Knitting.

[psyche29]

So for Christmas of 2015, hubby gave me a set of knitting needles, a skein of yarn, and a book after I mentioned maybe wanting to learn to knit.

Basically, I would see all this gorgeous, yummy yarn at the store and want a scarf. And while I have a few knitting friends, I couldn't bring myself to infringe on their time and ask them to make me one.

So it took a good amount of time poring over the book - and finding a good YouTube channel - before I finally got anywhere. Let me tell y'all, I thought I was too stupid to knit for nearly a full month.

Now I can say proudly that I am damn good at the knit (garter) stitch. I can do several other stitches, and have made a few scarves.

I'm pretty apprehensive, though, about trying other things. I find that I would rather have some one-on-one instruction, because not everything is easily understandable from the book or YouTube. I may check out the local yarn shop, see what they offer. I will also probably look at JoAnn or Michael's, too, see what they've got.

In the meantime, however, I've had to cut myself off from buying yarn. Man it's almost as bad as books, I can't seem to stop!

Does anyone else knit? What do you like to make best? What's your favorite yarn?

Comments

[killing_rose]

I love knitting. It keeps me as vaguely sane as I ever get. So, our LYS really is like "Okay, fine, you had your beginner scarf, NOW LET'S KNIT COWLS."

Several cowls later, when you're sure that these cowls are kind of awesome, people are like, "So, on Rav, there's this awesome beginner shawl!"

Basically, my LYS is aware that it's a den of addiction, and it glories in being so. Garter shawls are actually a really good way to start trying yarnovers.

Most of the increase/decreases are easy once you get your brain around them (no joke: Knitting for Dummies is one of my favorite books. Easy diagrams! Videos if the diagrams fail me! Language aimed at your average eight year old [or one chronically ill, brain deprived knitter]!) but it's possible that I occasionally showed up at my LYS going, "I do not get what the ever loving fuck this thing is, how the fuck do I get three stitches where I started with one, who the hell came up with this, and can I kill them?"

(Weirdly, the shoe is on the other foot, a lot, these days, and I get very confused by this. Me, describing a pattern I did recently, "And then you do a [specific stitch]." Manager: "Wait. What the hell is that?" Me: "...this is a weird feeling and I don't think I like it.")

Ravelry is one of the best things *ever*, if you do not already have an account.

As for favorite yarn, that's really, really tough. I've got a project I just finished that was with this yarn, which was lovely: https://www.etsy.com/listing/498896318/entropy-dk-string-theory?ref=shop_home_active_5

I'm also working on a linen shawl right now, which is *amazing* to work on (but, um, not for anyone less than at least intermediate--there is *no* give with linen, and no room for error), but at the same time there's an acrylic vest I'm working on that is really gorgeous.

Shawls are basically my favorite thing to knit, but I also knit monsters, purses, vests, cowls, hats and (grudgingly) scarves. (Scarves are not my friend. They are boring.)

[psyche29]

A bit intimidated by my LYS (which I admit, took me a while to figure out that LYS must mean Local Yarn Store), but I intend to get in there soon.

I am garter stitching a simple thin scarf now for my niece, who is three and mostly won't care, but yes, I'm a little bored.

There's a shawl I want to try next. It's got yarn overs and k2t in it, both of which I can do. Also it looks pretty. I do have a Ravelry account, though admit I've done little with it so far beyond finding simple free patterns to eventually attempt. I might have even found this shawl on it - wait, yup, I did: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/palette-shawl - so gorgeous.

[autumnia]

My parents bought my sister and I a simple knitting kit ages ago when we were kids and while fun, we kind of lost the habit of making things. Then came Harry Potter and everyone just had to have an HP scarf so that's when we both picked it up again.

That's probably the only project I was ever proud of. Three straight weeks of knitting (one colored section per evening) and it was done, mostly because of how pretty simple it was -- just a knit stitch done in the round with circular needles. Unfortunately, that's also the last knitting project I ever completed too. :( When I tried to move on to knit and purl, it was a disaster and I couldn't keep track so I gave up on it completely. My sister, on the other hand, is a knitting fiend -- she's made hats, scarves, and even did gloves and a doll once.

As for yarn, I'm a big of Lion's Brand... they even have their own store in my city though I've yet to actually go inside.

[psyche29]

YES. I really like Lion Brand, myself. We don't have a dedicated store here, so I am a bit jealous!

Haven't tried circular needles yet, but will need to when I get to this palette shawl: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/palette-shawl

I can do a few things beyond knit stitch, but am slow.

[autumnia]

If you don't want to splurge on circular needles, you can probably use a couple of straight ones though it'd be a bit more annoying.

That palette shawl looks really nice!

[psyche29]

I actually have several sets saved in a list on Amazon, and they seem reasonably priced. I haven't purchased them yet, thoughnot because I don't want to splurge...I simply find it difficult to gauge what length I'll need.

Although to be honest, they're priced decently enough that it might not be a bad idea to get a few sets in different sizes.

It really looks great, I even already picked up five or six skeins of yarn for it. It'll be my first time swapping out colors, but it doesn't seem like a difficult thing, so hopefully it goes smoothly!