My First Knitting Project!

Remember how I mentioned that I want to be the Stitching Guru, and just know all the different needlework crafts? (I could also be called the Needle Guru, or the Needlework Guru. Take your pick! As long as Guru is in their somewhere.)

Our Joann store reset the entire yarn/needlework department, and while I was stocking yarn I spotted this book by Leisure Arts:

I was really impressed with the supplies explanation and the first few pages of instructions, so I decided to take the plunge! I had a three day weekend and I said I wanted to learn how, why not teach myself?

My years of cross-stitch and DMC thread was painfully obvious; I followed the directions and got a Size 10 (8mm) needle, but went with a thinner yarn, since I thought less strands of embroidery floss equals easier to work with, so thinner yarn equals easier to work with. It’s actually the exact opposite in knitting. The bigger/heavier the yarn, the better, for beginners. Oops.

I also got a darker variegated yarn when I was told to get bright. I couldn’t find any colors I liked and I figured it wasn’t actually THAT dark.

And I very quickly learned I am a VERY visual learner. As I said, I was initially impressed with the instructions in the book. I got the Cast On part of knitting very quickly just from the pictures. And… that was all. I couldn’t figure out from the written instructions OR the included online video tutorials how to do the Knit Stitch or the Purl Stitch. I got so frustrated! My brain knew how it was supposed to work but it wouldn’t translate to my hands. The yarn would get all tangled up, and I didn’t know how it was supposed to look, so I couldn’t tell if I was doing it right or wrong.

Luckily, the Youtube Channel GoodKnitKisses came to my rescue. She has a great tutorial on needle knitting, and after watching her videos a few times and working for a few hours, I got my first few rows done!

And then after four more rows I cut the thread and threw it away.

The pattern the book uses as the tutorial is a pot holder/coaster type of deal. Honestly, that is too small to learn from AND it wanted me to switch between Knit and Purl mid-row. As a beginner, who still can’t grasp the concept of Purl Stitch. So after a few attempts I said “Yeah no” and decided to just toss the book aside completely. I will revisit when I am less of a total beginner.

I decided instead to do a scarf! I can already tell I’ve made it too wide. But hey, it’s good for a beginner! And it’s just the Knit Stitch until you’re done type of deal. Cast On, Knit until you think it’s long enough, Bind Off, finish. So I’ll get lots of practice!

I’ve already lost count of my rows, though.