Hey y’all…I am hoping a pro can help a newbie out here. I am very new to knitting (have several scarves under my belt but nothing more). I am able to knit, purl, bind off… My problem is in these “EASY” projects, namely a simple dishrag. I am having such an impossible time with being able to knit with the Sugar N Cream yarn - it is so stiff. Now I feel so awful that this “great beginning project” is so difficult for me. Any advice?
Cotton yarn is a little hard to knit with because there isn’t any give or stretch to it. You may also be knitting tightly which is common especially with new knitters. Try going up a needle size and see if that helps. Also try not to pull the stitches too tight. They’ll be easier to knit off the needle.
Now I feel so awful that this “great beginning project” is so difficult for me.
Don’t feel badly. Soon enough, you’ll look back and laugh that it seemed so impossible. I agree with Jan, though – cotton isn’t what I’d give a beginner.
Also try knitting cotton on metal needles, it slides off easier than on wood, if you happen to be using those.
There are also other brands of cotton out there that aren’t as “stiff” as the Sugar and Cream. Next time you see some, buy a skein and see if it works better for you.
Also, welcome to the forum! Every one of us was a “newbie” at one time, so don’t worry, just enjoy!
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I agree with newamy! [/COLOR] Try using metal needles if you’ve been using wood up til now. You can really zip along with metal! Sugar 'n Cream cotton can be a stubborn bugger when knit with wood. I use it all the time for dishcloths and scrubbies…and I only use Addi for them! KP Options would work just as well.
You are not alone…My first failed attempt to learn to knit was with cotton and metal needles. My teacher had a good chuckle when I stormed over to her home, red in the face in frustration. She continued to chuckle as she struggled with my tight - very tight - stitches. lol. I even tried putting baby powder (talc) on my needles! Then there was acrylic…I abandoned the discloth as my first project and made my first scarf. A few years later I returned to the cotton. Not too bad now but I still prefer other fibres than cotton though. Keep at it. It will come.
I don’t know if you’ve ever heard the saying that more cooks get cut by a dull knife that a sharp one…but it’s also true for knitters. The tighter you knit, the more likely you are to have trouble with your knitting. It makes it harder to maneuver when your stitches are so tight on your left needle. I know you’re thinking that the tighter the stitches are on the needle, the less likely I am to make a mistake, but just the opposite is true. Try to relax and loosen up your stitches and you’ll be amazed at how much easier your knitting becomes. Stick with it…one of these days you’ll look back and be amazed at how far you’ve come.
I think most newer knitters are afraid the sts will fall off the needle, or that they won’t be even unless they’re tight. Knitting the following st will tighten up the previous one just fine, and everyone’s knitting is a little uneven. That’s what washing and/or blocking are for - they even out the sts for those pretty pictures. Knitting tight also tends to make the ‘holes’ and gaps in increases and and cables much more noticeable than knitting with a relaxed tension.
Im new also! I just made baby booties with that yarn, I dont think I should have, and it was tough! It hurt my hands!