7 year old DS wants to knit a scarf !!

[lulumama]

we bought some wool and and some needles ! and need to know how many stitches to cast on ! TIA ! [mile]

As many as you like, really. What sort of wool is it? How wide a scarf does he want? I'd just keep casting on until it looks 'right'! I'm glad to hear he's picking up such a nice hobby - I know of a local boy who knits.

i would do about 20 - anything more than that and they won't see it grow and might become bored.

thanks ! just want it to be wide enough for him to wear ! rather than like a ribbon! it is acylic , the lady in the knitting shop suggested it as being not too thick and easy to work with for a beginner

i can only judge by my experiences of my children knitting. sorry.

Big pins. Not long pins, but thick pins so that it 'grows' quickly.

Stick to just knitting for a start, until he gets the hang of it.

Interestingly enough, my two want to knit atm.

Must be something in the air!

Aaaaah..might need to go and get some thicker needles then....

I hate to disagree, but I think it's quite hard to knit with really thick needles until you're used to it. My stepDIL was really struggling with huge needles as it takes quite a bit of effort to do each stitch. Dd just learned, she's 8, but she started with a scarf for her teddy, so that made life easier. If you've already bought some wool then you need to do the size of needles it suggests more or less, in any case- if you change to thick needles it will be very holey

thanks all ! i think it will be knitting it anyway, as DS is rather perplexed by it so far !

My dd 5.8 started her scarf just before christmas making slow progress but she's loving it. We have thickish wool and are using size 7mm needles, and 13 stitches. I have been give her a hand by knitting 2 rows to her 1, which she is unaware. Just to giving her a chance to see it grow. Still very little to knit the whole thing on her own. We are almost 1/2 way. Good luck and enjoy.

would go for not more than 7 mm personally.

i like river john needles. they are birch-kind of poncey-but good for beginners cos the stitches don't slide off. and small-about 15 cm. £6 ea from kangaroo

(or make yer own...have done this with kids, makes a nice start to knitting tuition...)

would personally go for wool for beginners as I think its more forgiving. with nylon every mistake shows

with wool, if the worst comes to the worst, you can felt it

oh and you can dye wool at home

I have taught a few kids to knit, I always use really decent quality stuff.

filly, tooooo complex !! felting? dyeing? he just wants to kniiiiiiiiiiiiiiittttt!!

but thanks all xxxx

boys LIKE dyeing, lulu. Food dye, vinegar, big tub of dangerous boiling water

And they LIKE making needles (its piss easy. bamboo skewer + bead + sandpaper)

Its the actual knitting they get bored with, IMO.

(yours may be different of course though...its possible you would know best here

thanks for email btw, am pondering...

you are sweet filly, but DS would end up dyed a funny colour and would no doubt skewer dd with his needles!!! far far too dangerous for a 7 year old !!

xx