting at all if not for the videos. :teehee:
Great advice! I agree that beginners should definitely stick to simple rectangular projects at first, or even just do some squares. I started with dishcloths with knit and purl stitches only, and this was enough to frustrate me! I started with cotton, which might not have been a good idea, but I wanted the cloths to be useable. I also knitted with cheap acrylic because I didn’t want to waste money, and I still knit some stuff with Caron Simply Soft because it’s easy care and I like it.
It took me some time and experience to get to where I didn’t totally frog and start over from scratch. The more I knit, the more I’m able to fix mistakes successfully and make some fewer, though I get distracted still. There’s no substitute for this time, at least there wasn’t in my case. So I would add that we newbs need to be patient. We’re not going to learn everything overnight or knit a cabled, multicolored, DPN project the first week out. I don’t know if practice makes perfect, as I’ll never be perfect at this, but it sure does give you better judgment and expand your abilities to know what your mistakes are and fix them.
I still consider myself a newbie although I have knit many simple garter stitch scarves, a ribbed hat or two, a baby sweater (so cute! - working on second one same pattern, different yarn) and half way through a tank for myself which I am frustrated with…
Anyhow, what I wanted to say, is that everyone’s advise is right on. And, I too must chime in to say that I LOVE THIS SITE! Everyone has been such great help along the way. I have found knitters as a whole are really nice people.!!!
that’s great advice…I’m also a very new knitter (just learned last Tuesday!) and I made a bunch of swatches before really doing anything. I made a garter stitch swatch, a stockinette swatch, and a ribbed stitch (2x2) swatch. I made a quick garter stitch scarf and put fringe on it. Now I’m working on a nice 2x2 ribbed scarf that is turning out quite nicely…I’ve made a couple mistakes on it but I’ve been teaching myself to “unknit” and fix the mistakes! :happydance:
Wow Chrissie, sounds like you are doing great. You have done more than I have and started after I did. :oops:
Everyone has given me great advice. As far as yarn goes I haven’t worked with many different ones. Only what I can buy here at the craft stores or department stores. I don’t feel like I can spend much on yarn until I can actually finish a few things first, and learn more of the stitches. :teehee:
I just don’t have the time I would like to to devote to knitting. :grrr: All those things like, work, laundry, cooking, cleaning, etc get in the way. :roflhard:
and I can get lost reading through the old posts!!