I’m just curious if I am having the same problems as any other knitter out there… What are some of your biggest frustrations, problems, or questions when you are knitting? Especially beginners, although all input is definitely welcome. The other thing I am curious about is what would you like to be able to do/aspirations per se?
I hope these questions aren’t to imposing. I’m just looking to see if other people are having the same problems and if they have found answers to those problems.
Peoples problems probably vary based on their lifestyle and what life is throwing at them. :teehee:
I’m not sure what my biggest problem is… when I was a new knitter it was probably keeping track of what I was doing.
I know I can tackle about anything now if I set my mind to it, but as a new knitter my goal was to knit a sweater. I knit my first simple pullover when I’d been knitting 3 mos. It came out great, large, but great. :teehee:
My biggest problem is that having a full-time job really gets in the way of my knitting ! When I do get time to knit my biggest problem is that the hubby or the dogs always feel like they need my attention…
My biggest beginner problems were: ribbing (hated it, cool with it now), recognizing my stitches, miss understanding patterns, frogging, having my knitting interrupted, understanding what yarn I should use and how much to buy (I never had my pattern and always bought too much or too little). Finding what needles I prefer, I bought a bunch that I truly dislike. I finally bought Knit Picks options interchangeables and only use those. I sometimes use my Harmonies when I must. Buying too much boucle yarn. (YUCK!!!) I also often got frustrated when I couldn’t figure out the pattern. Taking my FOs personal -I would get my feelings hurt if I made something for someone and I didn’t get the reaction I expected. I also would get upset when I would make my DD something and she didn’t just LOVE it.
1 year later - my biggest problem is putting my knitting down. I knit every chance I get. In the car, at softball practice and games, late at night, all weekend, at lunch and just whenever I get a free moment. I just can’t get enough, I always have a project with me…Still have trouble understanding some patterns, I have to study them and look at Rav to see other peoples notes (I try not to let patterns beat me:) I try to have at least 1 simple and quick project going at all times so I feel like I accomplished something.
I love knitting:inlove: , it is one of the smartest things I have ever learned to do. When I finish a project, I know it’s made with my soul; no matter how simple. I love to give people my FOs and no matter what their reaction is. I realized that I knit for me and if I decide to give it, it’s theirs. My pleasure comes form the process of knitting and seeing the end result. If they "gush over the gift that’s a bonus.:yay: :yay: :knitting: :knitting: :knitting: :knitting:
i know i have problems with even tension, i get a few bigger stitches sometimes. i also get intmidated by patterns easily, i tend to start something do 5 rows and change my mind cause i read to whole pattern. i also don’t do guage swatches much so sometimes my projects come out a surprise.
I am still in that beginner stage. Recognizing stitches and learning to find mistakes and learning to fix them have been a challenge for me not to mention learning to read a pattern:hair:
But the more I knit the more I learn from my mistakes . I am 90% done with my very first top down raglan baby sweater and with the help of Jan in CA and suzeeq my two Sifu’s they have both given me so much support and confidence that I feel I can try things now that I didn’t think I could do last year.:yay:
I love, love, love Knitting! My hope was to one day make a Cardigan Sweater for myself and I think I can do that now. :woot:
I still need Guidance with reading patterns and understanding what I should be doing , but I’m getting there. Sometimes when I am reading a pattern it looks like Greek to me until someone dummies it down for me:rofl:
I would love to be able one day to read and understand knitting charts they are way :whoosh:
Finding enough time to knit - work sure gets in the way lol!
But seriously, I hate to get interupted in the middle of a row, or pattern repeat, if it is at all complicated. I am fairly good at reading my knitting, but depending on the yarn I am using, and the pattern, I can get lost.
When I first started knitting, I knit very tightly. I have eased up in that area.
Now, I just want to jump ahead and learn more and more…sometimes I don’t think I am ready for the ambitious projects I find, but often times, jumping in, you find they are not as difficult as they seem if you take them one step at a time!
Have you seen your problems repeated yet? Mine are still after almost a year of non stop knitting, still feeling like I don’t know anything. I have sooo much more to learn and am impatient with my ignorance. I don’t really understand gauge right now. Just finished my first sweater, it came out too big, but, wow, what an accomplishment, if I do say so myself. I am going to take a sock class this summer, just because I have to know what all the hub bub is about socks. I know it will be frustrating, but I am determined to master it. Also, I still don’t like purling. I could do garter stitch all day, get a little boring, but I like it better than purl. I am sure there are other things that I get frustrated with, but I can’t explain how much I love knitting, I just really do!
There are some patterns that are easy to make up. Top down raglans are just a basic pattern and you can add a stitch pattern if you want, or just stockinette in an interesting yarn. What really wows me is people who can put several different lace patterns together and come up with shawls or garment with them.
[color=#300090]Finding time to knit (or crochet) because I have to work for a living.
Choosing between knit or crochet because I’m faster and better at crochet but a man can only occasionally enjoy making a doily, dishcloth, hat or scarf. (Hey all my children already have a hat and scarf of my making).
Learning the many ways to increase or decrease and what they look like in a fabric.
Frogging back without starting ladders in some stitches. The Columns Scarf was the worst for this.
Repairing a ladder/run from a dropped stitch/loop in garder or other changing-by-the-row pattern. Sometimes I’d rather find the burned out bulb in the Christmas lights! :nails:
Trying not to get a project on every set of needles I own. Yeah, I’d do that if I didn’t fight against the urge. I’m the opposite of Walt (of Gran Torino) I’m a starter (not a finisher). :sad:
Oh and I have the hardest time trying to remember how to cast/bind off. Is it me or is a knitted bind-off (KBO?) the same as a single crochet bind off? And only the double crochet really looks like a single crochet edge when completed. The KBO and SC BO both look like a slip stitch edge to me. :roll: Who names these things?
Most frustrating:
Finding yarn in styles and colors that I would be willing to use and wear. Hey, basic men’s stuff not any of that GQ fashion stuff. I also don’t want any pomp pomps or flowers in it unless I’m making it for a girl. :roll: Apparently the entire world thinks that men don’t wear hand knit items. :nails:
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I’d say my biggest problem right now is that I’m finally starting to move into laceweight yarns and lace patterns (which has been a goal of mine since I started at the New Year), and I’m having problems with reading lace charts so that I can see the pattern in the chart – right now, I still have to do a good sized swatch (or start the garment and then frog back and start it again, multiple times) before I “get” the pattern under my fingers.
Phew. There was a lot to be said for working in large gauge yarns, though – soooo much faster than laceweight garments! I was planning on just working on this one garment until it was done, no side projects, but I might do a whole nother Louisa in the middle, just to satisfy my “something new” bump!
But i suspect i’m not the only one :teehee:
