Advice to Newbie Knitters from a neophyte

Having recently learned to knit, I want to share what I have learned with fellow wanna-be knitters before it gets lost in the dim recesses of my mind wherever I stored the memories of learning to crochet and other skills I now take for granted. I'm not sure when - or how - the desire to learn how to knit got hold of me, but I know it goes back many years. So why didn't I learn earlier? More importantly, how did I finally master the basics? There were some things I did right and some things (okay, many things) I did wrong in the process of learning how to knit. It no longer matters to me that it took me so long to find my way. I'm just glad I did. So, for what it's worth, here are a few tips.

Don't listen to lies. For a long time I believed the popular myth that one can either crochet or knit, but not both. I learned to crochet in junior high and never forgot, even if I stopped doing it for years. My self-image for many years was that I was someone who "never finished what she started" and was not very well-coordinated or artistically talented. I know one of the things I did wrong years ago was typical of me - I attempted a project that was too ambitious for a beginner because I didn't have a mentor to give me advice. Then I got discouraged and gave up because I didn't have a mentor to encourage me and help me overcome my setbacks. This past year I found a knitting mentor - someone with the time and the patience to help me and who was very encouraging. She inspires me with all the simple but beautiful things she has made. A mentor alone wouldn't have made the difference. I also have learned to see myself as capable of learning knitting and other things. I didn't give up. I didn't listen to the tapes in my head telling me I "never finish anything" or "am too clumsy".

Learn all you can. I found some wonderful books to fill the gaps. I couldn't run to Nana's house every time I got stuck. "Knit Fix" by Lisa Kartus was a huge blessing. Her illustrations and explanations helped me really "see" how a knit stitch is constructed. Until I had that concept in my head, I felt rather insecure. It also has wonderful solutions for fixing knitting problems. I also found some videos on-line that were helpful.

Listen to your fingers. I also realize now that I didn't listen to my body or soul very well back when. My first project was not only too big (an afghan) but it was on giant (US35) hollow metal needles. After I truly learned to knit a few months ago, I tried again to use those needles and quickly felt the difference. I hated them. I hated the clanging sound they made, their cold, hard feel and the awkwardness of the giant size. I still have them and may use them in the future, but they also may just stay as a reminder to listen to my fingers. I tried the same project on large (but not quite so humongous) plastic needles, and found the project pleasurable.

Loosen up. Another mistake I made was attempting to learn to knit using a kit that included very short circular needles. I think circular needles are a great idea because it is hard to drop stitches, but as a beginner my tension was way too tight. I struggled to get the stitches back on to the tips. I also found it frustrating to have so little wiggle room because the needles were only 16" long. I would recommend circular needles once you have learned how to keep your tension reasonably loose.

Find what works for you. Tension is a key ingredient in knitting, and this may be where the myth that crocheters can't knit and vice-versa comes in. I tried to control my yarn tension the way I do for crochet and it just didn't work. I tried quite a few methods that didn't feel right. Finally, one woman at a LYS told me to just pick up the yarn loosely with my right hand. That allowed me to get out of my mindset that wasn't working. I was able to look at how other people do it and come up with a way that worked for me which is like my crochet method but on my right hand instead of my left. I think that's when I was able to get a nice loose tension.

Keep it easy on the eyes. Another tip I would give a wanna-be knitter is to be careful what yarn you use for your first few projects or when learning a new stitch. It should be pleasant to the touch and the eye so you want to keep working with it, but have a fairly smooth texture and not be a dark color. Why? So you can see the stitches you have formed. For goodness' sake, don't attempt novelty yarns until you are more experienced. I tried knitting with chenille after being warned that it is difficult and quickly gave up. After I have knitted some more, I will try it again. I have knitted with some fuzzy yarns, but had to switch to a smooth texture to get the hang of knitting in a rib pattern. With a fuzzy yarn I couldn't see if I had just done a purl or a knit stitch. With a little practice, I was able to try the fuzzy yarn, because I had mastered the rhythm of switching stitches and was more familiar with how they looked in a rib pattern.

There you have it. If you want to learn to knit, find a mentor and some good books, believe you can do it and don't give up. Find needles and yarn that are pleasant to work with and easy to see. If it just isn't working, change something and try again, but don't give up. It is worth it all to be able to pick up your knitting and make the world a better, calmer place, one stitch at a time.