To want to stick the knitting needles where the sun down shine.

[FortyDoorsToNowhere]

Today I decided to start knitting, giving up smoking and I thought this would be a great idea to keep my hand busy.

After googling and watching the youtube videos I failed do many times. I actually lit up one of my remaining emergency ciggies.

Take up eating like I have instead

I've just dropped half my stitches if it's any consolation :(

I've been watching the same YouTube vids in an attempt to remember how to do it.....

My problem is I don't smoke, and have given up wine for January

Any local knitting circles or shops that run workshops?

Don't know will have to find out.

I can cast on but casting off now that's a challenge.

My late nan used to do it with a fag in her mouth while watching tv.

casting off? no probs

Knit two stitches. Now they're both on the right hand needle. Lift the first one that you did over the second one and off the needle. Then knit another stitch. Now you have 2 sts on the right hand needle. repeat ... repeat ..

I wish I could help as I learned when I quit smoking. Getting the basic casting on, knitting and purling, and casting off is all you need. Do you know anyone who could show you? I'd offer on skype if that wasn't weird stalky sounding stuff, it really helped me.

I have pulled mine out yo start again. Grrr.

I learnt off websites too. I learnt to knit socks with Silvers Sock Class.

It's just so frustrating the clips make it look so easy

I'm told I hold it all wrong etc but things turn out okay so it can't be that wrong.
Kitnkaboodle has described casting off. Anything else?

The Stitch and Bitch books by Debbie Stoller are very good for getting started.

It took me ages, it is so frustrating, I thought it was meant to be relaxing but it reduced me to tears I was so frustrated.

I just kept screwing it up until it started to look acceptable and now it feels like it's coming naturally. Think it's a trial and error thing.

All I want to make is a blanket by doing 20x20 squares and joining them together.

I have a scarf I started 3 years ago for DS2. I thought I'd be clever and do a two colour stripe one. We used to live somewhere it would be of use, we now live in Texas.

I feel bad as I knitted one for DS1 and wouldn't dS2 to have something made by my hands too. I might dig it out next week and restart.

What exactly are you struggling with? Just the casting off? Can you follow kits instructions?

Do you like in the SE - I'm always up for a bit of a knit and natter :)

I think you are brave to start anything like knitting whilst in the throws of giving up smoking!!

Good luck with giving it up!

No I live in South Wales

Oh, that's a shame!

Which bit are you struggling with?

The second row.

I have done the slip knot did 20 stitches, I then put the empty needle through the stich on the left hand wrap the loose wool and hoop it back under. However it just falls apart.

Learn to crochet instead! At least if you drop your crochet hook you don't lose a whole row of stitches! (I took up crochet to help me stop eating so much in the evenings, made no difference at all...I'm still as big as a house, but I can whip up a mean beanie hat!! )

I've always knitted so I find it easy but I tried to teach myself to crochet last year and that was much harder! I did manage to learn the basics from a book but there are so many different stitches and then I couldn't understand how to read the patterns.

Knitting is much easier Forty, you stick with it . Wish I was near I could get you up and running in half an hour. I taught my friend the basics the other day. funnily enough she can crochet but it will take her longer than half an hour to teach me .

Someone gave me this book last year and I must say it illustrates everything very clearly. There are about a million ways to cast on though and as my method has never let me down I'm sticking with it!
Anyway, noticed it in W H SMiths the other day for £9.99 if you are interested.

That book is on my wish list.

I will do it

I can knit it's bloody casting on the first stitch I can't do. My mum used to show me time and time again. If someone casts on I can knit fine(as long as it's not complicated items lol). My gran knitted loads of things, I wore home knits for my full primary school career. Every time I went over she was holding a half knitted jumper against me to check the size. I wish I'd appreciated the skill and care more back then.