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old enough to learn?

My neice Jess (recipient of many hand knitted things from me and crocheted things from her mama, the one who loves "made" things) was over last weekend. Mom and Dad watched her and her little brother while I went up town to study for my wastewater certification exam... when I got home Mom had my current project (a dusty blue baby blanket) in a plastic tote for safekeeping. She said "little ones kept playing with it." I put it in my knitting tote and went to the BF's house the next day. I pulled out the blanket and realized a little girl had tried very hard to knit the blanket-- she really only missed the step of pulling the yarn through the loop, but had several wraps around the needles and got the rest of the steps right. She didn't drop any stitches or anything.

So I'm wondering if she's too young to teach knit or crochet (my sister can teach the latter--I still haven't figured it out) since she just turned 5 last week. She REALLY wants to try, but I don't want her to get discouraged if she can't do it "right" immediately. Would something like plastic canvas be more age-appropriate?

BTW, I was 4-6 when Grandma first tried to teach me. I'm not positive exactly what age, but somewhere in there.

-Amanda

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Reply to
Amanda Tikkanen
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Amanda, she is the PERFECT age! JM2C, Hugs, Noreen

Reply to
The YarnWright

My Grandma taught me when I was 4:)

Reply to
Ophelia

Kandace was 5 when she started. She did it in bits and pieces for a couple of years, and now can knit (just knit stitch, not purl) quite evenly. I think that starting young, but with no pressure, makes it easier later. HTH

Higs, Kather> My neice Jess (recipient of many hand knitted things from me and

Reply to
Katherine

Hi Amanda

If she's showing that much interest, I'd teach her how, and quick!

My 7yo DD can *almost* crochet on her own, but can't get the hang of knitting. My 10yo DD has no interest in learning either. My 5yo DS has decided he wants to crochet...we'll see how that turns out.

Maybe teaching her with large needles and some non-slippery yarn (like red heart super saver) would work. Perhaps use needles a size or two too large so she can really see where the needles and yarn need to go.

My two cents....

Michelle

Reply to
Eastern Edge

I learned to knit at about 5 , maybe i was younger , as she is obviously very kin to try it , by all means try and teach her ,,, you mught also teach her how to cable a lazy daisy ,, mirjam

Reply to
Mirjam Bruck-Cohen

Mom says she's going to try to teach Jess crochet. Jess's mom can crochet but not knit, so it will be easier to help her at home. I have a bunch of easy-learning yarn in my stash that Jess should have fun with.

-Amanda

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Reply to
Amanda Tikkanen

"Amanda Tikkanen" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com:

well, if she wants to knit, plastic canvas isn't going to make her happy. it's not the same... my son is 5 & he knits using a knitting frame, one of those round plastic ones they sell at craft stores. while he does occaisionally miss a stitch or 4, it doesn't seem to bother his perfectionist nature & he's made some nice hats. he has asked for a rectangular frame next, for scarves. if you do want to start her with needles, try a size between

8 & 10. most of the kid kits i've seen have 15s or 17s, which are actually really hard for little hands to hold. they might be ok for 9 & up, but they're too clumsy for a 5 year old. lee
Reply to
enigma

Hi

I learned to knit a bit at age 5 and enjoyed it. I know I wasn't perfect but at least I could do something myself.

Darlene in Toronto

Reply to
Craftkitten

She's over now, just settled down for her nap (she has a cold and had to take her "night night" medicine). Mom tried to show her crochet while I was out for a bit, but Jess had some trouble with that. I had

7s and 11s for her to try with and she's doing alright. She makes a mistake here and there, but that's okay. I do have some round hat looms... if I can find them I might send them home for her and her mom to use.

-Amanda

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Reply to
Amanda Tikkanen

Great idea! Keep us posted on her progress.

Higs, Katherine

Reply to
Katherine

While there's nothing wrong with a rectangular frame and they do have some special possibilities, he can make a scarf by going back and forth (instead of around) on the round frame.

Right. If they're read to learn at all, they have the fine finger dexterity. You just have to trust them with the pointy sticks. And you can get just as uncomfortable a jab from a thick pointy stick as from a thin one. Actually, I think I'd suggest a size 6, or even the size that is the same number as the child's age. Getting them in a color that goes well with their favorite color of yarn is nice too. And, of course, light colored yarn so they can see what they're doing, at least to start with.

=Tamar

Reply to
Richard Eney

snipped-for-privacy@radix.net (Richard Eney) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@corp.supernews.com:

i found some project sheets for the round looms that show scarves, plus different 'stitches'. he thinks that's pretty cool.

another trick my grandma used when getting to the point of learning stockinette, was to use two different colored needles, (in my case pink & blue aluminum ones. the blue & green looked exactly the same to me). knit onto the pink needle, purl onto the blue... that doesn't work quite so easily with wood needles unless you put colored knobs on the ends or something (although i have walnut & birch in 8s & 10s, so dark/light would be ok). knitting is excellent fine motor exercise. it'll help prepare her for writing. Boo has fairly poor fine motor skills, which is why i encourage all his craft projects. it really helps. lee

Reply to
enigma

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