Hello. Is there an Absolute Beginners thread?

[HecatePropylaea]

I have just taken up knitting at the grand old age of 40 and have discovered I LOVE it!

I have knitted a, erm, long thing. And although I started with 20 stitches, I somehow now appear to have 27.

And I have no idea how I am going to get the wool off the needles.

And all I want to do right now is make squares to make a blanket. Not that I have any idea how you would sew the squares together.

And I have discovered that I can either knit, or natter, but not both, which is disappointing for the knit and natter group I have joined.

And I require the assistance of my right breast in order to knit, because I wedge one of the needles under there.

but it's great fun, isn't it?

[HecatePropylaea]

oh, my long knitted whatsit.

[velmadinkly]

Look on youtube on how to cast off. It's basically lifting over one loop/stitch over the other.

[HecatePropylaea]

It looks complicated. But not as complicated as casting on! It looked like you need 14 hands for that! A very nice woman at the knit and natter group did it for me.

[Marcipex]

All you do is:
Knit a stitch
Knit another
Slip the first over the second..from.right to left....So there's only one on your right needle

Now knit one more.....slip the first over the second....from right to left....repeat


There's lots of diagrams and videos on line.

[HecatePropylaea]

I've finally managed it! I got it off AND I have now cast a row on.

I briefly considered throttling someone with the wool, but I have finally done it.

I am now going to see if I can make a square.

[Marcipex]

Well done :)

[HecatePropylaea]

Thanks. I am ridiculously pleased with myself.

Daft, eh?

[Marcipex]

So, how's the square coming on?

[HecatePropylaea]

Not too bad actually. My long weird thing is done. I don't know what I will do with that. Just keep it in a drawer as the first thing I ever knitted I suppose. I have now started my first proper square. I don't know how many you need in order to make a quilt, but I'm guessing a lot.

I have also bought some bamboo knitting needles (the set I have are some sort of metal looking plastic and the bamboo ones look really pretty) and an enormous amount of wool in lots of different colours. I am going to make a multicoloured blanket.

I read that knitting is good for depression. Apparently the repetitive hand movements trigger the release or is it production of serotonin. Which sounds great.

[Marcipex]

I find knitting creates tension

Crochet is more rhythmic and relaxing for me, probably because if I relax too much and drop it, it doesn't all fall apart.

Do post your blanket pics eventually!

[PourquoiTuGachesTaVie]

I'm a beginner knitter. I started about a year ago but due to time, I've only managed one complete project (a hat for ds which is now too small) and I am working on a baby blanket.

I can't crochet though, I've got a set of hooks and an instruction book but I just can't do it. I wonder if it's because I'm left handed? I have no problems knitting the right handed way (didn't even realise there was a left handed way) but just can't get the hang of crocheting with either hand, so I'm sticking with knitting.

[HecatePropylaea]

Yeah, I wasn't too relaxed trying to learn how to cast off!

I will. At my present rate of knitting a row, you can expect a picture of the finished blanket sometime in late 2063.

Crochet did look really hard to me too (also a lefty)

[Marcipex]

I'm a lefty too, we should have a lefty thread.

I learnt to knit and crochet on various sites online. My RH mother couldn't teach me.

I highly recommend Planet Junes left handed crochet tutorials.

Now I can do it, it's quicker and easier than knitting.

[Marcipex]

I can do one of these in an afternoon, much faster than my knitting.

[PourquoiTuGachesTaVie]

They're great Marci.

Looks like this is the lefty thread .