Sunday, July 24, 2016

Trying my hand at knitting again...

Except for crocheting a few rows on my two Spice of Life blankets, I've only done a little playing with yarn and knitting needles this week.  I've put on my YOP list that I want to challenge myself to learn to knit this year.  To work on something every month.  So this week I began.  Again.

And all I can say is...

Knitting.  is.  haaarrrd.

Actually, after a try at some simple garter stitch and stockinette - which I thought went pretty well (for me):


I decided to try my hand at a garter stitch dishcloth.

After trying out several video tutorials, I decided I really liked this one by Jewberly Emiris.  Her instructions are simple and clear (I think), she gets right to the point, and she's sweet and happy.


Not too bad, I thought, half-way through my first knitted dishcloth attempt.  I see some mistakes and the uneven tension, but I was beginning to think this knitting thing wasn't as hard as I came to believe the last time I tried.

But then I started decreasing and by the time I was done, this had happened:


When I finished I had no idea how it had gotten all pointy.  I was sure I was following the instructions.  Actually, this is when I went looking for another tutorial and I found Jewberly's linked to above.  Watching her video I realized I was putting an extra stitch in every row - where the holes are created.  So while I was decreasing, I wasn't doing it quickly enough.  That's how I got Mr. Pointy Head dishcloth there.  And by the way...it took me 4 or 5 hours to finish that awful thing.   Sigh.

But realizing my mistake and following Jewberly's to-the-point video I set right to work to make a second cloth.   I thought this should be a breeze the second time.  Right?

Well...  on the needles it looked to me to be not too bad, but once I had the thing off the needles, I was like, GEE WILLIKERS!  It's worse!


It's square.  ish.   But wow, is it ever rough?!?  And I had no idea it was this rough as I was knitting it.  I think that troubles me most of all.  That I was happily (mostly) knitting along thinking I was getting this knitting thing.  Only to find this at the end.

There are some places where I see I dropped a stitch, and I can see where the tension is uneven.  But even with those things... I just wasn't expecting this!

Maybe I'm just not cut out for this knitting thing.

I feel like I have the movements pretty well (at least in making a garter stitch pattern).  I made these cloths mostly using continental-style knitting.  Easy and quicker than the English method, I find.

But there's a whole lot of some other stuff  I obviously don't have.  Stuff like even tension (Okay, I get that consistent tension will come with practice).  The ability to recognize when I've dropped or otherwise mangled a stitch.   (When I'm doing it - will this ever happen?)  And patience.  Aaah. That's the big one.    I'm just not sure I have the patience to endure what I may have to endure to get even mediocre at knitting.  I'm not even hoping to become a good knitter at this point.   But I'm not sure it's worth the pain and effort just to strive for 'not pitiful'.

Sigh.

To soothe my weary fingers and wrinkled brow I'm putting the needles down for at least 24 hours and I'm going to crochet me a pretty dishcloth.  That will make my heart light again, I hope.

And just so I don't leave feeling completely defeated, I'm going to post a progress picture of my bright and cheery Spice of Life blanket I'm crocheting.


There now.  That's enough to make me smile again.

To see what other Yoppers are up to, visit our group on Ravelry.








25 comments:

  1. Knitting is hard. Much harder than crochet. I haven't pinpointed what makes it harder but it is. I think you are doing great!! Step away as you planned but come back like you said, tension takes time. All of it does. It can be frustrating and stressful but when you get it, makes it that much more rewarding. I had to take a day away from the needles yesterday because I was so stressed. Being able to then turn to crochet, really has its benefits!!!!

    Spice of Life is looking fab!!!

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    1. It really is good to have two needle crafts. Or at least one that I'm good at and enjoy. lol. OTOH, it's tempting say, "Why bother" with the one that feels impossible at the moment. I'm not giving up just yet, though. I'll plug away and hopefully improve enough to at least finally get a dishcloth that doesn't make me sad. ;^)

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  2. I agree about knitting being more difficult than crochet but then that's because I've been crocheting for so long. I used to knit for my girls when they were young but they're both well and truly adults now. I also struggle with some knitting patterns but I'm not going to give up. You shouldn't either. I couldn't find the pattern you're using but the dishcloth is exactly the same as what I know as Grandmother's Favorite Dishcloth. Its easy - google lakebreeze.org for the pattern and good luck. I love your Spice of Life blanket with its vibrant colours. xox

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    1. Thank you for the encouragement, Dorothy. I will not be defeated yet! ;^)

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  3. Yes...I've been knitting about 5 years now and still can't do it effortlessly, unlike crochet...been crocheting since I was a kid....but again, it'll come with time....

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    1. I do love crochet. And not simply because it's easier for me. I love the versatility of it. And the fact that you can get such beauty from one little instrument (and yarn). And that no one ever looks at crochet and says, "It looks machine made." I LOVE that. :)

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  4. I too, began with crocheting and then on to knitting. I love crocheting because it is quick, but I also love knitting because of the rhythm it provides and the song of the needles. Each has its place and time. I think your efforts are not all bad. It doesn't matter if you use English or Continental style either. It is which one makes you feel comfortable. Your sample of stockinette and garter is quite good. It might be, you were a bit nervous doing an actual pattern too. Now..............your crocheting this week.............fantastic. I am in love with your afghan. It is truly bright and cheery!

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    1. Oooh. "The song of the needles". How poetic, Marsha. :) Maybe someday my needles will sing! Thanks for loving my blanket. I'm a bit smitten by it, too. ;^)

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  5. I'm the opposite. Crochet is hard. I took to knitting quite easily but crochet still eludes me, though I've gotten better. I also took to wheel spinning quite easily, and didn't do well with the drop spindle.

    With that said, some of your tension issues with knitting will block out. Your (second) dishcloth looks much like mine do (minus the dropped stitches) when I finish. All uneven and bumpy and just not...well, it needs a bath.

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    1. Oh, this makes me feel better. That a knitter is mystified by crochet. :^) And while I know blocking will be necessary for many things, I don't ever want to have to block a dishcloth. I'm already driven slightly mad by how long it takes to knit a dishcloth. To have to block it, too, might truly drive me over the edge.

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  6. I too find knitting quite hard, I dont think I have the patience and I have been knitting all my life off and on, when I discovered crochet just over two years ago I threw my needles away gladly. The joke is that I have seen some wonderful sock in this group, I think I will have to give it another go. Your spice of lfe afghan is gorgeous, brings a smile to my face.

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  7. Starting new from somewhere always takes practice. You did a good job on that dishcloth. My first knitting rectangle had holes in it. LOVE your Spice of Life afghan so far.

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  8. Now will you look at how awesome that is! There is no such thing as mistakes, they are merely learning tools and you already know what you learnt, you can see the uneven tension which yes comes with practise it does, it really does. You've also gone straight into learning increasing and decreasing with the garter stitch and that's another step above the simple garter st and stockinette stitch piece in pink you started with. I would perhaps suggest just doing a square, cast on 39 sts, knit 6 rows, then on every right hand side knit, on every purl side I would knit 3, purl 33, knit 3, I would repeat these last two rows until your piece looked almost square and then finish off with 6 rows of garter stitch. This just might make you happy with tension, I find tackling one problem at a time helpful when starting off rather than trying to tackle all problems at once. Your pink piece looks great and tension is quite even and it will be a boost to you to see something nice done. You can always move onto the increasing and decreasing then when your happy and more confident.

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  9. Persevere! I find that there are times when knitting is quite therapeutic if you accept that it takes longer than crochet to achieve anything. I'm the opposite to you. I learned to knit at age 7. But I only learned to crochet a couple of years ago. I found everything about it difficult. It took me ages to learn how to how the yarn in the left hand. But I kept at it and can crochet simple things. Your blanket is fantastic and is probably beyond my skills. But...maybe one day...

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  10. It can be frustrating and probably truth, be told, I was probably just too stubborn and was determined to learn no matter how many times I had to tear things out. I am also very patient now that I'm retired. I can't say I was always this patient. I learned crochet years ago as a teenager and I still love it and it's easier to "tear out" and go back. I think your efforts were really good and it is just practice and the more you knit the better you will get and one day (this happened to me) you'll be knitting away and realize...you are a knitter! It just happens and you won't even notice it at first but only after practice and persistence. Keep up the great work!

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  11. Don't give up. You are getting it, and by the way, garter stitch isn't as forgiving as stocking stitch for showing your errors in tension. You are inspiring me to try crocheting what with that gorgeous blanket you are making. I'll post my attempts when I get going and we can both have a good laugh!

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  12. I think your knitting looks pretty darn good. When I tried knitting my efforts were humiliating. I agree -- it's HARD. Blanket is gorgeous. Love all the pretty colors.

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  13. Hiya! The ribs are awesome. I used to have cable and watched a lot of Food Network. This recipe is originally from Chef Dave Liberman. Most rib recipes have you grill them which I don't do so this was perfect for me.

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  14. I crochet and my daughters knits, we both think the other is the hard. I have pledged to myself that I will learn to knit and have even Favorited a few patterns. I will be thrilled if mine comes out as half as well as yours!

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  15. your knitting doesn't look terrible at all, you're getting it, just keep practising :) Love your Spice of Life blanket, the colors together are great!

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  16. I love your spice of life, it is splendid and something I could only dream of.
    As for knitting, Ruth's advice is spot on. My plain crochet looks a little like your cloths, much worse than your straight garter and stockinette piece, anything more complicated for me isn't worth the yarn!! Tackle one issue at a time and you will get there.

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  17. I love your spice of life, it is splendid and something I could only dream of.
    As for knitting, Ruth's advice is spot on. My plain crochet looks a little like your cloths, much worse than your straight garter and stockinette piece, anything more complicated for me isn't worth the yarn!! Tackle one issue at a time and you will get there.

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  18. that is a beautiful crocheted blanket!!! knitting comes with time. I know how to make washclothes, but not crochet; and I don't do patterns or counting much. My wash clothes are just start with 3 stitches, increase by 1, until it's long enough and then decrease back one each row until you bind off with just one stitch left, as it were, pulled out for the end to be woven in. :)

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  19. Dont give up! Knitting is so worth it. There is definitely a memory motion to get to ....when you get to that point your stitches will be pretty even

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  20. ((((hugs)))) you deserve some chocolate too. I remember feeling like that when I was learning to knit. I mostly wanted to learn because one day my (older) sister said knitting was "too hard" so I took that as a challenge. I learned but then I never really did much with it. It was like "there, I did it" and went right back to crocheting. This year one of my YOP goals is to improve my knitting skills. I can tell you the tension thing does get better with practice. I remember one day looking at my knitting and was shocked to see how even it was. Now that I haven't knit in so long I have tension problems again so I have to get back to practicing again. I actually looked back at the knit projects on my ravelry project page and I have no idea how I managed to do it now. Anyway, don't give up! It is fun to have it as another took in your crafting toolbox even if your most used tool is crochet.

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