Saturday, September 26, 2009

F.P.U List #22 - Knit a Scarf

I've been very inspired lately, what with the holidays coming up or something, so I've decided that it's time to tackle one of my F.P.U list items - knit a scarf.

I don't know how to knit. I tried once about three years ago and almost ended up either stabbing myself in the eye, hanging myself, or both. I never learned how to even cast on properly because the diagrams that they give you in the books and manuals are pure gobbledygook! At least to me; the images baffle me, I guess, because I can't see how the yarn and needles move.



Like that, helps me none. So I've enlisted a new help - YouTube!! There are some great videos out there that show you exactly how to cast on and start knitting your first row. It took me about an hour or so to cast on and knit my first row, but for some reason I get all bungled up when I'm trying to knit my second. I'm not sure if I'm doing something goofy with the slip knot or what, but I get all these strands going back and forth from needle to needle when I'm trying to make a stitch.

I'm total novice because my yarn is always sliding around on the needles, and my hands cramp up, and I think to myself how in the HELL can Granny do this with her arthritis. But then I think it probably took her her whole life to master this insanity and now she's finally reveling in her glory! That must be it!!

I'm not too down and out about it, because I can already do a lot more than I could when I started, so it's a good beginning point. I can make one row of something very intestinal looking (because my yarn is a mottled pink) before my second row screws me, so I will just watch more videos, put some Ben Gay on my aching hands, and give it another go later. ;)

9 comments:

Mr. Condescending said...

scarves are one of the sexiest things on a girl! Plus I'm sure they keep your neck warm hah.

good luck!

Lauren From Texas said...

You can learn anything on youtube, and I do mean ANYTHING. Haha. :)

ladytruth said...

My mom taught me how to knit when I was about 13 or 14 years old. Since then I've been knit, knit, knitting away ;) Just be patient, you get the hang of it eventually and before you know it, your knitting needles will sound like a song from you knitting so fast!

Moonjava said...

Tagged you with an award! :)

And I used to know how to knit (the simplest stitch), I know more with crochet.

Valerie said...

its one of those things (for me anyways) that had that ah-ha! moment over and over again. Your tension will get better overtime and you won't have to concentrate so hard that you end up squeezing your hands around the needles ;)

Anonymous said...

I'm so jealous of people that know how to knit, it looks so relaxing
good look with your scarf!

erin said...

I've been crocheting since I was a little kid and I've tried to knit a billion times, completely unsuccessfully...
I don't know what it is about those two needles that are so intimidating!

Jen T said...

I started teaching myself to crochet last winter and found the Youtube videos way more helpful than those ridiculous pictures too! Of course I'd have to replay them a billion times because they moved so fast...but it was something!

My hands get very cramped too...how do people do this???

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