Learning to Knit

I decided to teach myself how to knit. I couldn’t tell you exactly why, but I think it started when my sister said that she was teaching herself how to knit with a circle knitter. Then, shortly after that I talked to my sister-in-law who was at my mother-in-law’s house having a knitting lesson. I am not one to be outdone, especially when it comes to the crafty, so I decided to teach myself to knit also.

In November I purchased a teach yourself to knit kit and a skein of yarn from my local craft store. I called it an early Christmas present to myself. I sat down that night, scanned through the book, played around a bit, and started knitting a scarf. I figured that was a nice, easy first project.

I worked on my scarf for a couple hours that night. The whole time my 5 year old daughter was asking me what I was doing and if I would make a scarf for her. Sure, it will be a Christmas present for her. Surely I can finish a scarf in less than a month.

It’s July now, and the scarf still isn’t done. Like most things, I picked it up, stayed interested for a while, and then put it away. I have gotten it out again a few times since then, mostly at the prompting of the 5 year old who wants to see her scarf finished. I figure at the rate I’m going, I’ll be able to finish it by the time she moves out of the house. And who knows how many more knitting projects I’ll be able to start and not finish in the meantime.

I really do want to learn to knit though, and I would love to teach my girls to knit as well. Here is what I have learned about knitting so far.

1. Projects do not finish themselves. I have to actually sit down and knit if I ever want it to be finished.
2. I can read and follow written knitting instructions amazingly well, but for the times that written instructions or pictures just aren’t working for me, I can visit KnittingHelp.com and watch videos of the different techniques.
3. There are more techniques and stitches than I could ever hope to master, but I do want to at least try as many as I can. So far I’ve tried 2 or 3 different techniques for casting on and one stitch.
4. You can use two completely different techniques and still end up with the same basic result. It’s all about figuring out what works best for you. 
5. There are a lot of amazing and inspirational blogs by knitters out there. Some of my favorites are:
   1. The Bird Bath by an Australian author who also shares recipes, other crafty goodness, and fun day to day stuff with her family. 
   2. The Crafty Conservative who has the most adorable knitted projects in her etsy shop (search her blog for the pictures of the Converse style baby booties) and is an amazing and down to earth mother.
   3. Knitty Bloggy Baby Bumpers is actually a group of women, but if you are looking for inspiration in the baby knitting department, there is no better place.
   4. Ruthless Knitting has always posted beautiful projects, but just today I found out that she is also expecting baby #1. Congratulations to her, and I can’t wait to see what that means for the projects she posts.

Now, it’s your turn. If you are a knitter, share some of the things that you have learned or love about knitting. If you are not a knitter, then share some of the things that you have learned or love about your craft of choice.

photo credit: missa88

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