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Original poster

Who taught you to knit?

47 replies

DougalDaydream · 15/02/2012 07:48

I'd love to be able to knit, but I don't know where to learn. My Grandma tried to teach me when I was an impatient teenager, but she said my tension was all wrong and I wasn't suitable for knitting Grin

Are there knitting courses you can attend?
Has anyone taught themselves?
Book or YouTube?

OP posts:
SP0104 · 15/02/2012 08:51

My mum and next door auntie (you know, the neighbour you called auntie but wasn't) when I was primary school age.
I can remember knitting and sewing outfits for my dolls from a very young age.
I did teach myself aran knitting (cables etc) from a pattern.
I tried showing my daughter in law the other month but she couldn't pick it up easily (started off with 20 stitches, ended up with 52 sort of thing).
SD came from from uni once and said - can you show me how to knit - I need to knit a cupcake before I go back (three days notice).

seaweedhead · 15/02/2012 08:55

Nobody would teach me to knit because I'm left handed and they just found it too confusing.

So I taught myself to crochet using stitch n bitch - the happy hooker. It was really easy to follow and explained all about things like tension, different types of yarn etc. There are a couple of knitting books in that series if you've got your heart set on knitting.

PurpleKittyKnitting · 15/02/2012 08:56

My mum when I was a kid from about 4, kept on dabbling in it and then by the time I was about 10 I could do increases, decreases and cast off, I think I still had issues with casting on and the first row, mum used to do that!

Cabling I kind of taught myself as by then I was living a long distance away. Now we live close and I got her to help me on using dpns.

I go to a knitting club I found on Ravelry and I know we have some new people that come along and want to learn to knit and someone will always help them out

ohyouBadBadkitten · 15/02/2012 08:59

I taught me to knit using 'woolcraft a basic guide to knitting' and various youtube videos if I found a it a bit tricky. My style is a bit awkward and slow but I can knit jumpers and what not.
Start off with a yarn that is quite chunky - knits up faster and its easier to see what you are doing. Nothing fluffy though.

Kayzr · 15/02/2012 09:02

I have the Knitty Gritty book. It's really really good and easy to understand. I recommend it to anyone wanting to learn.

I use that and my mum to learn. She's a brilliant knitter and always has something on the go.

PurpleKittyKnitting · 15/02/2012 09:04

Oh the lady that wrote the Knitty Gritty book was on the BBC News the other day! I have her on facebook and gave us a 'heads up'

I have used youtube a lot as well if I come across a stitch I have never done or one I rarely do to remind me how to do it

PeggyCarter · 15/02/2012 09:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PurpleKittyKnitting · 15/02/2012 09:13

Yes some diagrams don't help at all do they?! Once I can see the way to do it I learn it quicker, and you can keep replaying the youtube clip and it is the same, not having someone getting more and more frustrated with you if you don't grasp it!

ouryve · 15/02/2012 09:14

My mum tried and didn't really succeed when i was a child. She was confused by my left handedness and wanted to compensate for it somehow and just ended up confusing me. I learnt to knit, but not purl and didn't really get anywhere

I taught myself to knit properly about 4 years ago, with the help of a book and online videos.

DickSwivellersTidyWife · 15/02/2012 09:20

I taught myself from books. Had 2 of my own babies but then when my sister was having one I wanted to learn and knit something for her. I used the Debbie Bliss How to Knit book and Purls of Wisdom by Jenny Lord which has lovely beginners patterns.

I bought Knitty Gritty but found the patterns were a bit meh, but the explanations are clear.

Took the books and wool etc on holiday where we had no satellite TV and no internet, and got the hang of the basics. I had done a bit of knitting with my Grandma as a child but just a bit of garter stitch, no casting on, no purl.

First time I tried to do rib it was a right mess because I didn't realise about taking the yarn to the back before a knit, or bringing the yarn forward before a purl stitch Blush But we all start somewhere!

pinxminx · 15/02/2012 09:20

I was taught by someone's granny who came into my primary school once a week, she was really fantastic!
I have recently started knitting again and have found little clips on the Internet really helpful to refresh my memory.

My 4yo dd keeps asking to learn, Im not sure if she is a bit young though?

PurpleKittyKnitting · 15/02/2012 09:24

pinxminx I would give it a go with some plastic needles, I still remember what I did at that age, just a big red thing in gartet stitch, it wasn't anything, just to practise knitting. It was full of holes and a mess but when I was teaching my daughter it is what I starter her off with, not a project, just something to practise and then move on to a small project

PurpleKittyKnitting · 15/02/2012 09:24

sorry, garter stitch!

pinxminx · 15/02/2012 10:03

I'll give it a go! I don't want to put her off...

DutchOma · 15/02/2012 10:18

Join Ravelry, look at groups, type in your location and there is a good chance you will find a group not too far away. Knitting is much more easily shown than taught from diagrams, although once you can knit they are useful.

It is just something you need to practise, like riding a bike or swimming.

Lemonylemon · 15/02/2012 14:21

My Dad taught me and I taught my DS. When DD shows any sign of wanting to learn, I'll teach her too :)

kellestar · 15/02/2012 15:48

I was taught, kind of by my family but never progressed far. A few years ago I taught myself to crochet and decided to relearn knitting. Youtube is brilliant but Ravelry was where I gained my enthusiasm and ideas.

I'm in the Somerset and if your nearby would happily sit down and give you some basics in exchange for cake :) [greedy smiley], that goes for anyone [PM me] I used to go to a few knit and knatter groups but haven't got the time in the evening [too knackered after a day entertaining DD].

When I was little I had a french knitting dolly and started there pinxminx it was easy enough to see it grow and could be sewn together to make bags, hats, coasters etc.

jobnockey · 15/02/2012 16:07

my mum taught me when i was little but when i returned to it many years later i could only remember garter stitch.
Diagrams confude me. Youtube is amazing!

LatteLady · 15/02/2012 19:32

My mum taught me to knit when I was five, by 11 I had made my first Aran cardigan... it was big in the 60s and compulsory to own one if you were an Irish Catholic.

I can now knit my own patterns and blame it on the fact that my mum did not like you to have nothing on the go :)

Milngavie · 15/02/2012 19:35

It was a combination of Mum, Gran and school for me. When I was 9 Tuesday afternoons at school were knitting time. We made a bear and a handbag Grin.

LatteLady · 15/02/2012 19:36

And in case you wanted to see the offending item... I featured it on my blog last year :)

angelpantser · 15/02/2012 19:42

My mum taught me to knit when I was in Infant School and my Reception Class teacher taught me to crochet. So that means I have been hooking for just under 40 years. Yikes!

I have taught DD2 to knit (no mean feat as she is left handed but knits right handed) but DD1 is a lost cause. Grin

Molehillmountain · 15/02/2012 20:31

My dad at six am when I was six. My mother rolled over and grunted despite being the better knitter. My lovely great auntie took me through my first garment from a pattern aged twelve or so, in between then I worked out for myself how to make a v neck tank top pullover for my teddy when ill in bed one day. My dmil is my go to help now. I insisted dd was five before I tried to teach her. She's six now and has still to get enough patience but is pretty good at sewing.

Molehillmountain · 15/02/2012 20:37

Dougal-went off down memory lane then in unhelpful fashion. Have you looked for knit and natter or similar near to you? I don't know if any or all will help complete beginners to learn but I imagine they would. Could call the contact person to find out? I love teaching people to knit-if I knew you in RL I would teach you Smile

RedRosie · 15/02/2012 21:26

I'm a new knitter (about a month) and using the Knitty Gritty book. Have done a scarf, baby booties and half-way through a hat. They are by no means perfect, but I'm doing much better than I thought I would.

Give it a go. Very therapeutic.

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