Project Advice Needed

#1

I am IN LOVE with knitting. I have been knitting for a while but never actually finished anything…just played with stitches. I have recently gone back to it and have completed several scarves (both simple and complicated) and several hats. I wanted to do something more complicated but didn’t want to get so frustrated that I stopped enjoying it. I thought my next project would be a shawl but I don’t know if I’m biting off more than I can chew. I thought it would be easy but most shawl patterns look more complicated than I imagined. Part of it is that several of them talk about starting with crochet stitch and then knitting though it which really confuses me. Is a shawl a good idea or is this something I should wait on? If so, can anyone suggest a good alternative? I want it to be some sort of clothing…not into dishcloths and the like :knitting:

Thanks for all your help

#2

Shawl patterns can look complicated, but you still knit them one st and one row at a time. If you can knit, purl, increase and decrease you can do anything. Some shawls start with a temporary CO called a provisional CO and a crocheted chain is one of them. You don’t have to begin them that way, I cast on a couple less sts than the shawl body needs and work 2 rows of garter stitch with an increase on each row, then begin the main part of the pattern. If you have one in mind that you’d really like to do, we can help you out with it. You’re more apt to stick with something you like than just whatever should be ‘the next step’.

#3

If you’re interested in a shawl pattern, why not give it a try? You’ve worked through some complicated scarves so this would probably be a step forward from there. There are lots of shawl patterns that don’t involve crochet, or you could teach yourself enough crocht by watching videos or consulting a book to learn what you need.

#4

That sound awesome…I have a particular shawl pattern in mind…My main problem is the beginning…How can I give you the information so you can help me with that?

#5

You can link to the pattern, or post just 2 or 3 of the beginning rows or instructions.

#6

Here is the directions from the pattern I bought and downloaded from Ravelry:
Directions
Cast On: With length of waste yarn and crochet hook, chain
4 stitches. Using knitting needle and your shawl yarn, pick up
and knit 2 stitches in the bumps at the back of the 2 middle
chains.
Garter tab: Knit 7 rows in garter stitch (knitting every row).
At the end of the 7th row, do not turn. Instead, rotate work 90
degrees, pick up and knit 3 stitches in each of the garter
bumps, then release the 2 stitches held by the waste yarn and
knit both stitches. [7 stitches now on the needles]
Setup row (RS): Knit 2, M1L, knit 1, MlR, place marker for
center spine stitch, knit 1, M1L, knit 1, M1R, knit 2.
Next row (WS): Knit 2, purl to last 2 stitches, knit 2.
[11 stitches on the needles]

After that it starts on the actual body of the shawl. The biggest problem I’m having is understanding the “cast on” and also I guess I’m not clear what “set up” is.

Thanks for your help.

#7

The ‘set up row’ places the markers and establishes the sts, especially the center k1 st and the increases. I don’t like this type of start to a shawl with garter st on 7 rows over just 2 stitches - it’s much too fiddley - and have come up with a different way to do them. For this one, cast on 5 sts, knit 2 rows putting an increase either in the middle of each one or at the end. Now you have 7 sts and can do the set up row, the WS row and go into the pattern.

#8

Wow…you are awesome…thank you so much…Have a wonderful holiday! Do you mind if I contact you if I’m having other issues with this new project of mine

#9

Sure you can, but if you post in the forums you may get more help sooner from other people if you post while I’m at work, like today. There’s a lot of other experienced knitters here besides me.