I Learned to Knit!

When I was younger (toddler age) I remember that I loved yarn. I liked to touch it. There were so many pretty colors and it was so soft and fuzzy. My favorite blankets were all knit or crochet.

I have always loved wearing knitted clothes. For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to someday be able to knit something to wear for myself.

I have been trying for years to do it. For close to six years I kept trying. Some of that time I just didn't understand it. I tried and tried, but mostly just ended up with knots. I didn't really have anyone to show me. So I just kept trying.

Then in 2008 we visited our friends in North Carolina and they tried to teach me. I did okay and spent the whole seven hour trip home working on a washcloth. (I ended up frogging it) I finally had the concept in my brain now. The problem was that I couldn't quite get my fingers to do the work. That was frustrating!

I kept trying and kept trying and kept trying. When I would get frustrated or bored I'd stop for a while. Then I'd forget how and have to start over. Getting my fingers to do what my brain was telling them was the hardest part.

I finally got to the point that I could start a real project. I didn't end up finishing that one, but I got further than ever before. That got me even more excited about knitting. It encouraged me to keep trying and never give up.

In April 2011, I got a knitting book (Kids Knitting by Melanie Falick), yarn and some knitting needles. A friend from church and my Mom-mom gave me a bit of help to get that first project going. It was a washcloth which I found yesterday and my mom is going to keep as my first attempt at knitting a washcloth (well, I tried several times before, but none of those were save-able). It is not very good and is full of yarn overs and dropped stitches, and is shaped more like a shirt collar than a washcloth. That doesn't matter much to me. I'm just happy that I finally accomplished my goal!

here is a picture of that first washcloth:


In June 2011 I finally finished a real project. It was a small diamond made from increasing and decreasing in the knit stitch. I'm keeping it, mom can have the other stuff.

I have since learned how to do the purl stitch, and the stockinette stitch. I am trying to do ribbing too, but it is hard. I am currently watching a class on the knit picks website, on how to knit lace. It's pretty neat, but I don't have any lace yarn yet.
(correction, I started this post yesterday, and finished the class today)

In October, I knit a green dishcloth. I used red heart spring green super saver economy yarn(which really isn't dishcloth yarn but that's okay) and used a pattern in a book called kids knit by Sarah Bradberry. It's my first pattern that I've accurately followed. My mom wants to keep it forever. I wanted her to use it, but I changed my mind. It is kind of neat for her to keep it as my first real completed knitting project. I'm pretty proud of it after all those years of work!

here is a picture of it:














(The small black spot in the upper right of it is an accidental yarn over.)

I have many projects all going at once right now. Some of them are:
a scarf for myself. Finally after all these years I'll have something cool to wear that I knit!
(A scarf is the thing that I have always wanted to knit more than anything else I think)












a p... sorry can't post what this is (It is a late Christmas present for my dad and I don't want him to read what it is)











a dish cloth (with cotton yarn this time). My mom has several that her friends have knit for her, but they are all falling apart. I hope the next new one she uses is made by me! (it's red, because red is one of her favorite colors)














and finally, a hat on my new circular needles. My Nana and Grampie gave me circular needles and other knitting stuff for Christmas, I'm really excited about using them.











Also, this yarn is really cool. My brother, Rocklin gave it to me for Christmas. It's called a wonderball. During the Victorian times, it was common for someone to unroll a ball of yarn and re-roll it adding little charms and trinkets as little surprises inside. Since it was mostly girls that knit in those days, it was usually little girly things and as the girl would knit, she would find the little treats. Well, Rocklin did his own version for me. So far I've found some coins-pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters and a few lifesaver candies. I'm not sure what else might be in there, but it's kind of fun!

When I get a bit better, I really hope to knit a sweater for myself. I'm not sure I can do it for this winter. Maybe next year!

I also knit Christmas presents for my siblings:

an owl for Parker
a dog for Aaron
Mag's is not finished yet so I can't post what it is
three bean bags for Rocklin

I added a knitting page with some instructions and pictures so you can learn to knit too!

In closing I would like to also say that whatever you do be it knitting or something else do not ever give up! If I had given up knitting years ago, I would never have learned how. you will never gain anything by giving up! Even if you don't accomplish your goal, keep trying and the trying is the most important thing!

-the birdman-