Worked the tail end of the church rummage sale earlier today. Since there were no customers, I scrounged up a crochet hook and some yarn to amuse myself while I waited for someone to come in and buy stuff.
I also snared some knitting needles. I got the kind that are pointy at both ends. Is that a problem?, ‘Cause there are a lot of the knobby-end kind left, and I have a key, and Fr. Francis’ OK to pretty much take anything I want (he always gives the parishoners first grab at rummage sale leftovers before he hands the rest off to Catholic Charities).
Anyhoo, I know how to crochet, but I have no clue how to operate a set of knitting needles. Can someone please explain to me how they work?
www.stitchguide.com evidently has video clips and how-tos…I am a beginning knitter and it was something I really had to see pictures for…check out your local library, there is now an idiots guide, but there are also a few other books out there that’ll so the job just fine. And a local crafts shop can help you out if you get stuck on how to do something. I really like knitting, it’s a great portable project.
Oh, and to start, you might want to snag a couple “knobby” needles…I haven’t knitted in the round yet, but that’s pretty much what those other needles are for, although I can’t see to much of a harm in playing with them like they’re the knobby ones.
The needles you have sound like double-pointed needles (dpn). They come in sets of 4 or 5 and are designed for knitting in the round. You can use them for flat knitting, but there is the danger of the stiches sliding off the other point.
You will want to master learn knitting before trying knitting in the round. It’s not that much more difficult, but when you work flat, it is easier to see everything.
I only use circular needles. The two points connected by a cable. They can be used for flat or circular knitting.
I learned how to crochet first. Some knitters hold the yarn in the left and some the right. They both think that theirs is the only way to knit. Since you learned how to crochet first, you can just hold the yarn like you do when you crochet. Like crochet, knitting is just pulling loops through loops. It’s just that in knitting, you don’t usually pull a loop through the work, just through the loops on the needle.
Allow me to third the vote on knobby needles. You’ll want to start on those.
Ask around, and see if anyone can show you how to get started on knitting. It’s something best taught in person. If you can’t, then find the best illustrated guide you can. My advice is not to start off with too much ambition. Just practice your basic stitch over and over again. Once you feel really comfortable doing that, practice other types of stitches. You’ll wind up with a really long (and probably poorly knit) scarf. You may wind up pulling it all out and starting over once you’ve really got the hang of things.
I find that that hardest part is making the stitches consistent. You don’t want a couple of rows that are so tight that you can barely knit, followed by other rows that are so loose they hardly stay on the needle.
Good luck! Like crocheting (I understand - I couldn’t find anyone to show me how to do that), knitting is very relaxing, and also great if you spend a lot of time waiting. Also the perfect companion to watching TV or movies.
Thanks, guys. I’ve located a website that has some basic insturctions, but is a little short on illustrations (some photos, but not enough- website isn’t complete)
I’ve sort of started to get the hang of this, after many dropped stitches. Also, got some of the knobby needles.
Well, off to stitchguide.com, wish me luck