"Knitting -- The Master Plan -- Lesson One ... by Frank Habit"

Credits:

Mary Jane's Tearoom & patterns2.othermyall1.net

Click the image to read "Lesson One" by Frank Habit for Lion Brand Yarn ... it's not to be missed.

"Knitting -- The Master Plan -- Back to Square One ..."

Credit: "Tangled"
craftsfromthecwtch.co.uk

I had my suspicions ... there must be a special way to hold the knitting needles while working.  I was sure the left hand needed to feed the loops to the right. The right hand, the heavy lifter, must somehow keep tension on the feeder yarn while completing each stitch.  If I was ever going to speed up the knitting process I needed to discover and learn this technique. 

Well, according to a vintage 1975 "Learn How Book," some fingers go one place and other fingers go another.  The booklet provides a detailed description of "what to do with the right hand" and "what to do with the left hand."  I knew it.

Credit: learn2knit.co.uk

The left hand is straightforward ... hold the first stitch lightly by the index finger near the tip of the needle.  Here comes the tricky part ... in the right hand, hold the needle between the thumb and index finger then place the yarn "over the first finger, under the second, over the third, and under the fourth."  This placement facilitates adjusting the yarn to maintain tension and obtain "the best results." The challenge is to keep the right hand's fingers wrapped according to plan while maintaining tension on the yarn and knitting each stitch.

Whoops!  I've created my own way of holding the needle and yarn ... time to learn the correct way to knit.

Credit: keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk

I'm going to explore "YouTube" to see if I can find some video of the correct position and movement of each hand. Then it's going to be "practice, practice, practice" until I master these movements. It's back to "Square One!"

P.S.  I found an insightful article for beginning knitters, "Some Beginner Tips (or "Things I hadn't thought about before Learning to Knit")" 

www.craftsfromthecwtch.co.uk/2012/08/some-beginner-tips-or-things-i-hadnt.html


The highlights from the article:

1) Be prepared to make mistakes,

2) Knitting shouldn't be a headache,

3) Get (at bit of) the right kit,

4) Find a Mentor,

5) It's not a race, and

6) It's addictive.  

Take the time to read this entertaining article!

""Knitting -- The Master Plan -- What big eyes you have ..."

OK ... my afghan project ... I'm almost back to the point I'd been when I discovered I needed to R-I-P-P-I-T out!  I need to finish the current and complete 25% of the next rounds to be back where I need to be ...

I visited another local library the evening before last to attend a "drumming" session -- what fun!  

While at the library I discovered a glass display case filled with projects completed by the library's needlework group. Now, I've upped the ante ... not only do I want to learn how to knit mittens, but I want them to be in the "Fair Ilse" style.  These mittens have beautiful patterns that incorporate a motif in one or more colors into a piece.

I had another R-I-P-P-I-T adventure at Tuesday's needlecrafters' meeting.  I'm attempting my first project -- an orange cotton "Honeycomb" dust/dish/counter/what-have-you cloth -- and realized I'd made a mistake ... soooo, I carefully pulled out about three inches of knitting and replaced the piece on the needle.  I needed some help from Shirley to get my yarn "tail" in the right position.  Thanks, Shirley!


Sooo, my knitting program is still "on hold" until I complete the afghan. 

""Knitting -- The Master Plan --Whoops!"

Drats!  I've discovered a MAJOR error in my current project and need to R-I-P-P-I-T out! 

I'm lucky to have a buffer between now and the completion due date ... it will allow me to fix the error.  

Sooo, my knitting program is "on hold" until I can correct my work and complete the piece.  Again, <Insert BIG Sigh Here!>.

""Knitting -- The Master Plan -- Picots"

Credit:  hookedonneedles.com

I'm nearing completion of my diversion from my knitting quest.  

I've completed 25% of the "picots" I'm adding to the border of my current project. 

Once the picots are completed and I've done the dreaded "finish work," I'll be free to turn my attention back to knitting.

I'm planning on completing the textured knitting sample mentioned in yesterday's posting ...

"Knitting -- The Master Plan" -- "Hiatus ... continued"

I continued my break from knitting by focusing on crocheting at today's meeting of the local library's needlecrafting group.  I worked on finishing a large project ... I thought I made great progress during the two-hour session only to discover an error that must be r-i-p-p-p-t out and rehooked.  <Insert Sigh Here!>

I do have a new weapon in my arsenal ... a slim "at a glance" reference card for knitting stitches and hints.  It's come in handy several times since I received it as a gift last week.

The vintage mitten pattern I plan to use is rather daunting at this point in my adventure.  I tried to read and follow the instructions, but I'm not "there" yet.  Sooooo, I backed off and found a booklet filled with textured knitting "samplers" that can be used as dishcloths once completed.  Not too sexy a project, but I need to start somewhere other than with a scarf!

"Knitting -- The Master Plan" -- "Hiatus"

I've been on hiatus from my quest to learn how to knit mittens ... I've been crocheting instead!

I've completed the body and trim on two lapghans and need to do the "finish work" before I can add them to the "DONE" pile.  

The lapghans -- numbers one and two out of five -- are part of the "Veterans' Lapghans Challenge" I set for myself. I'm hoping to complete five lapghans by summer's end.

I decided to add a new stitch to my crocheting skills -- the "Afghan Stitch" ... also known as "Tunisian Crochet," I believe ... could be wrong here ...

It's simple enough ... it involves using a hook that is a cross of a crochet hook and a knitting needle ... so I'm "kind of" knitting. The hook and stitch remain a bit awkward for me, but I imagine I'll improve with practice, practice, practice.

My "Afghan Stitch" practice piece is just as wonky as my initial knitting samples ... loops in places they don't belong and a bottom edge that insists on curling.

Tuesday brings another meeting of needle crafters at the local library ... I guess I'll need to drag the knitting needles out again before day's end!  

I MAY try my hand at reading a vintage pattern for mittens and giving it a go.  If not, I'll select one of the "sampler" knitting patterns I received at the last meeting. Either way, I'll be attempting something NEW!

"Gillowbugs & Daisy Tales -- June 2016 Recap"

"Knitting -- The Master Plan" -- "Perfect Practice"

Another week, another gathering of knitters and crocheters at the local library.

Today I focused on practicing the stockinette stitch using size "17" needles and "super bulky" yarn.  I opted for Red Heart's "Vivid" yarn in the type of fun, bright colors that appeal to children.

I worked up the entire skein and will soon unravel it and set it aside for some future project.

"Knitting -- The Master Plan" -- "Session No. 3."

I attended another session of the local library's needlecraft group today ... it was a full house with eight participants!  
I've got the faces down, now I'm working on the names of the group members.  It's easy to remember "Shirley," because she was the first member I met and she's been extremely helpful.

Today Shirley helped me to explore the mysteries and challenges of circular needles.  I was able to knit a few rows and picked up a few tips for working with the alternate form of knitting needles.  I'm saving the "YouTube" exploration for another day.

Shirley also provided some pointers for reversing mistakes ...

a hot topic for me.  I'm forever dropping one of the needles resulting in all of the stitches landing in my lap sans needle. Trying to make sense of picking up the stitches without twisting their orientation is a bit tricky. She promised more help with this topic next week.

After practicing for awhile, I decided it was time to pick up my crochet hook and work at something I know and love.  I'll resume my quest to learn to knit another day.

"Knitting -- The Master Plan" -- "Little Progress ..."

Image Credit:  yarnobsession.com

I made no progress today in my quest to learn how to knit using circular needles.  I'm saving the "YouTube" exploration for tomorrow.

I spent the evening rolling two balls of fuschia wool yarn from a vintage hank. The yarn was a bit tangled, so the entire project took about two hours.  There's something quite relaxing and satisfying about transforming a tangled mass of yarn into a nice neat ball ready for anything.

I'm looking forward to experimenting with the 100% wool yarn ... the texture and hand of the yarn is quite different than the blended yarns I'm accustomed to.  I think I may save this yarn for my first attempt at a knitted mitten.  The texture and color of the yarn would make an interesting project.

"Knitting -- The Master Plan" -- "One DOWN One UP"

The day was disappointing because there were only three members of the library's needle craft group at today's meeting.  Since the other two members were crocheters, I was unable to discover the trick to knitting with circular needles from a live tutor.  It's back to YouTube to find a demonstration ...

On the "UP" side ... the group donated a quantity of yarn to the LFBG's Good Works Ministry.  I spent this evening sorting out the mixed bag of worsted weight yarn, delicate pastel baby yarns, kits, and what-have-you.  The materials will be made available to team members at our next meeting on Monday, June 20, 2016.

There is a quantity of tan and cranberry yarn suitable for a lapghan ... perhaps someone will join me in the "Five Lapghans for Veterans" challenge I proposed at the last meeting.  

I'm currently working on crocheted lapghan number one.  It's made of Bernat's "Blanket Yarn" -- a super bulky, yet amazingly soft and lightweight yarn -- worked in a modified "granny square" pattern with alternating thin and wide bands.

The lapghan's main color is "Sonoma" ... a mixture of rich browns, tans, and cream. 

I've got one more skein of "Sonoma" to add to the body of the lapghan -- I'm aiming for a finished square of at least 40" per side.  

Once the body of the lapghan is completed, I'll design some type of simple border in "Cream" ... perhaps I'll add picots to the edging ... perhaps not.

I'm off in search of a hot cup of "Tazo Cinnamon and Star Anise" tea, a comfortable seat in my recliner, and some quiet time hooking the lapghan.  'night.

"Knitting -- The Master Plan" -- "Knitters' Group Session No. 2"

The homework this past week has been to practice, practice, practice my knitting skills.I focused on alternating knit and purl stitches, remembering to knit four stitches at each end of each row to prevent the knitted fabric from curling/rolling, and experimenting with huge needles.

By the end of the week I'd created another wonky practice square out of yellow yarn ... alternating groups of six knit stitches and six purl stitches to make a "basket weave" pattern. 

I decided to try my hand at a project using size "17" needles, size "6/Super Bulky" yarn and focusing on the stockinette stitch.  I settled on the inevitable "scarf" -- my only other option being a wash/dish cloth given my limited expertise at this point in the "Master Plan."  I managed to knit approximately 12 inches of fairly consistent and buttery soft fabric.

The next meeting of the library's knitting group will be held today.  I'm going back to seek out someone to teach me how to use circular needles.  Wish me luck!

"Knitting -- The MasterPlan" -- "Purl Stitch"

Credit:  acraftynerd.blogspot.com

by Miriam E. Waters

Did I mention my grand scheme to teach myself how to knit?  “The Master Plan” …. 1.) Learn the basic “knit” stitch; practice until able to perform smoothly and stitches are even.  2.) Progress to the “purl” stitch; practice until able to perform smoothly and stitches are even.   3.) Progress to the “knit 1, purl 1” pattern; practice until able to perform smoothly and stitches are even. 4.) Make mittens following a very ooooold pattern found at a garage sale.  

The reality … 1.) Able to perform “knit” stitch” so no stitches are dropped, rows and stitches are even, and there are no split strands or halos on the work.  2.) Discovered that there are two types of purl – “Continental” and “English.”  Could not determine which of the two styles was more desirable.  Unable to decipher the instructions and diagrams in “Kniting for Dummies.”  Major snag in “The Master Plan” at this point.  I think what I managed to do was knit left-handed instead of purl … or it could be something else.  Sooooo, it’s on to “Plan B” – watch “YouTube” videos on “How to Purl.”  If that fails, it’s on to “Plan C” – ask someone who actually knows how to knit and purl to give me a lesson!  All I can say at this point is … “AAArgh!”  I guess I’m off to watch “YouTube” …

… SUCCESS!  It took all of five minutes to learn the basic “purl” stitch!  I found a wonderfully basic basic demonstration of the stitch.  I’m awkward with the stitch, but my alternating rows of knit and purl are producing an acceptable “stockinette stitch.”  Whoo-hoo!  I’ll know to START with “YouTube” in the future.  Now it’s time to practice, practice, practice the stitch until I no longer need to think about what I’m doing.  The test will be whether I remember how to do this in the morning.

"Knitting -- The Master Plan" -- "Stockinette Stitch"

Image Credit:  blog.lionbrand.com

After gaining familiarity with the "Knit" and "Purl" stitches, I was able to move on to the knitting "Stockinette Stitch."  This stitch is simply alternating rows of knit and purl.  

I've been practicing and experimenting with this new stitch.  Lessons Learned:  1.) Complete stitching a row before setting work down -- I still can't always pick up where I left off ... 2.) Avoid splitting yarn and creating "halos" by using a heavier yarn and aluminum needles for easier stitching. “Kniting for Dummies" suggests wool as the go-to choice of yarns.   3.) Avoid letting the loops slide off the needle unstitched at all costs!  It's easy to drop stitches or reverse the loops when this happens.  4.) The secret for creating neat, even, complete and attractive pieces is to practice, practice, practice!

"Knitting -- The Master Plan" -- "Practice, Practice, Practice!"

As I mentioned earlier, the secret for creating neat, even, complete and attractive pieces is to practice, practice, practice!  Sooo, I've been practicing.

I went in search of real-life knitters at a group sponsored by the local library.  I'd never been to one of their meetings, so I worked up the courage to meet new people and attended my first session.

I brought my wonky practice piece to show my skills at casting on, the knit/purl/stockinette stitches, changing yarn colors, and casting off.  My goal for the day was to learn how to alternate knit and purl stitches in the same row.

A  friendly group member, "Shirley," showed me the simple trick of alternating the k&p stitches.  She also suggested knitting four stitches at each end of a row to prevent the knitted fabric from "rolling."  I spent the remainder of the session practicing my new skills.

I've been using size "8" needles -- an average/medium size -- for my practice pieces.   Someone in the group gave me a pair of HUGE size "17" needles -- clear orange acrylic -- to use.  I sifted through my yarn stash and came up with some size "6"/"Super Bulky" "Bernat Blanket"yarn to use with these new needles.  They were a bit awkward to use at first, but I've got a rhythm going now so it's all good.

I thought the size "17" needles were over-the-top until I saw a pair of MONSTROUS needles in a Lion Brand Yarn tutorial for the "Calais Afghan."  After a bit, the instructor suggested the designer use Size "50" "circular needles" to achieve the same effect as the original needles.  Check out the tutorial found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y75r9Uy9LFc

to see the needles for yourself!

My plan is to continue working my way through “Kniting for Dummies", learning how to read knitting instruction charts, and trying my hand at knitting a mitten!  We'll see how my plan works out ...