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So I've started learning how to knit (as some people in the IRC channel are aware). I've wanted a scarf for a good while (usefulness of a scarf in an area that doesn't have temperatures below zero too often aside), and I can never find one that appeals to me in stores. So I had found pictures of a scarf that looked pretty cool here, and decided that I would start learning in the new year.

So here's my progress so far. I bought some needles and some cheap wool to practice with.


First attempt. Didn't work out well, turns out I was doing it wrong in the first place.


Second. Slightly better, still kinda meh overall.


Third. Getting better. Working on striping and the ribbing thats mentioned in the link above. The bottom half is what its supposed to look like, I think i dropped a stitch somewhere in the top half, as its kinda misaligned.


Most recent (ie - while watching Conan's last show). I liked how this turned out actually. Everything is in line, the ribbing is there. The edging is ok, maybe if I kept going for a while it would look better (not shown).

I think I'll start with the actual wool I got for the scarf, and I will probably post updates in the near future with pictures of that.

Rock on! Good choice on the Noro Scarf, it seems to be a good all-around pattern. Unisex, reversible, and takes advantage of the Noro colour changes. Third attempt looks like your knit 1, purl 1 pattern was off by one stitch, but the last one looks great!

Edge stitches and the rest will even out with practice and blocking. Besides, people will be too amazed at your awesome scarf to notice.

On a related note, I think we have the same knitting needles (Susan Bates size 7, 4.5 mm, right?).

p.s. Have you checked out www.ravelry.com yet? Searchable pattern database, and there's a Desert Bus craft-along group (not that active right now).

Yeah, they're 7's, I'm not sure of the brand. I just grabbed the set at Michaels. and I shall check out that website shortly.

i knit steel >.>(and sometimes aluminum/brass/copper/bronze/etal)

SilentBobCDN wrote:Yeah, they're 7's, I'm not sure of the brand. I just grabbed the set at Michaels. and I shall check out that website shortly.

Probably the same brand, then. That's where I got mine, too.

Rikadyn wrote:i knit steel >.>(and sometimes aluminum/brass/copper/bronze/etal)

With wire? That's gotta be hard on the hands, but the stuff I've seen looks really cool.

Rikadyn wrote:i knit steel >.>(and sometimes aluminum/brass/copper/bronze/etal)

I need to try this some time. I knit, crochet and do a bit of wire working... What gauge wire do you use and what size needles?

When you say knitting steel, I think chainmail work.

You've never heard of steelsilk, I take it?

~Alja~

I embroider and cross stitch. You have no idea how calming it is. I swear I've had entire afternoons go by while I worked on mastering a stem stitch or worked through an Asian butterfly pattern.

Ha ha, guys can't knit. That's ladies work. Like cooking and cleaning and forming babby.

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So, I want to learn to knit so I can save money on costumes and such for my projects. Where would be a good place to start?

Last semester I had a lot of fun man knitting. I made 14 hats (ranging from infant hats to 2 foot long stocking cap), 1 pair of slippers, one Christmas Santa bikini:


I am currently working on a fun scarf/hood combo, which is the first cabling I've done, though I paused part way through to make a pair of fingerless gloves which I just completed this evening:


In summary, knitting is a bunch of fun and I enjoy it greatly. I plan to contribute to this years Desert Bus Craft-a-long.

Arius wrote:Ha ha, guys can't knit. That's ladies work. Like cooking and cleaning and forming babby.

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So, I want to learn to knit so I can save money on costumes and such for my projects. Where would be a good place to start?

Personally, I learned by watching Youtube videos and by some websites (found by googling 'how to knit' and variations on that). I've found that a significant part of it is just by practice (especially the tension part of it).

SilentBobCDN wrote:
Personally, I learned by watching Youtube videos and by some websites (found by googling 'how to knit' and variations on that). I've found that a significant part of it is just by practice .

I was taught during my uncles graduation to get me to shut up. I have been thankful ever since. It really is all about practice. I taught a couple of my friends over break and it really just takes making things to get better. I personally have gotten loads better recently simply by deciding to make things and going through with it.

(especially the tension part of it).

When I first started knitting my stitches were way too tight, but practice has loosed them up some.

Question: does anyone else use wooden needles? When I was looking for needles at the beginning of this semester, the knitting shop I go to had a nice pair of long double point 8's made of wood, and I've been hooked ever since. I like the feel for it is less slippery than metal. That being said, the scarf I'm working on is on metal needles because that is what I had on hand.

This knitting, it looks intriguing yet confusing and fun at all separate times. How easy is it to get into knitting?

GoogleFett wrote:This knitting, it looks intriguing yet confusing and fun at all separate times. How easy is it to get into knitting?

Really easy. I suggest finding a friend or relation who can knit and asking them to show you the basic stitches. From there just do something like make a scarf which is a nice easy place to start. As SilentBobCND has shown, Youtube, or other online tutorials also work to get you started, but I prefer an actual person if possible, because they can tell you if it 'looks right' and fix the mistakes that will come with learning.

It does not take long to get the basic knits and purls down, and these basic stitches can make a great number of awesome patterns. It took me a while to be really comfortable knitting and to know if what I was doing 'looked right', but simply making things is the best way to practice (I find making gifts was a great way to start, since it included a time limit so I couldn't just set it aside and not get back to it).

I use http://www.knittinghelp.com/ to teach me stitches or interpret knitting pattern abbreviations. They have nice videos to show the stitches in action.

JohnyMcmuffin wrote:
Question: does anyone else use wooden needles? When I was looking for needles at the beginning of this semester, the knitting shop I go to had a nice pair of long double point 8's made of wood, and I've been hooked ever since. I like the feel for it is less slippery than metal. That being said, the scarf I'm working on is on metal needles because that is what I had on hand.

i like knitting with wooden bamboo needles, although I have some that are kind of cheap and aren't sanded down enough which makes them kind of annoying... But a nice pair of wooden bamboo needles are nicer then metal ones in my opinion

Oh and I just finished making this for my neice/nephew (we still don't know yet)

I'm another one who learned to knit from the internet. Decided to learn one evening, and used chopsticks and piece of ribbon to practice the basic stitches. It doesn't work as well as you'd hope due to the taper on most chopsticks (messes with stitch tension), but I didn't have any wooden pencils at the time. Beyond that, it's just practice.

JohnyMcmuffin wrote:Question: does anyone else use wooden needles? When I was looking for needles at the beginning of this semester, the knitting shop I go to had a nice pair of long double point 8's made of wood, and I've been hooked ever since. I like the feel for it is less slippery than metal. That being said, the scarf I'm working on is on metal needles because that is what I had on hand.

I'm not a fan of wooden needles for exactly the reason you noted. They're too "sticky" and slow for me. Also, I make a lot of socks, and the smaller needles feel too fragile and pick up a curve too easily. I haven't snapped a needle yet, but it's been close.

Progress on the actual scarf, with the actual wool. Its so soft, lol.

Morgan's new series, Man Crocheting?

~Alja~

Nice Bob. I really like wool, and pretty much everything I've made has been wool or wool/alpaca blend. It is so soft and warm.

Chemistring wrote:I'm not a fan of wooden needles for exactly the reason you noted. They're too "sticky" and slow for me. Also, I make a lot of socks, and the smaller needles feel too fragile and pick up a curve too easily. I haven't snapped a needle yet, but it's been close.

Understandable position. My mother also feels this way about wood vs. metal needles. I must admit I have broken one of my needles, but that was due to me leaving it where it could get sat on unawares.

korri wrote:i like knitting with wooden bamboo needles, although I have some that are kind of cheap and aren't sanded down enough which makes them kind of annoying... But a nice pair of wooden bamboo needles are nicer then metal ones in my opinion

I personally use hardwood, not bamboo needles, but I have used and liked bamboo needles in the past. I find bamboo needles to be between hardwood and metal on the slickness scale. I personally do a lot of knitting in the round with double point needles and I like that I don't have to worry about stitches slipping off the needles since they aren't super slick.

Chemistring wrote:

JohnyMcmuffin wrote:Question: does anyone else use wooden needles? When I was looking for needles at the beginning of this semester, the knitting shop I go to had a nice pair of long double point 8's made of wood, and I've been hooked ever since. I like the feel for it is less slippery than metal. That being said, the scarf I'm working on is on metal needles because that is what I had on hand.

I'm not a fan of wooden needles for exactly the reason you noted. They're too "sticky" and slow for me. Also, I make a lot of socks, and the smaller needles feel too fragile and pick up a curve too easily. I haven't snapped a needle yet, but it's been close.

I love my bamboo needles - I have a few sizes. That being said, I snapped one while making socks - for small things like that, I wouldn't recommend them. I think I like the bamboo because I taught myself to knit using pencils when I was a kid.

I've made knitting needles out of chopsticks because I lost a few dpns and they were about the same size...

I've also snapped a few small needles, but that was because I put them in a bookbag with other books and well they got smushed.

Wooden needles... not a fan. I've never used them for a long project, but I've tried them, and they've got that... grind-y, friction-y feel when they rub together. Ugh. No thanks. I like metal. Fast, durable, and if I drop them (which I do often) I don't have to worry about them breaking.

Also I could kill a man with them if I needed to. Needlekind strife specibus GO. HAAAAAAAAA.

Also I need to post a picture of the scarf I just finished. It is loooong. Like a Doctor Who scarf, but in blues and browns. And half of it is vertical striping. It is lovely and I am very proud of it.

I have to keep myself from knitting because it makes me not do my studies... But I really want to start work on a Doctor Who scarf that I can wear to PAX East.

Also I cast on for a hat because I need more hats, but I think my circular needle is too long, I have to stretch the darn thing to get it to reach end to end. I don't know if I should just break down and buy a set of double pointed needles... :/ Also I dislike doing anything in the round, always feels like I'm not doing it right somehow, or my rows won't line up or something.