Knitting

[watervole]

I've decided to try knitting.  I've bought some wool and a basic sock pattern  (I know socks aren't the easiest thing to start with, but they're small and I fancy giving it a try).

I have successfully knitted a jumper and a cardigan in the past, but that was mumblety years ago.  Thus, I feel the need to pretty much start again from scratch - I can't even remember what the instructions in a pattern mean (though they'll probably come back relatively easily).

What would people recommend as a web site to show techniques of casting on, basic interpretation of patterns and how to do things like adding/joining stitches.

Also, am I better going with the English knitting that I remember, or trying to learn how to knit Continental?

Comments

[philbradley.livejournal.com]

If you're not a member of Ravelry you should be, and will be. It's a knitting social network; Jill loved it.

[telynor.livejournal.com]

Seconding this. Ravelry has a fantastic pattern database.

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

Please, what is a difference between English and Continental knitting?

[telynor.livejournal.com]

Very simply, English knitters tend to handle the working wool with their right hands and "throw" the yarn around the needle, and Continental knitters handle the working wool with their left hands and use the tip of the needle to "pick" the wool forward through the loop for a knit stitch. While there are plenty more knitting styles in Europe than just what we call "Continental", this knitting style is prevalent in France, Germany, and Italy, possibly Spain as well, though Portuguese and Greek knitters are completely different. :-) As you travel east in Europe, stitches start to be made differently as well, though the working wool is still held primarily in the left hand.

Talk about too much information, eh? ;)

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

Indeed:-)!
I was taught knitting at school like a child but my naturel lies elswere, so I forgot things. Now, I am still all right but I think of trying because you ladies here do tempt me!
Thank you:-)

[telynor.livejournal.com]

Judith -- I recommend Knitting Help Dot Com (http://www.knittinghelp.com/) to all my beginning students for help with beginning techniques. There are very good instructional videos on the site for many basic techniques and quite a few intermediate and advanced ones.

As for English vs Continental knitting, it's whatever makes you feel most comfortable. If you try Continental knitting and it doesn't feel comfortable to you, going back to knitting English is probably the best thing you can do. While many people think of Continental knitting as more efficient and faster, I've met loads of fast and efficient English knitters. It is true that Continental knitting tends to be more economical in terms of finger and hand movement, but if you don't like it and it doesn't work for you, ih. Go with what you know and are comfortable with. :)

[elmyra.livejournal.com]

Continental is generally thought to be faster once you get the hang of it (and I agree).

knittinghelp.com has lots of videos of pretty much any type of stitch you'll ever want to do, in both English and Continental.

knitty.com is good for patterns, articles, etc.

A couple of books I couldn't do without: Stitch'n'Bitch and The Knitting Answer Book.

[auntygillian.livejournal.com]

You do recall the baby gro with one foot forwards and tother foot backwards? And that you have shoulder and wrist pain issues?

When you're ready though, have a try at a Mobius scarf which is all one stitch, and in the round (no increasing or decreasing) so great fun. Doesn't need a pattern if you know the 'trick' and you just count stitches to the inch and do as many stitches as you need. But patterns all over.

Then of course there's all the websites by maths geeks on topological knitting (I think I gave Henry my Klein bottle hat?). I've tried a knot thing twice and it was both utterly, ridiculously time-consuming and also wrong.

[linda-joyce.livejournal.com]

For show and tell knitting techniques you can't beat U Tube. Lion Brand is OK but it speaks American, not so very different from English in the knittspeach, bind off in stead of cast off for example but confusing with the yarn plys.. Ravelry is basically a Social network site, Facebook for knitters. I'm on it but rarely visit. For free patterns try Knitty, as English as they come and they grade their patterns(beginers intermediate expert, As do Lion Brand). Stick to the way you are used to until you are confident with your knitting again, then experiment.

[sammason.livejournal.com]

I used to do masses of knitting, including various textured and coloured patterns of British origin. It's a while since I did it but it was great fun. The idea of a knitting website slightly freaks me out because my knitting almost entirely predates the internet! Anyway I hope you have a great time knitting and post updates.

[sammason.livejournal.com]

ps there are some lovely suppliers of handspun wool about, including naturally coloured wools, if those appeal to you.

[reapermum.livejournal.com]

Do you crochet? I knit using the same movements for both and it works well for me. That method is called Combination.

[watervole.livejournal.com]

Long time since I touched crochet, but I can see how it would relate to knitting.