I want to knit but I'm rubbish

[ButterBees]

I try but I just muck it up all the time and I can't correct mistakes. Can anybody give me any beginners tips eg idiots guide to fixing a dropped stitch, keeping it tight. Or any really easy beginners patterns? I've bought loads of books, looked online and nothing really helps me. Maybe I'm just not going to get it but I love the process of knitting and would love to be good!

[milkjetmum]

All I can do is scarves and blankets! I really enjoyed using chunky wool and huge needles. After lockdown go to a knit and natter and get someone to show you in person. There are YouTuber video's but easier to follow in person I think.

[HeatherIV]

I could not get the hang of knitting. My mum sat through it with me so many times. It just never clicked.

I started crotchet instead and I find it so easy. You just have the wool in one hand then work it into stitches with a hook. Since lockdown started I've made two blankets, a scarfs and 3 toys.

My mum on the other hand can't get the hand of crotchet but can knit. So I think some people are just more minded for one over the other. It's worth a try.

[twilightcafe]

Keep practicing and give it time! Focus on one step at a time. Once you're happy with casting on, then move on to making a small square that is even.
A crochet hook is invaluable for picking up dropped stitches. Plus the more stitches you drop, the better you'll become at picking them up .
YouTube is your friend here. There are endless videos about different ways to knit.
Try not to get hung up about "the right way" to knit. There isn't one! It's all about finding a way that suits you.

[NotMeNoNo]

I think you need a human to show you (difficult ATM). Once you have the right technique it quickly gets better with practice, dont give up!

[AnnaMagnani]

How are you learning? I found the only way to learning knitting was from another person, a book is useless. As I'm on my own now, I use youtube.

My favourite knitting youtube is knittinghelp - she's really slow and clear.

www.youtube.com/user/knittinghelp/videos

Also I knit Scandinavian which honestly is a whole lot easier and quicker than English style knitting. Plus you naturally get an even tension without trying. On knitting help she explains both styles in every video.

Finally every single person knits ever so slightly differently. If it works for you, and it looks like knitting, then you are knitting.

[ImperfectTents]

You need a crochet hook to pick up dropped stitches and lots of patience

[ShanghaiDiva]

What about knitting with a loom?
My dd started this last year as part of a school project. She mats made about 50 hats and now also has a straight loom and made ponchos and scarves. She has since progressed to crochet and taught herself from YouTube.

[ButterBees]

All so useful, thank you. @annamagnani I'll try that link (ps I love Anna magnani!)

I've been learning watching random YouTube videos and they've got me started but my brain just doesn't compute the complicated stuff! Fixing dropped stitches blows my mind, I just can't do it! I've never been very practical but I love the process of knitting

[WoollyFoolly]

Most important - don't give up! It took me years and many attempts to be able to knit successfully. My mum tried to teach me for years but I just couldn't get it. I taught myself from a book in the end, it was really helpful for me to have clear static diagrams of where the wool should go.
I've just recently learnt to crochet as well after many years of trying - I tried that from a book and from YouTube but it took a one-on-one session with a teacher to crack that.
Keep trying different methods, when it clicks it will become so easy!

[AnnaMagnani]

@ButterBees I think you are the first person to know who my username is!

I've linked to the website which is prob better so you don't have to fish around the more recent videos. She's a knitter whose husband is a web designer, how handy

www.knittinghelp.com/

[ButterBees]

@annamagnani thank you! There's an app! I've downloaded it. 🤞it starts me on a new path

[ButterBees]

@WoollyFoolly good to know that plodding in is worth it, I often think I should just give up!

[longtompot]

I taught myself to crochet about 10 years ago, and have recently taught myself how to knit. If I d crochet much less stressful having one active stitch at a time. That said, I've knitted two hats, a patterned one for me and a plain one for my new nephew, and I've knitted a pair of socks. I have cast on a jumper. I always told myself I couldn't knit, that the stitches would get tighter and tighter to the point I couldn't get the needle in. But, as I found with crochet, repeatedly doing boring basic stitches over and over and frogging for many times I got how it feels to hold the needles and the yarn. There are some good YouTube videos on how to pick up stitches, which I've yet to try, but they explain how and what's going on really well.
Do keep trying. It does click, eventually!

[BlueCookieMonster]

I can knit a square, I tried again today and got my needles out. Can’t bloody stand it. Crochet, I sat down with a Bella coco video, practiced some stitches and within a few days did a sunburst granny square. It’s grand for my limited attention span, and the stitches change every so called then to keep me interested and I’m able to get a result fairly quickly.

[BelfryBat]

It's practice, I am a competent not brilliant knitting and I've taught other people to knit, and after a bit you work out what you are doing and your tension sorts itself out and you work out what to do if you drop a stitch. Just keep at it

[johnstonfont]

Tin can knits - a lovely duo of knitwear designers have a set of simple (free) patterns on their website which build skill acquisition.

Fixing mistakes can be quite tricky especially if you haven’t learnt yet to read the fabric (this is quite an advanced skill and despite knitting a lot for 10 years I haven’t nailed it).

There is a technique where you insert a lifeline which means that if you do make a mistake you only have to frog (rip back) a small number of rows. Lots of videos on YouTube.

It really is all about practice though - so keep going, bigger needles/ yarn gets you results sooner if you need the gratification of finishing something.

[johnstonfont]

Oh and ask for help if you see people - I’ve taught one colleague to knit during this strange time and troubleshooted some issues for someone else.

It’s easier face to face but if you could try over video calling.

[GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER]

The best tip I ever had (from my mother) was to loop the yarn round your little finger, and then over your index finger. I dare say it’s illustrated on YouTube somewhere. DM said it would make my knitting much quicker and more even, and she was right.

Not long ago I saw a 20-something woman on the bus, so laboriously doing it the other way, and was dying to show her, but didn’t want to come across as an interfering old bat.
Practising with relatively big needles and chunkier yarn is also good for anyone new to it.