Sorry knitter

Hi everybody,

I'm new here but recognize some of the names from r.c.t.n. I'm trying to teach myself knitting. I understand single sentences such as 'single stitching, double stitching, etc. But I can't understand how to read a pattern. I know.....I'm a sorry knitter. Unfortunately the same holds true for crochet. Below is a short pattern for a bookmark. Don't want to make this particularly, but wanted to use it to explain my position. My comments are in caps.

Cast on 15 stitches. I UNDERSTAND THIS

Row 1 and 3 (wrong side): WRONG SIDE OF WHAT? PUT LEFT NEEDLE IN RIGHT HAND AND VICE VERSA?

slip 1 as if to knit with yarn in back, purl to the last stitch, k1. (Stitch count is different on rows 1 & 3). O.K. I'M LOST.

Row 2: Slip 1 as if to knit with yarn in back, k1, yo, k2tog, SSK, (yo, k1)

3x, yo, k2tog, SSK, yo, k2. STILL LOST

Row 4: Slip 1 as if to knit with yarn in back, k1, yo, k2tog, SSK, k5, k2tog, SSK, yo, k2. THE TEARS ARE GETTING CLOSER!

Repeat rows 1-4 for the pattern. Do 25 pattern repeats (about 10"), or work to desired length. Work row 1 for a last time, then bind off in purl on the right side. I CAN'T REPEAT ROWS 1-4 BECAUSE I AM SITTING HERE WITH A BALL OF KNOTS! :((

So now, my question is....is there a basic, simple book or internet directions out there that explains HOW TO READ A PATTERN FOR KNITTING OR CROCHET? TIA for any help.

Maureen

Reply to
Maureen In Vancouver, B.C.
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No, wrong side of the bookmark, or whatever you're making - the back side. The right side would be the front side.

A slip st is one that's just slipped off the left needle to the right without working it. Stitch count will be different because you're going to add more stitches in Row 2.

See below...

Hang in there...

Advice below...

There's tons of them, and others will point them out to you as I don't have any marked. Basically, you need something that explains the abbreviations - yo, ssk, k2tog, etc. That will be on a `learn to knit' site.

You might also want to think of something easier for your first project

-- like maybe knit every row... ;)

sue

Reply to
suzee

Maureen, an online source is:

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diagrams of stitches are helpful, and some even have a small videoclip. The first two things you want to learn to do is to do knit and purl stitches. If you are knitting one row, then turning your work and purling the next row, you are doing stockinette stitch; generally the knit side is the right side/inside/public side, while the purl side is the wrong side/inside/private side. (Your pattern example is saying that rows 1 and 3 are on the inside/backside of the item.)

If you are right-handed, you will be moving stitches from the left needle onto the right needle as you go. When the left needle is empty, take the empty needle in your right hand, and do the next row.

HTH, Carey in MA (take the dog out to reply direct, or go through MSN.com)

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Reply to
Carey N.

When you have those first 15 stitches cast on, you start knitting. Except that with this pattern you are going to start by working with what will become the back side of the book mark toward you. So instead of actually using the knit stitch, you'll be using the purl stitch. When you do row two, you'll be using the knit stitch, then row three will be purl again. Now to the details:

Hold the yarn on the side away from you. Put the right needle into stitch one as if you were going to knit it, but instead, just slip it off the left needle and keep it on the right needle. Then bring the yarn between the needles so it's on your side, and purl the rest of the row, except for the last stitch. Move the yarn between the needles again and knit the last stitch. This makes the first and last stitches into an edging, while the pattern will be on the stitches in between. There will be the +same_ number of stitches on this row as on the first row - 15 - but by the time you get to row 3, there will be a different number. Don't worry about it.

This one you are going to be knitting. With the needle with all the stitches on it in your left hand, hold the yarn on the side away from you and put the right hand needle into the first stitch as if you were going to knit it, but again, just slip it onto the right hand needle. Then start the pattern, Knit one. yo means wrap the yarn around the right needle once without making a stitch. K2tog: Then hold that extra wrap on the needle with your thumb and put the right needle through the next two stitches on the left needle, going up the way you do to knit, only you're doing two at once. (This pair of moves means you make a new stitch with the wrap, and then knit two old ones together, so right now you have the same number.)

Now we get to SSK. That means put the right needle through the next two stitches as if you were purling them, and wrap the yarn the way you do for a knit stitch, so you are knitting two together but through the side of the loop that is away from you. (Another way to do the same thing is to slip the first stitch as if you were going to purl it, knit the second stitch onto the right needle, and then take the first stitch off the right needle over the second one you just made.) This is the same as knit two together, but it puts the first stitch on top of the second stitch, so the decrease looks like it leans the other way.

Now we get fancy: (yo, k1) 3x. This means that you will do the yarn over thing (wrap the yarn around the right needle and hold it in place with your thumb) and knit the next stitch. But you will do it three times in a row: yo, k1, yo, k1, yo, k1. The parentheses and 3x is just a short way to write it.

Now you do another yo, and a k2tog and then a SSK (so now you've made two decreases that lean away from each other).

Now you do another yarnover and hold it with your thumb and do a knit stitch. Then you knit that last stitch. Row 2 is done! Count your stitches: you should have seventeen stitches now.

Here's row 3:

Like row one, hold the yarn in back (away from you) and slip the first stitch as if you were going to knit it but forgot. Purl the rest except for the last stitch, and knit the last stitch. You still have nineteen stitches.

With the yarn in back, slip the first stitch as if you were going to knit it but forgot, then begin the pattern. Knit one, yarnover and hold with thumb, knit 2 together, SSK (through the back loop so your decrease leans the other way from the k2tog), knit five stitches, do another pair of k2tog and SSK, yarnover and hold with thumb, knit a stitch, and knit the last stitch. Count your stitches. You should be back to 15 stitches now.

When it's as long as you can use, do the first row, then bind off in purl on the side that isn't the official front side.

Most knitting books give the information in the front of the book. If you find one at a library that has a copier, you can copy those pages and study them at home.

=Tamar

Reply to
Richard Eney

What an excellent website, Carey, thank you for sharing! I have saved this for myself so that I can get a refresher course whenever I decide to try a pattern that I haven't tried before and run into a stitch that I may have forgotten. :o)

Gemini

Reply to
MRH

Tamar, do you teach knitting? These are very detailed instructions! :o)

Gemini

Reply to
MRH

Maureen, you have some really good advice, an excellent website to look at (and save), and detailed instructions too... so I am mainly replying to welcome you to the best newsgroup around. The people here are helpful and very friendly, and we tend to treat each other like family.. and get off topic to share thoughts and feelings about other subjects as well.

So, welcome to rcty! :o)

Gemini (in Ontario, Canada)

"Maureen In Vancouver, B.C." wrote in message news:l7eAe.219330$El.197845@pd7tw1no...

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Reply to
MRH

Hallo Maureen , you just entered the best Academy for knitters , teachers are available 28 hours a day !!!!

After you casted on you made ro 0, now you start to knit where the thread is , thus you TURN the work , and knit from the last cast on stich to the first cast on stich ,, this is row 1 , but when the work will be finished this will be the BACK of the work , hence the WRONG SIDE ,,,, thus row 2 will be the front=Right side . from this you can see that all ODD numbered rows are your back=wrong side. all Even numbered row are your right side.

Take the first stich. insert your right hand needle in the front of the stich , from right to left , by this turning the stich when you move it to the right hand needle. Now PURL all the stich But the last one which you knit again.

At this point this isn`t clear to me either , but knitting further might solve this. >

Move the first stich , from left hand to right hand needle, [without knitting it] . Knit 1 stich now take the yarn and loop it over your right hand needle [this will make a decorative `hole`, because in row

3 you will purl on the loop as if it is a stich!] , now you have to `take away the stich which is now represented by the loop, thus you knit through 2 stiches as if they are one stich. Now the ssk , slip next 2 stiches ,to your right hnd needle , one after the other, Insert left hand needle into front of BOTH stiches from left to right and knit together [this will make the same effect as former knitting 2 together , but will show it as if it has another slant, looks more decorative], Now you have to make up for the `lost` stuch thus loop your thread again over the right hand needle to make a decorative `hole` ,, and k1 to stablize this. 3x = repeat the above pattern three times ., is there any Logo ,,, after the slip 1 , that might suggest that the pattern needs to be made three times only from k1, because if it isn`t than you have to repeat it from the slip 1.

it looks as if after having done it three times you have to do it a

4th time .but end with k2 .which makes me think that you should make the repeat only from the knit 1 , and that the slip one is done only at the edge , this was a method done usually in older patterns, and it was claimed to make for better/neater seaming [ i personally don`t like it]. Now take a breather , cup of coffee , and tell me if you got this far ,,, i will do the same and come back to you in another letter ,, i am sure all the good teachers here will add their advice ,,, please look if there are any * or other marks that you might have missed ,,, mirjam
Reply to
Mirjam Bruck-Cohen

Not as a rule, though I did teach two friends to knit in college.

=Tamar

Reply to
Richard Eney

Thank you all very much. I'm bookmarked some pages and copied and pasted your advice and hints. Housework just went out the window. I have a new newsgroup to spend my time at! lol Thanks again,

Maureen

Reply to
Maureen In Vancouver, B.C.

"Maureen In Vancouver, B.C." wrote in message news:NmKAe.231582$El.225113@pd7tw1no...

ROTFL You will fit in nicely! ;o)

Gemini Housework... what's that? LOL

Reply to
MRH

Hello Maureen, welcome to rcty. You have already received good answers to your questions so I will just address the one about books. Being a library fan, I would like to suggest you look through the knitting and crocheting books in your library. Many of them are written for people who are new to the craft and have good pictures that help one understand instructions. Sally Melville has written two "Knitting Experience" books I would recommend.

Reply to
Tante Jan

Maureen,

I lead all knew knitters to

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They have ton of advice for new knitters and some simple patters.

You are trying a pattern that is way to hard for a beginner. I know you have already been told that. Try something like a simple stocking hat for two needles or a simple scarf in rib knit "knit 2, purl 2". It makes a beautiful scarf.

Let me know if you like

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Do a search for "knitting" when you go there.

Hugs & God bless, Dennis & Gail

Reply to
Spike Driver

The knitting section is at

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Reply to
suzee

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