Sunday, August 31, 2014
Lesson 2: Let's Put String On Sticks.
Now that we have yarn, and we have needles, we need to put them together. Making a base of stitches for knitting to go into is called casting on. There are several techniques for casting on. In this lesson, I'm going to show you the long tail cast on. Your Auntie is not the most tech savvy person, but here's a video that I hope will help you visualize how it's done. Watch, then try to follow along.
Lesson One; Let's Go Shopping!
Alright, the first thing we need if we're going to knit is some supplies. There are hundreds of specialized tools available to knitters. We will get to most of those later. There's no need to go drop a pile of cash at the craft store on stuff. To begin, we only need a few basic tools.
You will need yarn, a pair of knitting needles, scissors, and a yarn needle or tapestry needle. That's it. Don't let all the shiny bits and bobs on the knitting aisle confuse you. You'll learn about all that later. There are one or two extras you may opt to pick up, but they're really not necessary yet. You should be able to get everything you need for less than $20 in most craft stores or yarn stores.
You will need yarn, a pair of knitting needles, scissors, and a yarn needle or tapestry needle. That's it. Don't let all the shiny bits and bobs on the knitting aisle confuse you. You'll learn about all that later. There are one or two extras you may opt to pick up, but they're really not necessary yet. You should be able to get everything you need for less than $20 in most craft stores or yarn stores.
Welcome!
Hello, new friend! Let me introduce myself. I'm Emmy, Auntie Em to my nieces and nephews, and I love knitting. And crochet, and all forms of fiber arts. And I love to teach other people to enjoy these passions of mine. As my circle of students keeps growing, a blog they can reference for concepts and techniques seemed like a valuable tool. And opening it up to anyone who can web search isn't any harder than making a closed one. So, here you are, and I hope we will have a lot of fun.
Let's call this our mission statement. My goal with this blog is to take the absolute beginner from never having touched a knitting needle to designing their first custom sweater. How long will that take? Well, that depends on how fast you learn, and how much time you have to devote to practicing. But, don't worry. This is a hobby, not a competition, and you will get there. The most important thing is to relax, enjoy the process, and not let yourself get frustrated.
As of today, August 31, 2014, this blog is just a baby. It's my intention to post a lesson every week or two. If you're starting now, I may move more slowly than you'd like. You may finish lessons before I post the next one. In that case, feel free to work ahead. There is a wealth of instructional videos on YouTube, and plenty of other knitting blogs that you can use to learn more advanced techniques. Some of them do things differently than I will teach you. There is no wrong way to knit, as long as you get the results you want. Try several methods, and use the one you like best. If you have questions about something I've covered, or need clarification, speak up. Leave a comment on the post, or contact me directly. I'm always happy to answer.
If you're coming along after there are enough posts to keep you busy, well, the same advice still applies. Try other methods, too. It could be one of them clicks better for you.
Are you excited? I am! Let's learn to knit!
Let's call this our mission statement. My goal with this blog is to take the absolute beginner from never having touched a knitting needle to designing their first custom sweater. How long will that take? Well, that depends on how fast you learn, and how much time you have to devote to practicing. But, don't worry. This is a hobby, not a competition, and you will get there. The most important thing is to relax, enjoy the process, and not let yourself get frustrated.
As of today, August 31, 2014, this blog is just a baby. It's my intention to post a lesson every week or two. If you're starting now, I may move more slowly than you'd like. You may finish lessons before I post the next one. In that case, feel free to work ahead. There is a wealth of instructional videos on YouTube, and plenty of other knitting blogs that you can use to learn more advanced techniques. Some of them do things differently than I will teach you. There is no wrong way to knit, as long as you get the results you want. Try several methods, and use the one you like best. If you have questions about something I've covered, or need clarification, speak up. Leave a comment on the post, or contact me directly. I'm always happy to answer.
If you're coming along after there are enough posts to keep you busy, well, the same advice still applies. Try other methods, too. It could be one of them clicks better for you.
Are you excited? I am! Let's learn to knit!
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