I started trying to knit this summer, based solely off of this website and other how-to websites… I don’t know anyone who really can show me how! When classes started I stopped trying to learn, but I had made one pretty successful patch. That’s it. I wanted to make a beanie eventually, hopefully before Christmas but maybe before the 18th of November if I can finish it.
I was wondering - is it normal to have your fingers hurt? I feel like my knits are sometimes so tight, especially at the end of the row, since I have to force the needle down and through, to the point that the tips are hurting my fingers.
Also, say I wanted to do this beanie (without the logo in the middle): http://www.knittinghelp.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28309 The cast on is 90 stitches, and I’m sure that wouldn’t fit on my needle. This is completely naive of me to ask, I know, but how do you do this? A circular knitting … thing? I can’t afford to pay for anything right now, so if that’s the case - is there some sort of beanie pattern that you can do with normal needles?
I’m sure there are more things I’m not getting - so I may have more questions… gah!
That hat is made on two needles and seamed so you don’t need a circular needle. Stitches that are too tight are common among new knitters. Try tensioning the yarn in whatever hand you have the working yarn and don’t pull it so tight. It really just takes practice.
One note - There are other methods to make hats as well. You can use a 16 in circular needle and when the hat reaches the point of being too small to fit after decreasing you switch to DPNs to finish.
The other methods that can also be used are using two circular needles or one long one which is called Magic Loop. All techniques are in the Video section.
Knitting tensions can vary a lot. I find I often start out tight and get looser as I relax into the project and get a rythym going. As with a lot of things it just takes time and practice.
90 sts should fit on a regular needle. You will just need to squash them together on the needle a lot more. Spread out the first few on the end as you prepare to knit them, but the rest can be tight together.
Your stitches shouldn’t be so tight that you’ve got to force them; they won’t fall off the needle if they’re looser. Try different ways of holding the yarn, like threading it through your fingers instead of wrapping around a finger. And don’t give the yarn an extra pull after you’ve made the stitch, just go on to the next one. Relax, it’s only string and sticks…
Thanks for the advice, to all of you. I will try it out once I finish another swatch and just squish all the stitches together, and try to relax my hands more
