S/O Knitting - General Questions

[Guest]

I'm itching for a new hobby. I love to scrapbook and quilt, but just don't have the time (or energy) to lug out the materials. I cannot believe what you all do with your knitting needles!

 

So......

 

Is it expensive to get started? What do you need? Is it the kind of thing you just keep next to your chair and pull it out real quick?

 

AND: How long does it take to make a pair of socks???? (I want some!!!)

 

Any great websites would be great, too....

[Firefly]

No, it's not expensive to get started-- you just need a set of needles and some yarn. But you WILL want to spend a lot of money building up your yarn stash once you've got the knitting bug LOL. I would recommend selecting a pattern first, and then getting the yarn and needle size it calls for. Then you can go from there (the next pattern might use a different needle size... you start slowly building up your needle supply).

 

I do keep several knitting bags with different projects, so I can just pick up one and start working on it. And, I like to keep an easy project (scarf, dishcloth) in a little bag in the car, so no matter where I am I can whip it out and keep my hands busy, even if there are a lot of distractions. It's one of the things I love about knitting, the portability of it!

 

Socks, once you know how to do them, don't take much time. I can do a pair in a week, if I have a lot of time for knitting (which I usually don't!).

 

I like Ravelry.com, knitty.com, and knittinghelp.com. Also, many of the yarn companies have websites that offer free patterns.

 

Good luck to you!

Edited December 31, 2008 by Firefly
typo

[Guest]

Thanks, Kelli!

[Rosie_0801]

Knitting does require you sit still for a certain amount of time, especially when you are learning (like me!) or you'll muck up the pattern. If I'm knitting, I have to wait until the tot is in bed and won't be interrupting. During the day, I'd rather embroider. That can be picked up and put down mid stitch if necessary. Like knitting, it doesn't cost much to start, but will if you need to build a stash :) Raiding your mum's back cupboard for stuff she no longer wants helps, and op shops (thrift stores) sometimes have wool and embroidery threads lying around.

 

:)

Rosie

[Kay in Cal]

I just started knitting in November. I practiced with a book of dishcloth patterns (not exciting, but lots of different stitches and techniques in an easy format). Then I moved on to socks! I hope to finish my second sock tonight... it has taken me about a week per sock, but I'm not fast.

[Melanie]

It is not expensive to start, but if you end up enjoying it you can drop some serious money. My husband likes to tease me about my $300 socks. :tongue_smilie: I can knit a pair of socks in less than a week, and I am not a particularly fast knitter. It is definitely pick up and go for me now (my hands are never idle!) but when I was learning, I was very slow and made a lot of mistakes and couldn't talk and knit at the same time. I think my husband misses those days! :lol:

 

Some of the people I know like knittinghelp.com and I know it would have helped me when I was learning. I had to settle for every knitting book in the library!

[Cinder]

Kelley Petkun of Knit Picks has done a podcast episode about knitting on a budget. I think she mentioned doing projects in worsted weight and size 7 or 8 needles. You can do much with just that--sweaters, scarves, washcloths, even socks. You can listen via iTunes episode 19 or at her site linked below:

 

http://community.knitpicks.com/profile/KnitPicksPodcast

 

I'm enjoying knitting socks too. And stash building. On a budget, of course! Even Michael's sells sock yarn now.

 

Cinder

[LaxMom]

 

Some of the people I know like knittinghelp.com and I know it would have helped me when I was learning. I had to settle for every knitting book in the library!

I second that suggestion. It can be very difficult for me (a very experienced knitter) to figure out a new cast-on method or stitch from a book. The videos are great.

 

Some advice I would give to someone just starting out:

 

 

• Pick a simple pattern you would like to work up to, then get the needles and yarn that would go with that pattern, and learn the knit / purl stitches with those tools. It's hard to discover that you've mastered the stitches but can't make anything because the patterns that interest you call for different needles and yarn than you own.

• Work in wool or (gasp) acrylic that mimics wool. Novelty yarns look neat, but they can be difficult to knit and often mask your stitches, so you're not getting the visual feedback you need (e.g. right-side vs wrong side, dropped stitches, etc). "Furry" yarns can be a huge pain because the fluffies (the loose fibers that give it a "halo") like to knot together. Also, wool and acrylic-like wool have a lot of give. Cotton has almost no give. When you're first learning, you want something forgiving that is not going to be hard on your hands to knit.

• Once you can knit and purl, hit the dishcloth patterns. They are finite, portable and, no matter how off-gauge you are, useful. They can also be quite challenging, depending on the stitch patterns. (These you'll probably want to use cotton for)

• Remember that it's all knit or purl and combinations thereof. Once you can do those, you can rib, cable, make lace... the possibilities and personal challenges are endless.

• If you run into difficulty, look around (at your local yarn store, a.k.a "LYS" or book store) for knitting groups. The people who frequent these gatherings are happy to help you.

• Don't knit yarn you don't like. Life's too short.

 

Now get some string and two pointy sticks and have at it!