I want to learn to knit so I bought one of those “knitting for beginners” books and I have found that it is worthless, as the pictures are very hard to make out. Videos on youtube aren’t so great, they are way too fast.
What are some good websites or books?
My wife? No, she thinks her quick demonstrations of flawless art she invented herself mean anything to the inept, like me. 
dropzone, you sound like my husband. I do my hand quilting on the dining room table. It has to be moved every time we eat, but it’s the only table big enough to quilt on. One day my husband moved a tablecloth off the table – a table cloth – one piece of fabric, the same fabric – off the table and commented “Can’t you quilt somewhere else?” :rolleyes:
I’d be interested in a good book/video for knitting too. And crocheting. Partly because I’m curious about what my husband would call it. “Honey? Are you darning socks? My grandma used to be pretty good at that!”
I learned how to knit from this website: http://www.knittinghelp.com/
I tried learning from a book, but like you I couldn’t follow the pictures very well. I like the videos on that site as they didn’t go too fast for me - maybe you’ll like them.
Once I had the basics down pat, I found it much easier to pick up new techniques from books or more confusing videos. Once you wrap your brain around some concepts, pick up the basic knitting vocabulary, and practice, practice, practice to get muscle memory, it’s easier to learn more complicated techniques.
Another vote for knittinghelp.com.
Also, you might as well go ahead and request an account on ravelry.com now, since it usually takes several weeks to get in. It’s pretty much a cross between facebook and the straight dope - for knitting/crochet.
Once you’ve learned the single basic move that is the basis for the entire process–pulling one loop through another using the tips of two needles–you can’t do better than Knitting Without Tears. If you never read another knitting book you’ll still have a better grasp of the art than most knitters ever achieve. Plus it’s a hoot to read.
I used, in addition to hands-on help, a DVD I bought for $10 or so at JoAnn Fabrics. I can’t find it right this second, but they have them hanging up in the knitting tools section there…I think it’s Teach Yourself To Knit. It was great. That, combined with the book Ten, Twenty, Thirty Minutes to Knit, and the Stitch 'n Bitch book, still help me immensely.
Lots of craft and yarn stores offer classes. I know that around here both Crafts 2000 and the high-end yarn stores offer lessons. I don’t know that I’d have been able to learn to knit from a book. Do any of your friends knit? They may be willing to help you out as well. I love helping folks learn to do stuff. I taught my sister-in-law how to crochet over Thanksgiving. If you find yourself in Ohio with some knitting needles, let me know. 
I’ll third or fourth knittinghelp.com. The videos are slow enough to actually see what’s going on, and they repeat the moves enough times that you don’t have to keep re-starting the videos. Those helped me a lot when pictures in the books didn’t make any sense.
Grandmothers!
Thank you! I too have been curious. I know the basics of knitting but once it gets to anything more complicated I just can’t do it. Like…I don’t know how to stop, for one. I’ll try the website this weekend!
I keep wanting to know how without the steps of learning because I’ve yet to find anyone slow enough to help me either. I think I’ll be checking out knittinghelp to see if that’ll do the trick.
I’d like some help on knitting as well since I’m pretty rusty. But I’d also like to learn crochet. I had someone show me the basic chain stitch and then I taught myself how to do more in order to crochet a border on a baby blanket I had knitted. I did this in my teens and those brain cells have since died because I can’t remember how I did it and I seem to have lost the ability to teach myself from a book. I need to be shown.
I’d offer to help anyone in Philly, but since I do it “backwards” (Continental style) – and don’t keep the yard wrapped around a finger or three, but actually pick it up with every stitch – the way I knit completely freaks out every knitter who watches me, so that might not be a good idea.
Not sure why I knit all screwy-like. I don’t remember now how I learned how to knit when I was a kid, but when I picked it up again 40 years later, that’s what felt natural to me.
Have you looked for a Meetup knitting group or something at your local community center or library? I think most knitters are happy to share what they know.
Awwww! That’s how I learned back in 1965. All my knitting books are ancient, so I’m no help for recommending a book. In my town we have evening Adult School classes at the high school where they teach you to knit, so you can learn in person, and they have plenty of grandmothers. Do you have anything like that where you live?
A note to all beginning knitters: Please learn the Continental way, instead of the English way. This will serve you well in the future: for all but a few people who have weird genes or something, it’s faster, gives more consistent tension, and is much more versatile for color work or knitting multiple layers.
Please. You’ll thank me for it later.
I tried finding things online but I haven’t been able to.
Join up at Ravelry.com if you want a good knitting community. It’s amazing and there are thousands of patterns to choose from, as well as useful tips and groups of all types.
I also taught myself using knittinghelp.com’s videos, but I have suggest the TechKnitter’s blog for the best diagrams and technical explanations I’ve ever seen: http://techknitting.blogspot.com/
I learned last year from knittinghelp.com. Because of that, I learned continental method, since it seems to see be a distinct preference of the person who runs that site (although she presents all of the techniques in continental and English.) I did also try the English method just to check it out. Everybody’s a little different, but for me, there’s no question continental is faster and smoother (and just makes more sense to me). Plus when you start doing Fair Isle or other types of stranding, it means you can do continental with one hand and English with the other.
But check both out.