“In. Around. Out and off! That is how you make a stitch.”
“Use your finger. Use your finger girl! You are not driving a car around a corner, you are wrapping the yarn around the needle. Keep your elbows close to your body and hands on the needles!”
A few sentences drummed into my skull as a young junior school girl. I was learning to knit. It was a long slow struggle, I seldom had the same number of stitches in any consecutive row. Mind you, I was an expert on lacy knitting, pity the holes were unintentional and grew by the hour!
I remember one winter’s afternoon that mammy sat patiently by the fire with me, struggling to show me how to go about the task. The weeks of belittling in school had me so tense that the stitches were too tight to move along the needle, never mind from one needle to the other.
One of my brothers (two years older), came to ask a question, but became intrigued as he watched what mammy was doing. He eventually slipped quietly out of the room and headed for the kitchen. Ten minutes later, as I was still struggling, he returned to ask “Is this the way to do it mammy?”
He found a ball of twine and two wooden skewers, then set up about twelve stitches and arrived back with about six inches of perfect garter stitch!
I eventually succeeded but preferred to crochet, it is less of a problem losing stitches or having to rip back if an error occurs. Knitting has made the slow comeback for me in recent years and I am enjoying that form of needlework right now.
In Dublin last week, I was playing with a cowl worked in the round. While decreasing stitches, I struggled with the stitch markers I had. I think Elly was frustrated with me constantly counting stitches so she appeared with a beaded stitch marker that she had made and asked if it would help. It was just perfect for slipping over the needles so next day she made a selection of them for me.
stitch markers
Beaded stitch markers made by Elly
Cowl knitted in the round
Finished circular cowl.
While browsing online the other day, I came across this: Knitted Glass
Maybe this time, I will sit on my hands and leave the hard work to Carol Milne.
There is a smart daughter to have!
That she is and a very caring one too, not alone to me but to all her friends as well. I am very proud of her!
Beautiful cowl and what a wonderful idea for the stitch markers!
The cowl will be cosy for the winter and the stitch markers will remind me of Elly, every time I use them.
Good on your both. Love those stitch markers. What a clever idea. And the cowl will add some warmth this winter.
Nancy, the cowl will sit well under my coat or jackets, when the colder weather arrives, as it will! A gift like the stitch markers beats a bunch of flowers any day!
Very nice, but I would have no where to wear it.
Don’t worry, Dianne, I will have plenty of opportunity to wear the cowl!
Love your knitting. I did not know that crochet was easier than knitting.
Gigi, for me, crochet, once I got the hang of it always seemed faster and easier.
Your thoughtful daughter, Elly made some lovely bead markers. And no, you should not sit on your hands GM, your cowl turned out beautiful.
blessings ~ maxi
Maxi, this time I meant just watching the glass knitting projects. I’ll stick to yarn!
Now that looked like an awful lot of stitches to have on the needles at one time. How long did it take to do one round? For years I just used a piece of contrasting wool for a marker, then some swish plastic things, then discovered something similar to Elly’s creations that are so much nicer (and for some reason easier) to use. Will you be using them again soon?
An old knitter here – my fingers never got the hang of that crochet lark. Or maybe it was my mind that couldn’t cope with the different method and process.
Cathy
Cathy, my reply to your comment was proving rather long, so I have decided to save it for a separate post, which I hope to post tomorrow, Friday.
Clever stitch markers, pretty cowl and I’m fascinated by the glass knitting – wow! Laura
RS, I liked the look of the glass knitting, but doubt I would have the skill or patience for it. I do like the warm feel of yarn passing through my hands.
Elly to the rescue, love her stitch markers. I struggle with knitting, crochet is easier but not as classy to my mind.
Brighid, I enjoy both, but crochet is handier when on the move – less likely to lose stitches or needles – I would equate it with carrying a Kindle about instead of a couple of rreal paper books.
Oddly enough for the time it was my father who taught me to knit. He had 5 older sisters and observed them, never knitted himself but taught me the basics. Love the stitch markers and the cowl, so very pretty 😀
XO
WWW
WWW, some men make great knitters, Kaffe Fassett is a perfect example. On a train from Scotland where he bought 20 colours of Shetland wool and some knitting needles, a fellow passenger taught him how to knit. He was well comfortable with the craft by the time he reached London. His first design appeared as a full page spread in Vogue Knitting magazine.