# MamaBoog's teach me to knit thread



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

MamaBoog posted in another thread but I think she needs one all to herself.

Here is what she has to say:
"Is there a consensus on what website would be best for absolute newbies? I've tried to learn how to knit twice in the past and have failed miserably - though I'm not sure if it was my instruction so much as the yarn I was using or the needles.

I would love to be able to knit (and sew. and crochet. and all that.) someday, but I can't seem to grasp anything these days. Ergo, kids' links would be fine, too."

Ladies and gents let's teach MamaBoog to knit.


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## BlueberryChick (May 12, 2008)

I found Knitting Help to be a good reference. There are a number of good videos available.

http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/learn-to-knit


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## Wind in Her Hair (Jul 18, 2002)

Honey, if I can learn to it, anyone can! It is worth the effort because it opens up a whole world of creativity and accomplishment! 

I relied heavily on youtube and google when I started. Still do as a matter of fact.  Knitting Help is awesome!

Watching someone else knit makes sense to me NOW but when I first started it made NO sense and I was sure I'd never "get it". But I did! :bouncy: :nanner: 

Everyone learns differently and some catch on quickly - others of us just have to knuckle down and grit our teeth and MAKE it happen.


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## KansasFarmgirl (Jan 1, 2008)

I had a very hard time learning to knit also. If a blunder can happen, I will do it. I even spent days just learning to tink (unravel) because I knew it was inevitable. After several days of pulling my stitches off, now I'm not nervous at all of correcting mistakes. You will find that some mistakes can also be corrected without having to unravel your project, when you get the hang of it. 

I like Purl Hunter's videos. She explains things well. I also like Very Pink Knits. Lucy Neatby is fantastic for tips once you get the hang of the basics. 

Here's the long tail cast on video explained very well. Just click at the top on Videos and you will find her Knit stitch video and her Garter stitch. That's your basics. Then find a pattern, like a dishcloth or something easy, and go for it! 

http://knitpurlhunter.com/blog/?p=232

If you don't understand one person's video well, just go look for another. There are TONS of them out there. 

I found it was easier for me to start with 10 inch single point needles and easy patterns with just knit and purl stitches. 

I made practice pieces and unraveled and started over for the first few weeks to get my tension right and feel comfortable. Just used a cheap skein over and over until I liked how it looked. I still do this if I am going to learn something new. Like right now, I'm going to start to learn cables, so I got out some scrap yarn and I will practice a bit before I do my project. 

Then after knitting and purling, you will work up to increases and decreases and away you go! As you find a pattern you like and have no clue what in the world the abbreviation means, just google it and find a video. If the first video makes no sense, try another. 

Plan on being frustrated sometimes. LOL. Put it down and come back to it later. Sometimes a break helps and then it will make sense. Or if you are like me, throw your stuff across the room and shriek "Why do I even like doing this?????" and get it out of your system. Then slink over and get your supplies and start again. LOL :grin:


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## Wind in Her Hair (Jul 18, 2002)

the thing about knitting and knitters - is that - you HAVE to be willing to "go backwards". 

If the prospect of ripping back and losing 500 stitches makes you want to throw up or makes you want to stick needles in your eyes? Maybe knitting is not for you. 

Personally, I have enjoyed the process of letting go of my perfectionist expectations. I am learning patience and to accept my own imperfections as well as that of my knitting.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

500 stitches ?

That's a gentle slap on the wrist.

:indif:

As for the learning of the skill, I have found that an evening with Cyndi and a six pack of Chuck's hard cider in glass bottles gets you far.......

ETA......



Did I just say that ?!

Think _knitting_ skills...... nothing more.






















:whistlin:




.


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## KansasFarmgirl (Jan 1, 2008)

When I started knitting this past spring, I would watch video a few times to learn a new technique, think I got it and try it and fail. My first attempt, I had the patience of an angel. 

I would watch again, try again, the second time, my wings would droop. 

I would watch again, attempt it again, fail, and my wings would fall off. 

The fourth time I failed, I grew horns and breathed fire. 

It's been a long time since my horns popped out, but I'm just saying, even if it gets frustrating to where you want to scream, just keep at it, YOU WILL GET IT! 

And when you do finally get the basics, then everything will fall into place, little by little. You'll start to understand things a bit at a time. I've been knitting just a little over six months, and finally things are beginning to click for me and make sense. 

You might be a slow learner, like me, but if you just keep at it, you will finally grasp it. My home economics teacher used my first crochet project to show other classes how *not* to crochet. LOL. If I can knit and crochet, you sure can learn it too!


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Also love KnittingHelp.com

FR .... oh brother. SMH :buds:

Although it is well known that in knitting I am fast & loose .... :stirpot:


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

Take heart! If the folks here can teach me to knit then anyone can learn. I am still in the painful beginner stage. You are not alone!  

I started with just a simple scarf. It drove me NUTS because the bottom edge was sloppy. 

Finally someone suggested a long-tailed cast on. 
http://www.knittinghelp.com/video/play/long-tail-cast-on

Now the bottom edge looks nice! Woot! 

So it's one small victory at a time. I am now on my first ever knitted hat. It is very simple but I still had to sit in front of the computer to figure out how to join in the round as I am using circular needles. That was just yesterday. 

Every time I learn a new stitch I have to sit in front of my computer and watch a vid over and over and over - just knitting along, stopping and trying again. I know have a few different stitches I know how to do. Step by itty bitty step.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

You have a whole cheering section just for you and lots of enthusiastic people willing to help in any way they can. Maybe we can even find a kind soul who can sit by your side while you learn.


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## mamaboog (Oct 11, 2014)

Thanks so much guys! I've been sick soI haven't been on the forums much. I appreciate it!

I actually started to crochet the past 2 nights and did get... frustrated a few times, but I'm persevering.

What's the difference between knitting and crocheting? If you can do one can you do the other? I know I could probably Google this, but I'd rather hear your guys' opinions!

Thank you all again so much!


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## BlueberryChick (May 12, 2008)

Yay, you!!

Some people both knit and crochet. I do and Kasota does, probably others around here. The most obvious difference is that crochet uses one hook, knitting uses two needles. With crochet, you complete one stitch at a time. With knitting you (usually) carry all your stitches "live" until you are ready to stop adding to them.

The two crafts can do many of the same things--make blankets, scarves, sweaters, even socks. However, some things are better suited to one or the other, at least in my opinion. I prefer to make larger projects, think afghans, in crochet. For me, it goes faster and is easier to wrangle, what with the one-stitch-at-a-time thing. I prefer the fabric produced by knitting for mittens and sweaters, although a friend of mine recently made a crochet sweater that is stunning. 

I like knitted socks, but that may be because I could not FOR THE LIFE OF ME manage to crochet one. (I think our own Taylor crochets socks. My hat is well and truly off!)


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I'll add that crochet uses a lot more yarn than knitting does. I think, and this is just my own opinion, that crochet tens to give a much firmer/stiffer fabric. I will say that in recent years there have been some up and coming Crocheters who have produced dome really beautiful things that look very light and airy. I used to crochet but it caused my hands to get all spastic, lol! I was only in high school then so I'm sure my form wasn't anything like it would be today. I may pick it up again one day.

The key to knitting or crocheting or even spinning, don't kill your fibers/yarn. Putting a death grip on your work will cause your whole body to tense up and will make it almost impossible to allow things to flow and stitches to just slip easily off the needle,hook, or our of your hands. So relax, breath in and out. It is only sticks or hook and string. If you mess it up don't get mad, learn from it. None of us were born knowing how to do any of this. We have all started just as you are, at the beginning. We have made more mistakes than many and we learn from every one of those mistakes.

We are here for you if you have questions, just ask.


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## SvenskaFlicka (Nov 2, 2011)

I knit and crochet as well, but I haven't crocheted a project in years. :shrug: I just find more knitting patterns that I like. 

But I learned crocheting first.


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## BlueberryChick (May 12, 2008)

I've read a few times that crochet uses a lot more yarn, but when I've looked into it recently, it seems that the difference is not huge. There are so many variables that it's hard to measure, but it looks like the difference may be "up to 30% more" for crochet, although it's often much closer. 

One of the variables would be size of the needles compared to the hook used. If you use the same diameter of each, you would probably get a much thicker, less drapey, fabric with crochet. So in that case, yes, more would be used for crochet. However, you would likely choose a larger hook for the project in order to get the texture you want. And the questions go on...


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

I both knit and crochet. Crocheting I have been doing forever. Knitting just recently but I can already do VERY simple lace. I have made only a few projects: a scarf for my son for this coming Christmas, a shawl for my mom, a prayers shawl still in progress and a hat that I am almost done with. 

I think crochet is perhaps a little more rugged. It works well for things that will take a beating. Dish cloths, afghans, etc. I CAN be very soft and drape well but you have to choose the yarn carefully and perhaps use a little larger sized hook. If your tension is too tight the item will be stiff. If your tension is too loose it can look sloppy. If you are working with a bulky yarn you will need to use a large hook or it will simply be stiff and unforgiving. You have to find your balance. 

I think knitting does use a little less yarn than crochet depending on the pattern. The scarf that I made for my son, however, actually took more yarn knitting it than it would have had I crocheted it. Probably because I knit the whole thing and never purled a single row...so it is very thick and squishy and yet drapes nicely...but I did have to go back to the store for another skein to finish it up. I had bought what I thought would be enough based on patterns I had crocheted. 

For me, crochet is more forgiving but that could be because I am not an accomplished knitter. I'm a newbie knitter. 

There are a lot of pretty things that crochet just doesn't lend itself too. Socks. I still have to figure those out. I want to be able to make lacy socks.


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## vicki in NW OH (May 10, 2002)

I can crochet anything, but am a self-taught knitter. Also, alas, a perfectionist and stubborn to the point it will drive me crazy. When I knit, I use life lines, using dental floss. If I have to rip out, at least I'm perfect to that point. A glass of wine helps too!


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

I love life-lines, too.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

I guarantee that my knitting ALWAYS consumes more yarn than your crochet.


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## mamaboog (Oct 11, 2014)

Okay -- well -- here's an example of my sad attempt at crocheting. 

Honestly, I was only trying to practice the stitching. Someone said I wasn't connecting something right, but I was following the Youtube video to the T! (Or as closely as I could.) I wasn't counting my stitches and chuckled when I realized I kept decreasing (apparently, my doing whatever it was also led to the decrease) and just decided to consciously decrease to make a triangle.

My aunt asked me if it's part of my bikini for next year.  After 2 kids born 15 months apart and a struggle with my health because of all that exhaustion, I wouldn't be caught dead in a bikini, much less one *I've* crocheted.


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## lexierowsell (Dec 10, 2013)

When I first learned to crochet I always found I was decreasing at the last stitch of the row, where it's tricky to see where to grab the stitch.


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

I had the same problem when I was learning. I think of each stitch as a building block in a wall. I need to have the same number of "bricks" in each row. One builds on top of the other. The last stitch at the end of the row before you turn is tricky. It likes to hide. It doesn't sit up there nice and square the way the other stitches do. If you are working on something small it is easy to count to see if you have all the stitches that you need. If you are working on something longer and you are unsure then simply hold up the end you are working in. Notice how each of the stitches build one on top of the other. You'll more easily see that last sneaky hiding stitch because you'll see the rows of stitches underneath it (kind of like a foundation). 

Later today I will see if I can take some pictures to show what I mean.


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## mamaboog (Oct 11, 2014)

That's nuts! The woman on my crochet video told me to skip a stitch. I'll link it to you guys later, when I'm out of class.


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## KansasFarmgirl (Jan 1, 2008)

LOL on the bikini! 

After making crocheting attempts once every decade after junior high school, I finally found this blog that made things work for me. I still haven't done much crocheting, but what I have done is greatly improved. 

http://www.craftyminx.com/2011/11/crochet-school-.html/

She takes you from how to hold your hook to increasing & decreasing to crocheting in the round and on. For example, I was never taught that the shank of the hook is the part that determines the stitch size (gauge). My crocheting looks much better now that I know to bring each stitch all the way up to the shank to make my stitch sizes even. (I know, DUH, but I just don't come by these things innately. It's not my "gift." LOL. I struggle with all things that are "home skills" from sewing to baking to crafts.) 

After going thru the blog lessons, I now understand how to count my stitches and usually don't have trouble with not enough stitches at the end of my row. Can't say I do great work, but at least it was good enough to give a gift to someone. 

I made this pig in the round and it was pretty easy!


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## bgraham (Jun 30, 2005)

I, too, knit and crochet.

I have been crocheting much longer.

I find that my knitting uses much more yarn than my crocheting; however, my crocheting is much more light and airy than my knitting. It is more open (unless I'm doing amigurumi!).

I am currently knitting a scarf, a neck warmer and an infant kimono and am currently crocheting a sock monkey.

I find that crocheting is much more forgiving. If you make a mistake it is much easier to pull the stitches out to the mistake and pick right back up. With knitting it is practically impossible for me to correct mistakes. I find it a nightmare to pull out stitches and try to get the ones left back on the needle correctly. I don't mind it if I just have to pull out 5 or 10 stitches but if I'm several rows in I have been known to rip the entire thing out and start all over. :hair

I am much, much faster at crocheting than knitting. 

I cannot knit socks. Well, I may try again because it has been years, but when I tried before, I could not under any circumstances work with more than two needles! It just wasn't happening.

Good luck! Beware, it is addicting!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Bgraham welcome to The Fold! If you want to try socks again we will be more than happy to help you learn and to walk you through any of it.


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## mamaboog (Oct 11, 2014)

I've got the basic crochet stitches down! Now, would it be stupid to try to learn how to knit, too? And...

Where's the best place to get cheap practice yarn? Michael's seems to have the best deals with their constant giving of coupons.

Thanks, ladies! (And gents.)


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Yay you!!!!

I highly recommend that you use a wool yarn rather than a synthetic yarn. It doesn't split as easily and your stitches will be easier to see. Avoid really dark colors, you can't see what you are doing with them. Lion Brand makes some nice inexpensive yarns to work with. Woolease is a wool blend that is nice, they also make some all wool yarns. Patons also makes nice wool yarns. Get a worsted weight yarn, it's an easy size to work with and get the needle size that is recommended on the package.

I suggest you use this cast on http://www.knittinghelp.com/video/play/knitting-on-english. It's easy and won't stretch out of shape and give you the trouble that an e-cast on will. This site, www.knittinghelp.com is an excellent reference for help, other than us of course . They have short little videos that you can watch over and over again.

Have fun and let us know if you need help, we are here for you. Post pictures!


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## mamaboog (Oct 11, 2014)

Can someone explain what the strips are? The squares seem easy enough to crochet!!

Do any of ya live near north central NC? I think I might need physical help, though I'm probably just being self conscious.

Thanks!!


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## mamaboog (Oct 11, 2014)

whoops, for some reason my link didn't work. Here it is:

http://www.allfreecrochet.com/Croch...ghan-from-Lion-Brand/ml/1#Fyi95o3mxam579us.32


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Sorry I'm not a crocheter . Hopefully someone who knows will be along soon


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## dlskidmore (Apr 18, 2012)

I knit, crochet, and tat. Expert at none, mind you... All three require you learn how to control your thread tension, so after you learn one it is easier to pick up a second one. Mom tried to teach me to knit and failed, tried to teach me to crochet and failed. I just couldn't learn to hold the thread right, always had too much tension. Then later in life I picked up one after another from books.

I like the books better than videos, the diagrams really bring out the necessary details better than realistic photos do. I've seen a couple animated drawing tutorials, but the art was not as good as the professional books.


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## dlskidmore (Apr 18, 2012)

The strips are just a bunch of squares, crocheted continuously instead of binding off and starting again, so there are fewer seams to do at the end.


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## amberley (Jul 21, 2014)

The strips are the squares, but from the pattern they are longer than they are wide, so they are arranged and sewn together down the long edge first......or any way you like really


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## mamaboog (Oct 11, 2014)

dlskidmore said:


> The strips are just a bunch of squares, crocheted continuously instead of binding off and starting again, so there are fewer seams to do at the end.


So, I just... add the color in?

I'll admit. I scanned the recipe. It seemed okay. I just want to make a ---- blanket to say I made a ---- blanket.

Ahghhththhgh!
:hammer::hammer::hammer::hammer:


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## libertygirl (Jul 18, 2011)

mamaboog said:


> So, I just... add the color in?
> 
> I'll admit. I scanned the recipe. It seemed okay. I just want to make a ---- blanket to say I made a ---- blanket.
> 
> ...


So...going from the pattern, you start with color A and continue with color A for the first 16 rows...at the start of row 17 you will be using color B (I believe it was for the next 16 rows) then switching to color C...and so on.

You are making long, narrow panels (strips) that you will join together lengthwise when all panels are complete.

That is a very pretty one. 

Here is a link to a video on changing colors:

http://www.crochetguru.com/


I learned to crochet years ago..and when I tried to learn to knit then, I couldn't do it to save my life!

Just started knitting about a year ago, and YIPPIE, I learned! :sing:

I bought the "I taught myself to knit" kit from Walmart!! haha but it served me well. If I needed more explanation, I came to the youtube videos and knittinghelp.

I think you are well on your way!


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## mamaboog (Oct 11, 2014)

I've finished a thin scarf that I'm gonna unravel because it twisted, but here's a picture of my first granny square attempt!


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## dlskidmore (Apr 18, 2012)

You may be able to fix the twist with blocking.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

That looks nice MamaBoog! Granted it isn't square but it's still nice . They say that if you continue to make a mistake it eventually becomes part of the pattern. So design flaws are very welcome to those of us who make lots of mistakes, we just keep repeating them to make it part of the design. Voila! Your are a designer


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## Taylor R. (Apr 3, 2013)

Granny squares are a great way to get the fundamentals of crochet down. Use the 3dc-3ch-3dc for each corner only, 3 dc on the 'sides'. Also make sure you're counting each row to make sure you're hitting each stitch when you're doing a solid piece like your bikini top  Definitely a solid, not too dark or not too light worsted weight yarn works best for learning so you can see your stitches more easily.

Crochet socks are totally possible, though fitting is more crucial than in knit socks as there is so much less give in crochet. I've never even attempted to make them for someone whose foot wasn't available for frequent fitting while crocheting so I can add or remove stitches as needed.


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