LHC & Other knitters

[franciepants]

Curious lurker here...

I want to take up knitting this fall, but I have absolutely no experience. I am not particularly crafty. Knitting just seems like it would be a nice, relaxing past time in the colder months.

Any advice?

Thanks!

[Deleted]

Head to a local yarn shop and see if there are any classes you could jump into. I learned in an old ladies group at church and I think the handson instruction is key. No way could I have learned by looking at stitch diagrams in books.

Also, I think bamboo needles are easier for beginners. JMO.

Have fun! Its a great hobby for sure.

[raspberry]

I used youtube videos to teach myself, but it took 3 separate tries weeks apart to get it. I started out with washcloths then went to knitting hats flat and seaming them up in the back.

ETA: Yes bamboo needles are awesome, they're "stickier" than metal so your stitches don't slip around as much.

[franciepants]

Thanks. I tried once using a book from the library but got annoyed. I'll check out the bamboo needles.

[Deleted]

I learned from books and youtube. Youtube was by far more helpful than the books. It probably would have been easier if I would have sucked it up and gone to a class, but I'm anti-social like that. Good luck!

[franciepants]

I'll have to look around for a small shop near here. The only craft places I am aware of near by are Michael's and JoAnn Fabrics. I'm sure there's a hole-in-the-wall somewhere though. Thanks.

[ohiowan]

Check out youtube. You'll want to learn casting on first, then knitting and purling. Counters are really helpful if you space off easily.

[emjacobs]

I crochet, I've never been able to make both of my hands work with knitting but I love having something I can pick up / put down in the evenings

[broc]

I'm a crocheter, but I agree with the youtube recommendation. I'd go through the videos and pick out a small project you think you'll be able to manage, that goes through things step by step... something like a scarf or shawl, or slightly more ambitiously a hat (though IDK how knitting handles working in the round so that may be super advanced, lol). That way you're not stuck with a monolithic project, and if you screw it up you never have more than a few dozen rows to rip out.

[electricmayhem]

I learned from a DVD at the library, then went to a local yarn shop, where we brought in an idea and the teacher got us started and gave pointers as we went, so we weren't all trying to make the same thing at the same time (and I wasn't stuck making something I really didn't want).

Ditto PP's that something square and flat is easiest to start with--like a scarf.

[franciepants]

All this helpful. Thanks, ladies. I hope to have some snazzy dishcloths made by winter.

[franciepants]

I can see Santa...or the Shroud of Turin.

My goal is to get good enough to make a nice blanket. I'm going to check out the local stores this weekend.