i would like to knit. where do i start

[elmoandella]

hi, i would really like to be able to knit a blanket for ds and dd to keep. being really ambitious and hope to be able to line it with fleece.

is knitting a blanket a really hard thing to do. should i start with something simpler?

i would be really gratefull if anyone has any beginner guides to knitting they could donate. and any old mish mash bits of wool to practice on.

dont want to spend a fortune on wool and books (or i read somewhere about patterns? what heck is pattern all about) to find i am completely hopeless it at.

aaaaah maybe thats where i'm getting double wrap round. i'm holding it between both needles.

and this will be a really really stupid question. but is it supposed to be the same looks that your contantly shifting from one needle to next? that seems to be whats happening when i do the knit stitch. but this cant be right?

loops not looks

when you start a new row:

stitches are on left hand needle

right hand needle is empty

hold yarn in right hand

as you knit each stitch it moves from left needle to right

at end of row stop. and turn needles around

oh and would it be easier for me if i got larger needles (like those huge wooden ones) and a good quality wool.

i just got some cheap acrylic wool and cheap plasticy 4 mm needles as advised.

but on one of these instruction sites it advised these bigger ones and 100% wool for beginner as you can see your work better.

You take one loop (stitch) right hand needle into the left hand loop, thread over, from the right, over the hook, then you hook that bit of thread through so it forms another loop and let it slide off onto the right hand pin. then you take the next stitch and do the same thing, so in the end all the stitches that were on the left hand needle are now on the right. Then you turn the pins round and start again.

Cheap acrylic and no 4 pins is perfectly alright.

so when i'm moving i to the right needle i'm creating a new loop when i move it round (and through the window), and the old loop from left needle becomes my actual knitting? is that what should happen?

I find really fat needles hard to knit with

yes, that sounds about right

don't do it too tight

right. think i know where i'm going wrong. will go away and try again and report back. sticking with my cheapo needles and wool.
thanks ladies.

That google site drives me up the wall, but I suppose she gets there in the end. Best of luck.

I taught myself to knit from the Knitting For Dummies book. I highly recommend it, its fab!

so, i finally managed to do knit stich. did a couple of rows. then started a fresh set paying close attention to getting it perfect. it looks great all even and tidy. i'm so impressed i've decided to stick at it. so i went out today and got the stitch n bitch book as recommended. and one thats baby knits for beginners. has things like bib/blankets and cardi's and really basic hats that are just suares put together. with single colours to make them really easier for beginners. some of other books were supposed to be beginners. but there's no way i'd be anywhere near these ones with pattens of colour as well a different stitching.

but can i just say many many thank to ladies for sticking with me. if i hadn't gotten the knit stitch i would have given up.

i had a look at hobby craft. i felt they were really expensive for small quantities of wool. i understand better quality wool will be more expensive than the cheap acrylic stuff i got to learn. but surely £4.99 for a very small ball is far too much?

WELL DONE ELMOANDELLA, stick with it. One tip:- Just for now, until you get a bit more confident count your stitches after every row. It's awfully easy to 'lose' or 'gain' some. If you don't have the correct number, go back, just take the stitches from the left needle back onto the right. And, if you have 'lost' one keep looking for it in between the stitches you have done. You may need a crochet hook to pick it back up.
Let us know how you get on.

the baby knits thing has a wee hook for picking up lost ones. and circular needles??? sure i'll read what they are about shortly. couldn't find a darning needle that was suggested. is that same as a yarn needle?

No it is the thing with the "wee hook" that is a crochet hook.
To begin with I would pick a project that just works with two needles, working with a circular needle is not hard, but you might like to get some practice first.
I would not be afraid of acrylic yarn either and yes, I think £4.99 for a small ball of wool is very expensive and not good for a beginner.
If you make a small jacket or some baby socks or a hat, you will get tremendous satisfaction, but you will not be totally heartbroken if they grow out of it.
A darning needle is a thick needle with a big eye and a stump end, so when you sew things together you don't go into the stitches, which looks bad. I don't know about a yarn needle. Where in the world are you?

scotland.

i'm just continuing with my long strip of stitchin. once it gets to long enough shall use it as a wee scarf for LO. get me loadsa practice at knit stitch.

Excellent, have fun.

By the way, if you knit all your stitches it is called "garter stitch". Not sure why, but that is what it is called. Once you teach yourself to do purl stitches then you do one row knit and one row purl and it is called "stocking stitch".

oooooooooooh. keep getting distracted by mumsnet chat instead of continuing. but it is beside my bedside to continue after 10pm dreamfeed.