[Ender's Mom]

So I started knitting. Mom taught me how to cast on, knit, purl, yarn over, knit 2 together. I made a dishcloth and am in the process of making a "frilly girly dice bag" to hold my D&D (yes I do this one day every couple of months) dice.

I'm not sure what to make next. I thought I'd make a bag to keep all my knitting stuff in, but some of these patterns are looking kinda hard and I'm thinking I should do more simple things... like... more dishcloths and scarves and stuff and just buy a bag for knitting.

I joined a site called Ravelry.com which is great but sometimes it seems a bit daunting to try to find a project (there are sooooo many patterns with different levels of difficulty!)

I'm also wondering about purchasing supplies and tools. I'm used to buying things over the internet (can browse as long as I want, no pressure to buy, and usually pretty cheap and EVERYTHING is in stock)... but lately I've really wanted to be more supportive of either local businesses or small-personal businesses other than supporting amazon.com (where you can get ANYTHING... from knives, which I'll still buy from amazon... to yarns!)

So I'm wondering where you all go for patterns/ideas/yarn... etc. Any experienced knitters want to recommend something?

Oh... and I have no idea what "knitting in the round" means... and why there are so many different kinds of needles! (I currently own 2 circular needles) I also don't know if I "get" all the different kinds of yarn and what the labels mean and what you use for each project.

Funny story.. for the dice bag I got yarn in a "hank." The lady in the store gave me some tips on how to convert to a ball of yarn... I ended up looking up a different way on the internet... made a HUGE mess of the yarn... which meant I had to painstakingly untangle it (took me like 3 hrs... cause I'm anal like that and refuse to cut out a knot when I can, with enough time, untangle it) and then start a new ball (CENTER-PULL GO ME!!)

 

[blacklabparent]

I am on ravelry too. So is Karina. I'm not that good, but I really enjoy it. We have some gorgeous yarn shops here, so I usually get ideas there. They have weekly knittting meetings where anyone can just pop in for help with a project, or check out something new to try.

 

[Labradorable]

I am on Ravelry too, if you want I will PM you my name there. Knitting in the round means knitting in a circle. This site will help you a lot. http://www.knittinghelp.com/.

I've been knitting since I was a kid, but picked it up more around 2003. My knitting has been in the sidelines for a couple months (and haven't even knit at all in a week, and even that was just a purse). I do love knitting. Hopefully I'll get to knit sometime this week. I haven't tried around the pup yet, I'm sure that will be interesting. LOL

 

[Ender's Mom]

My ravelry name is Inara220

 

[Labradorable]

Oh, have you been to Knitpicks.com? If you are really wanting this to be a hobby, get the knitpicks options needle set. You'll have all the needles you need for a long time.

 

[Labradorable]

My ravelry name is Inara220

I just added you.

 

[Mama3tikes]

Oh I just "learned" a cute pattern for a cute summer top! I am a beginner knitter.

 

[AZLAB]

I use to knit before my shoulder problems just basic stuff. I made a slew of sweaters on round knitting needles. You just knit the front and back of the pattern at the same time. This way you have no seams untile the arm holes when you have to split the stitches and knit them on regular needles.

Round needles are a regular straight needle with a piece of plastic tubing then anotehr straight needle. That way you can knit without the seams.

 

[amazongold]

I taught myself to knit while I was stuck in the recliner because of my knee. I can only do straight knit stitch, purl was too hard with the fluffy yarns I had and my fumble fingers. I did make five scarves!

 

[Allie]

Is it easy to teach yourself to knit? I always wanted to learn but the only person in my family that knew how (my grandma) is left handed, so she couldn't teach me properly. My coworker is a big knitter. She buys lots of specialty yarns from Germany and off ebay.

 

[Mama3tikes]

I got a book....I taugh myself to knit, so far so good

 

[amazongold]

I downloaded instructions from the internet.

 

[Labradorable]

My mom taught me to cast on and knit when I was a small child, but I didn't retain much of it. I retaught myself as I got older. I also taught myself to crochet. My favourite book is Maran Illustrated's Knitting and Crocheting. It's excellent.

 

[justine]

I taught myself.. haha. The only things I've made are scarves. I'm very crafty but I like to do a little bit of everything.. If I spend too much time or money on any one craft, I get bored.. so I have to switch it up

 

[RebaHalle]

When I retired in fall of 2006, I joined a knitting/crocheting group that meets at the library and makes things for Hope Shelter for abused women and children.

It had been years since I had done any knitting or crocheting. The biggest obstacle was terminology. Instructions are a lot different than they were 30 years ago!

However the yarns now are wonderful and beautiful.

 

[nellies mom]

I used to knit constantly. A friend taught me years ago. Start with easy stuff like an afghan. You need to practice so your stitches are even. When I got good I knit an afghan in a fisherman pattern. I even made a long cable knit coat out of beautiful Irish wool.

I did a sweater by knitting in the round. There are no seams which is great.

 

[rayluckgoo]

I'm not a good knitter but I learned when I was a child (then I made dog collars and horse halters). My first real project after the perfectly straight stuff (scarfs etc.) was a sweater vest with bulky yarn and large needles. It was fast and easy and I got instant gratification. I've actually knit a few simple sweaters that came out great too.

 

[Ender's Mom]

You know what's great? Youtube... I couldn't remember how to cast on... went to the internet... googled "how to cast on" and found a bunch of youtube videos... way better than a book sometimes. I love the internet!

 

[TangerineFizz]

I cry. I haven't touched my knitting in months. maybe a year. I was knitting pretty frequently at my old job, because my boss and another lawyer knit, and we'd have Friday Knit afternoons there, and it was awesome because I had such a fantastic support system.

Then I got a new job and nobody here knits. I'm stuck on a cardigan. The sleeve portion is killing me, and I got stuck, and now I'm pretty sure I'll have to rip it out and start over.

I really wish I had someone closer to help me with knitting.

OH and ravelry.com is wicked! wicked! wicked!!

Lindsay, check out a stitch and ***** book for patterns - if you see one in the first book you like, let me know which one and I'll photocopy it for you and mail it.

 

[Ender's Mom]

Awww thanks Karina..

lemme know if you ever plan on "vacationing" in Milwaukee or Chicago... we can meet up and knit!