Knitting for morons?

[temper_tantrum]

Hi crafty types, I was wondering if you could possibly help me?

My sister is pregnant (yay / eek!) with her first child. I was thinking that it might be really nice to start knitting something for the bairn, as a pressie. Only problem is, I can't knit. I mean, I've never tried even. I have v little crafty experience.

So I was wondering, given the timescale (about 5 months), would it be possible for me to knit something simple? I was thinking eg a cradle blanket (that's about as easy as it gets, right?! Same principle as a scarf, which seems to be the thing everyone starts off on).

And if so, where does one purchase the necessaries? (central / south London)

Thoughts, ideas, tips, patterns, criticism all welcome please ...

 

[susie12]

Yes a blanket out of knitted squares would be fairly easy - not in London so don't know your nearest wool shop but I'm sure someone will be along in a minute with more info! There are some ace knitters on here.

 

[RubyToogood]

Absolutely.

Probably the best way to learn is to go to a friendly knitting group and get someone to show you. Or youtube is a good source of easy to follow videos.

I'm going to a knitting group in Crystal Palace on Tues if you want me to show you how.

 

[temper_tantrum]

Oh! That would be so great! Thanks so much Will PM you ...

Ok so a bit of interweb investigation suggests that a squares blanket is indeed the kind of thing I want to try.

 

[DIMPLES1]

I'd recommend getting this book, most libraries stock it.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Baby-Knits-Beginners-Debbie-Bliss/dp/0091889138

It teaches you how to knit with easy baby pieces. The wool is expensive, but lovely. I normally buy mine off the Internet. There are several wool shops on EBay, but I think John Lewis sells the wool & you can pop in & see the colours.

I made this blanket for my baby from that book. The colours are brighter than it looks in the photo & I did tidy up the loose ends

Good luck.

 

[wayward bob]

debbie bliss yarns are overpriced and variable quality ime. any reasonably seasoned knitter would be able to help you find substitutes though. texere is good

 

[Meltingpot]

Toggle links to her website "toggle knits" from her profile. There's probably some good patterns on there.

 

[temper_tantrum]

Wow Dimples, that looks great, well done! I will deffo look out for that book, thanks.
I am going to go to a knitting group and learn the absolute basics first. Wish me luck everyone!

 

[Greebo]

Wow Dimples, that looks great, well done! I will deffo look out for that book, thanks.
I am going to go to a knitting group and learn the absolute basics first. Wish me luck everyone!

Good luck, but you really won't need it.

 

[temper_tantrum]

So I went to Ruby's knitting group last night - it was awesome They were so nice and supportive, and handled my hamfisted attempts to knit with good grace

Here's a pic of my first effort (using Ruby's needles and yarn - thanks again, Ruby ):




It is a mix of knit and purl (rather erratic ). Just a test piece, not for use in the blanket!
I am going to buy some basic supplies today.
I think I'm going to go for a pink / blue / purple / grey colour scheme.
I've ordered one of the Stitch n'Bitch books on Amazon. Is it worth me buying the Debbie Bliss book which Dimples suggested too, just to get a pattern? Or are there patterns out there on the interweb which I could use?

Edit: I've just had a look on Ravelry. Woah. Too much choice! Any tips on what to look for when choosing a pattern?

 

[wayward bob]

woop mr b's mum taught my 8yo how to knit last week. i'm well impressed, i never learned til i was in my 30s

 

[temper_tantrum]

My mum is digging out her old needles and kit because she wants to join in She is an epic knitter/sewer - she used to make all our clothes when we were kids - so I've suggested that she should do a baby jacket or something more complicated than my little beginner's squares!

 

[RubyToogood]

So I went to Ruby's knitting group last night - it was awesome They were so nice and supportive, and handled my hamfisted attempts to knit with good grace

Here's a pic of my first effort (using Ruby's needles and yarn - thanks again, Ruby ):

View attachment 16927


It is a mix of knit and purl (rather erratic ). Just a test piece, not for use in the blanket!
I am going to buy some basic supplies today.
I think I'm going to go for a pink / blue / purple / grey colour scheme.
I've ordered one of the Stitch n'Bitch books on Amazon. Is it worth me buying the Debbie Bliss book which Dimples suggested too, just to get a pattern? Or are there patterns out there on the interweb which I could use?

Edit: I've just had a look on Ravelry. Woah. Too much choice! Any tips on what to look for when choosing a pattern?

I don't think you need a pattern at all. I thought your plan of doing an assortment of different types of squares was a good one, and you will find out a lot about knitting. You just need to get them all to the same size, then sew them together. You can just wing it and do whatever experimental squares you feel like trying. In fact even if they're not the same size you can fit them together like crazy paving, I have a blanket like that with all sorts of squares I did over the years of totally different sizes. Will dig out a pic...

 

[RubyToogood]

 

[temper_tantrum]

I don't think you need a pattern at all. I thought your plan of doing an assortment of different types of squares was a good one, and you will find out a lot about knitting. You just need to get them all to the same size, then sew them together. You can just wing it and do whatever experimental squares you feel like trying.

Cheers! This is what I was kinda hoping, tbh. I've ordered some of the King Cole merino blend, so I can make a start when that arrives. I bought some 5.5mm needles yesterday, along with some grey merino blend which might go into the blanket too. Oh, and this ...




It's going to be a 'diversion tactic scarf'. ie. When my sister discovers that I'm learning to knit (as she inevitably will, because nothing stays secret in my family ), she will think it is all about the scarf. Cunning
It doesn't really matter if it takes me months to finish, my priority will be the squares blanket.

By the way, Ruby ...

View attachment 16940

That is amazing! I love the sunset-treeline square in particular (top row, middle). How on earth did you make that?!

 

[kabbes]

If you buy a woollen blanket and tell your sister you did it yourself, it will be:

a) cheaper
b) easier
c) less likely to fall apart
d) something others will be incredibly impressed with the professionalism of

Sorry

 

[RubyToogood]

I love the sunset-treeline square in particular (top row, middle). How on earth did you make that?!

Just thought of it and made it up as I went, I think. In terms of colourwork it's the same sort of technique you'd use for doing any colourwork.

 

[temper_tantrum]

Bump! Thought it was about time I updated this thread.
After a slow start, the squares blanket proceeds apace (partly thanks to my mum doing half). I've only got one more to do, in fact, and then I begin the slightly worrying task of sewing it all up. I'm really not sure they are going to fit together neatly, but I'm just going to have to see how it looks when I lay it all out.
Ruby was totally right about squares being a great way to learn a lot about knitting - I've been using it as a way of learning different stitches, etc. I've done ribbed, moss, honeycomb, increases & decreases (two triangles sewn together to make a square), etc.

Here are a few of the squares - as you can see, the colour scheme is blue, purple, cream and grey:





In the meantime, I've also been honing my skillz on a couple of other projects. The teal-blue wool in the pic in my above post got halfway to becoming a scarf before I decided it was too messy and undid it all. I've got enough of that wool to do something quite big, so I was thinking of maybe a bolero cardigan thingy, but I'm holding back on that til I feel experienced enough to take it on.

I did a scarf for myself using some purple wool I bought, but I think I might undo and re-do that as well (you may start to spot a pattern here ...)
I've started a scarf for my dad, for Christmas (dark red mohair, moss stitch. It is going to take aaaaages ).
And this weekend - my greatest triumph to date! - I've done two matching hats, for my nieces. Without the aid of a pattern (ie. I just made it up as I went along, to see what happened ). Here they are:





My biggest mental blocks so far are with knitting in the round, and reading patterns. I've found a really nice-looking pattern for a cowl, and my sister has already asked me to knit her a cowl, so I would like to give it a try, BUT it involves both reading a pattern, AND knitting in the round So that will be quite a challenge.

Any hints, tips, advice, criticism, abuse welcome
And I should mention that Ruby and her knitting group ladies deserve tons of thanks for getting me started, they were an inspiration. (Ruby, I STILL have your needles - must pop along to give them back to you sometime Sorry.)

 

[Greebo]

Well done temper_tantrum. FWIW there are a few things I do about reading patterns:
1) Highlighting all the bits which apply just to the particular size/style/colour option I'm working on.
2) If there are a lot of abbreviations, copying that bit out and in full, so that it needs less concentration to decode.
3) If it says "repeat x amount of times", I also keep a tally in the margin.
3) Using a thin bit of post it as a place marker, so that I don't lose my place on the pattern.

 

[temper_tantrum]

Update: finished the moebius cowl for my sister! Didn't stick strictly to the pattern, but followed it broadly. I didn't knit it in the round, I did it on straight needles and then sewed it together afterwards. I actually had so much purple wool from the scarf I unravelled that I made it twice - will wear one myself. I like the end result so much that I suspect the pattern is going to get a few more run-outs, for family Xmas pressies

 

[Biddlybee]

Nice on tt, you're knitting fast missus!

I've got a simple shrug/bolero pattern I used... works really well with dresses, and is knit in one piece. Will try and find the link for you.


Knitting in the round is something I picked up from watching videos online, couldn't get my head round written instructions on it to start.

 

[Greebo]

Update: finished the moebius cowl for my sister! Didn't stick strictly to the pattern, but followed it broadly.<snip> I like the end result so much that I suspect the pattern is going to get a few more run-outs, for family Xmas pressies


View attachment 19791

Well done you - the next ones you make will probably be quicker as you won't need to think quite so hard about what you're doing.

 

[temper_tantrum]

Thanks Biddly! I've never really been much of a crafty person so it's surprised me how addictive I find knitting to be
A shrug pattern would be really great, thanks - it's a bit hard to know where to start with shrugs/cardis, because there are so many patterns out there and it's difficult to tell what will work.
I think I'm going to spend some of this rainy bank holiday weekend getting some of my dad's scarf done - it is dark red mohair, in moss stitch, and I keep putting it off because it is Just. So. Slow.
Once I've made some progress on that, it might be time to think about trying a shrug/cardi.
I am also going to get some more wool (probably Colinette Point Five) to do a cowl for my other sister, so they have one each. Have been v restrained with wool shopping so far, but I suspect that a mega purchase is fast approaching - the Colinette website is just so tempting! ....

 

[Biddlybee]

I know ravelry is a bit overwhelming, but when you search for patterns they can list them in the order of how many people have used them, and you can see how their projects have turned out. Also if over a thousand have made I reckon the pattern generally will work.

I made this in black to wear at a wedding ages ago, doesn't look like it, but is only a rectangle it will get you used to measuring, picking sizes and following instructions

http://kellymaher.wordpress.com/2007/07/04/ribbed-lace-bolero/

I sympathise with the mohair... I made my wedding shawl out of that, and it was so slippery and fluffy! Never touching the stuff again.

It's nice to hear/read about people enjoying knitting

 

[Biddlybee]

oh, and get yourself over to this thread: http://www.urban75.net/forums/threads/craft-club-topic-of-the-month-knitting.32260/

 

[temper_tantrum]

I spent the last couple of weeks reading the entirity of that thread, in stages It was both inspiring and intimidating. There are some very good knitters on here!
Thanks for the pattern - I think I must have already spotted it on Ravelry because it is already in my bookmarks! Reassuring to hear that it is a good place to start. I'm not entirely sure it will suit me - but I might just make it and see. If nothing else, it'll be a learning experience
Yeah, I think I'm beginning to realise that I'm not a mohair-esque knitter. At least the mohair I'm using at the moment isn't fine-spun. Also suspect I'm not going to be into socks and other fine, fiddly knitting - don't have the patience I noted from the 'Topic of the month' thread that Kidsilk Haze is a very popular wool, but I think I'd explode with frustration if I tried to use it, tbh

 

[KeeperofDragons]

If you find getting used to knitting in the round a faff you can buy special needles for it, basically two small needles with a length of plastic between - that's how I started, when I got used to that & wanted to make smaller items I went onto the double sided needles

 

[wayward bob]

looks like you're going great guns if you working in the round already you don't have to do it all at once

buuuuut fwiw i reckon you might like fairisle/stranded colourwork. i think i've only ever done them on dpns (double pointed needles) rather than circs (circulars, the ones with the cord) but i found them really rewarding and i find graphed patterns (or whatever they're called ) much more intuitive than written patterns (p2, k1, psso etc.) and pattern work is just fun (i reckon if you're already working out your own patterns you'll have no problem with it )

i started out with basic patterns and made a xmas stocking from a fairisle sock pattern: just scaled everything up i keep meaning to make one for kid2 too

 

[temper_tantrum]

KoD - I have a set of those already, the woman at iKnit sold them to me when I told her I was a complete novice and needed the absolute basics ( - but that's another story). I tried them when I started attempting to follow the cowl pattern religiously, but it just didn't make sense to me (I can cast on ok but then getting round onto the next row is just - probably would help to go to a knitting group to be shown in person). Anyway, haven't had call to need circulars yet (the cowl pattern was easy to adapt to 'normal' needles), and Biddly's shrug pattern looks like a good 'un so I can probably cope for the foreseeable without needing to try. This bloody moss-stitch mohair scarf is going to take up the rest of my life anyway! (I did about 5 inches in 2 hours today. Slow going. This is why I like big knits )