newby knitter

I've done a lot of crocheting and other needlework but not knitted since grade school. I found some funky acrylic yarn and ratty old needles in a drawer and discovered that I remember at least the basics. I had fun with it and would like to continue.

I'm wondering what you experienced knitters would suggest as sources for needles and yarn, etc. The only store near me is Hobby Lobby but I can certainly shop online. Also what types of yarn are best for a beginner?
(I saw some pretty varigated, kind of fuzzy yarn at Hobby Lobby that would make a nice knitted cap or muffler to go with my new coat.) Any sources for instruction that you find helpful - books or on the web - would also be appreciated.

Thanks.

__________________
"Don't confront me with my failures, I had not forgotten them." - Jackson Browne.

There are so many types of needles, I think you should experiment to find what works for you. Some prefer different types of needles for different types of yarns. You might like plastic, metal, wood or bamboo needles. I would suggest that you find your pattern and see what yarn they suggest and go from there.

On the other hand, lots of yarns have free patterns on the inside band that holds the yarn together.

I have some addi turbo lace needles, some older straight metal needles, some bamboo circulars & dpns and some knit picks options. I'm really enjoying the options needles and plan to buy more.

There are lots of free patterns on the web, check out "knitting pattern central" to see if anything inspires you.

Welcome to your newest addiction.

__________________
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Hi, and welcome to the wonderful world of knitting!

I highly recommend the bamboo knitting needles sold on Ebay by "Jian" in Minnesota, his Ebay store is called Bamboo Knitting Needles, I think. You can get complete sets of 15 sizes of needles, circular or 13.5" or 9" long, for under $30. H also has DPNs. His needles are carbonized so they are stronger and smoother than other bamboo needle brands. I have bought a lot from him, and I make Best Offers on combinations of auctions from him.

For great yarn at a cheap price, go to Smiley's Yarns (www.Smileysyarns.com), they are in NY. The minimum purchase is $50, but they have tons of designer yarns at $1 a skein! And they have lots more at lower than retail prices, all you could imagine. I got excellent service from them, and the yarn is cheap enough I can gift it to people who knit without costing a fortune. You could split an order with someone, too, to make the minimum. Having recommended the yarns at Smiley's I will say it is easier to learn on plain wool yarn, than on the fancy fuzzy, eye-lashy stuff where stitches on your needles aren't clear, and if you drop a stitch it can be a nitemare finding it in the fuzz to fix it.

Lion Brand Yarns has many free patterns on their website, as does FreePatterns.com. Just Google "free knitting patterns" and you'll find a ton of stuff out there. You can also go to YouTube for knitting videos on many topics. You might also like to join Ravelry, the large international knit and crochet and spinning community on the web; the waiting list to join is usually long, but well worth the wait. (www.Ravelry.com) Many of us HTers are on there already and we could put you on our buddy lists.

__________________
"Success is preparation and opportunity meeting." - Andrea Smith, music director for XM 82, 2008.

Old Turkomen proverb: "When we have rice to eat, life is good." From: "The World Is A Carpet"

Bluesky Welcome to The Fold.

I think you will find that we all have as many opinions as there are types of yarn and needles, lol!

I would recommend that you learn with a wool yarn. If price is an issue Lion Brand's Woolease is probably a good one but be aware that it un-plys as you knit making it easy to grab the wrong piece of yarn. My favorite yarn for teaching is Brown Sheep's, Lamb's Pride. It is a single ply, comes in wonderful colors and easy to work with and the price is usually very reasonable. Most knitters tend to knit really tight so maybe metal needles would work otherwise I would go with bamboo or wood. Assess what you have knit and see if you like the feel of the fabric. Does it feel flexible and soft or stiff and harsh. Did your hands ache after you finished knitting? Most yarns will give a suggested needle size to knit with. Start there and see how you feel working with them.

Most of all have fun with it! We are here if you need help so do not hesitate to ask.

__________________
"Fiber is just that way, it teaches us to look differently at how things connect, to know that everything is tied together somehow."

Jacey Boggs

I crossed over to the Dark Side today, too. Kicking and screaming.

I'm a newbie spinner and a semi-newly-minted weaver and vowed I wouldn't learn to knit, I really don't have any passion or interest in it, and I have waaaay too many hobbies and all-consuming passions for even 10 people.

But I need to be able to make my own socks, gloves, hats, etc. So it's from a purely utilitarian perspective.

We had a Woolgatherer's (local fibre group) meeting today with a fiber swap and my weaving mentor, a fellow irascible-yet-kindly rustic sort with a bent towards the Old Ways taught how to do this 'casting on' and 'picking' thing. I think I've got it, but the yarn doesn't want to cooperate much. It's kind of a loosely spun almost a Lopi kind of stuff. It was the only commercial yarn I had around, really, so I figured I would go with it.

I got a pair of bamboo needles, and a pair of yellow metal ones. Sizes are around a 2 or 3, I think. She had told me initially to get a pair of 'circular knitting needles', and when I got to knitting needles selection available at Michael's, I remember thinking "What on earth is she talking about? They're all circular, none of them are squarish, or octagonal, or anything else but cylindrical...."

She showed me a pair of what she meant today. Sigh.

I'm carding some of the wool I got today in the fiber swap, one lady was getting rid of most of a semi-felted fleece that I believe I heard her say was something about Cheviot.

Anyhow, I make my own drop spindles out of toy wheels as well as my own spindle hooks and people like them enough to buy them, apparently. I have an Ashford that I picked up at a yard sale for 80 bucks (score!) that came with a bunch of stuff. I just got an old Canadian drum carder for a late Yule gift, and haven't figured out yet how to get the licker-in and the drum to go further apart.

And I'm carding wool while waiting for pages here to load, since we have such blisteringly-fast 24k dialup. But I wouldn't trade living out in a decidedly rural setting for hardly anything.

Well met to the fiber forum! I hope you guys are all nice.

--Silverwolff

I crossed over to the Dark Side today, too. Kicking and screaming.

I'm a newbie spinner and a semi-newly-minted weaver and vowed I wouldn't learn to knit, I really don't have any passion or interest in it, and I have waaaay too many hobbies and all-consuming passions for even 10 people.

But I need to be able to make my own socks, gloves, hats, etc. So it's from a purely utilitarian perspective.

We had a Woolgatherer's (local fibre group) meeting today with a fiber swap and my weaving mentor, a fellow irascible-yet-kindly rustic sort with a bent towards the Old Ways taught how to do this 'casting on' and 'picking' thing. I think I've got it, but the yarn doesn't want to cooperate much. It's kind of a loosely spun almost a Lopi kind of stuff. It was the only commercial yarn I had around, really, so I figured I would go with it.

I got a pair of bamboo needles, and a pair of yellow metal ones. Sizes are around a 2 or 3, I think. She had told me initially to get a pair of 'circular knitting needles', and when I got to knitting needles selection available at Michael's, I remember thinking "What on earth is she talking about? They're all circular, none of them are squarish, or octagonal, or anything else but cylindrical...."

She showed me a pair of what she meant today. Sigh.

I'm carding some of the wool I got today in the fiber swap, one lady was getting rid of most of a semi-felted fleece that I believe I heard her say was something about Cheviot.

Anyhow, I make my own drop spindles out of toy wheels as well as my own spindle hooks and people like them enough to buy them, apparently. I have an Ashford that I picked up at a yard sale for 80 bucks (score!) that came with a bunch of stuff. I just got an old Canadian drum carder for a late Yule gift, and haven't figured out yet how to get the licker-in and the drum to go further apart.

And I'm hand-carding wool while waiting for pages here to load, since we have such blisteringly-fast 24k dialup. But I wouldn't trade living out in a decidedly rural setting for hardly anything.

Well met to the fiber forum! I hope you guys are all nice.

--Silverwolff

Hey Silverwolf! Welcome to The Fold! Congratulations on all the newly acquired skills.

One suggestion, if you are trying to knit with a yarn like a Lopi and using size 2 or 3 needles you will end up with really sore hands. Is this yarn really as thick as Lopi or is it just as loosely spun as a Lopi? If it is as thick as Lopi you may want to get a size 8 or 10 needle, you hands will thank you.

As to be honest, what you are knitting with does not need to be spun at all. You could make a pencil roving and knit with that just fine.

Have fun with it all. Take pictures so we can see. We are here for you if you have any questions.

__________________
"Fiber is just that way, it teaches us to look differently at how things connect, to know that everything is tied together somehow."

Jacey Boggs

Hey, thanks! And sorry for the double-post, I don't know what happened to make an 'echo'.

The yarn that I am using is kind of as thick as Lopi or pencil roving, and loosely spun but more cohesive than Lopi; it's not tightly spun or anything, but it does seem to be more stuck-together.

I picked up the needles again (after a few instances of really wanting to throw the whole thing across the room last night) today and it took me a couple minutes to actually figure out 'where' I was, which needle was which, and where exactly I should be going. Gah!

I think I am kind of getting it, though. I will look for different needles; Cathy said I was knitting really tight and that my hands will learn to 'loosen up' after a while.


--Silverwolff