Needles and Yarn

So Jake asked me if I would teach him the basics of knitting. Of course I happily agreed. So we got together in the HBLL and went at it.

Now I'm not sure if any of this blog's readers knows the basics of knitting, but it isn't that difficult...once you know what to do..
I'd long forgotten how frustrating it actually is to first start knitting. Learning how to hold the needles properly as well as holding the yarn and working it properly. It really was a learning experience for both of us as I went straight back to the basics and remembered how I first learned to knit.

So when I began showing Jake what to do, I emphasized 3 things that were important to collaborate together to knit.

• Hand-hold of needles
• Grip on yarn
• Learning how to gauge tightness of loops and stitches

Jake getting ready to loop the yarn on the needles

  As we began casting onto the needle, I realized I forgot to start him even at the most basic part of knitting: holding the needles correctly while gripping the yarn in an efficient and convenient position for casting on/off the needles. He kept wanting to hold the needles like a pencil, which is understandable. So I told him to imagine he was holding a pan and he soon held those needles like a pro.
Then came probably the most difficult part of knitting, working the yarn. I taught him how to loop his hands in the yard so that he could 'easily' cast on the needles.

It was a bit frustrating, needless to say

But he soon got casting on the yarn down. Next came actually adding some length to his knitting creation. He caught on to that pretty quickly. He still seemed to get just a little frustrated with the yarn, all within reason, the yarn was being rather difficult. But, he is well on his way to becoming a knitting master. Thanks for being a great student, Jake! It was definitely fun knitting together in the libaray.

Jake + knitting = pure joy!

What I gained from this experience is that knowing the basics before even doing the actual skill is needed. For example, just knowing how to hold the needles and yarn was a very important part of knitting before you even start. It made me reexamine how I knitted. I paid more attention to my own hands as I knit. As I showed Jake the nifty little tricks I've picked up over the years, I realized he had to first know how to do the basics before learning the tips that would make it easier. Overall, a spectacular, fun experience.

The start to a knitting masterpiece!

 

 

 

 

 

 

_____________________________________________________

Shuan's Spectacular Skills  (list of shuan knowledge)

• Knitting
• Organ
• Piano
• Flute
• Chopsticks (the utensil)
• Awkward Dancing