I volunteered to
help with a crafting MeetUp earlier this month. I want to teach some classes
but this came along first. A good practice and pre run.
The first thing you
need to do is learn to make a slip knot.
Once that is done cast
on about a dozen and a half stitches. (18)
Now you are ready to
knit!
Knitting is worked
normally from right side of the work to left side of the work. This is opposite
of the way your work moves on the needles.
*Your right needle
enters a stitch on the left needles and pulls another stitch through onto
itself.
Repeat this until
your 18 stitches have moved from the left needle to your right needle.
Now turn the needle
in our right hand around and place it in your left hand.
Repeat from the *
above. This is very basic knitting. It will produce a little swatch or sample
of stitches.
After a few rows you
should be able to see them and understand better what you are doing.
I suggest a scarf as
a first project. It is simple and they work up quick. You can make it as long
as you want.
For the purposes of
a beginner trying to master new skills this might be the time to also learn a
few of the next skills needed to have a full range of knowledge to knit
anything from hats to sweaters and socks.
Let’s Purl!
On the next row of
your now swatch or about 8 rows in when you switch the needles bring the yarn
to the front of your work.
Insert the right needle into the front of the first
stitch. Grab the yarn there and pull it through as usual. This might be a tad
tricky but take your time.
Repeat. You are
purling. Knit stitches make V’s that lay flat. Purl stitches make wavy bumps ~.
They are the reverse of each other so sometimes knitting is thought of as the
front of work and purling the back.
When you knit every row there is no
noticeable front or back. Different people like the look of all these
variations and more.
You have seen what we call ribbing, a mixture of the two
stitches facing the same way in a piece of fabric. Most often used on cuffs,
bottom or top edges of garments and hats.
That will be our 3rd
adventure if there is time in our session together. Meanwhile you are purling
about 8 rows to get a feel for it. Assess yourself at the end of these 16 rows.
Assess your work. How does it look and how do you feel?
Are you making a lot
of mistakes? Are there any random holes in your work? How are your edges?
Answering these
questions will tell us what we need to work on next. What other things do you
want to learn how to do?
Cables
Lace
Knitting in the round
Aran patterns
What are you finding most challenging?
How to hold the yarn? Knitting? Purling?
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