this post was submitted on 16 Nov 2023
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Knitting
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Welcome to the community! We would be only too happy to enable you ๐
My usual advice for newbies is to have a goal, which you already have: to knit socks one day.
So that gives you a "curriculum" of sorts to shoot for. I'd definitely recommend having the following skills down first:
To complete a typical top-down sock pattern with a heel flap and gusset, which tend to be the most common sort, you'll also need to pick up stitches and learn how to graft toes together. However, those two skills can just be looked up and learned when you get to that part, you don't really need to practise them beforehand.
So really the most useful resource is going to depend on which of these things you already feel comfortable with and which you don't.
We had this thread a few weeks ago from a fellow want-to-knit-socks-one-day newbie, so that has a lot of good advice too. And OP totally achieved socks!
Thank you for the welcome!
I think I've done a long cast on- the one with a tail (if that makes any sense?) it has been a while though.
I can definitely knit and purl, though I'm rusty
Ditto for knitting in the round
Basic increase/decreases and Slip stitches- no idea!
Would it be a good idea to do a knitting in the round, and maybe a basic tube/neck warmer (it doesn't matter if it takes ages to make as it would always be useful to wear next winter)? Something with a nice pattern as I can practice the knit and purl?
I am on Ravelry so I can find lots of free patterns (assuming Ravelry still exists, it's been a while)
Cheers
Hello! I'm the beginner mentioned. I started with a hat, which taught me working in the round and decreases. I think a pretty neck warmer would be useful too.
It sounds like you have done long tail cast on so that's good.
Guaranteed you can do slip stitches already, even if you don't know it.
It is possible that I've already had an attempt at slip stitches, but I'm almost certain I've done them before (accidentally) whilst ballsing something up, lol
Congratulations on your hat, and your socks too! Most impressive, it's like you've unlocked a secret skill and can't stop
I think it'd be nice to make a hat to match my cowl/neck gaiter, I've got plenty of patterns to go through now on ravelry, so fingers crossed ๐
Sounds like an excellent plan. A lot of people recommend a hat for a first "in the round" project because they're a bit smaller and teach you decreases at the same time, but a cowl or similar would be great practise too! Anything you can enjoy and be proud of making was time well spent.
You mentioned you struggle a bit with the "code" of patterns, I wonder if you've looked at charted patterns as well as written ones, or if you've only tried using one kind so far? Everyone has a different preference (I like the logical, efficient format of a chart over the sometimes-ambiguous written version, for example) so that might be something worth looking into as well if you've only tried one or the other.
Ravelry is definitely still there and ready for however specific a pattern search query you want to feed it ๐
I've mainly looked at the written ones, the ones that have 'kfb' etc, I think the charts would make my head explode, I think my problems may be to do with concentration
I will have a look at hats as there's not many neck gaiter type patterns, also I've logged back in on Ravelry, it's definitely changed a bit since I was there last time
There's nothing wrong with needing to look up acronyms if you don't remember! I especially like Nimble Needles videos to go over how to do a particular stitch
Thank you, I'm going to have a look for the videos for future reference
I've been knitting for ten years and charts give me a headache trying to decipher. I can work them but it takes a lot more mental work for me...so I stick to written patterns.
When I was first learning, someone suggested trying to learn new skills with each project. I think a hat would be a good next step and then maybe mittens. Once you can master mittens, sweaters aren't that much different skill-wise. Just take it step by step and come back with questions if you get stuck.
Another recommendation,when you find a good tutorial for some skill don't forget to bookmark it. It usually takes me several projects to remember new techniques. If I forget to bookmark the good tutorial I wind up getting frustrated and wasting time sorting through all the bad tutorials.
Thanks for the good advice re bookmarking useful info (I think one of my issues is concentration along with a touch of brain fog), and also seeing each project as a step by step skill learning method
I'm quite looking forward to having another go at knitting, and I'm glad that I have some expert knitters to ask for help along the way!
Cheers