Experienced knitters advice to Beginning knitters

[wholycow]

This has happened to me on several occasions and it's something that's starting to bug me.
I'm a beginning knitter..probably beginning advanced. When I ask questions anywhere when I'm around other knitters/knit shops/on raverly/or online/in knit groups..etc. There always seems to be a knitter that says 'Oh,it's EASY'..well,hello...what your easy is is not necessarily MY easy...and when I don't 'get it' the first time,or second time,or how many times..it only makes me feel dumb,and frustrated,and stressed. Please teachers..those that offer help and instruction, the word easy can and is used all too frequently when showing someone new how to do it. I knit for the love of the yarn,and as a destressor,& for the community of women...I want that to continue.Thanks for listening..

[hyperactive]

cute, but no reason to blush, really.
You have an oppinion and you have every right to speak your mind. We didn't feel so guilty and want to let you know what we all mean. But on the other hand you also taught everyone a lesson, I guess, not to be too quick in saying "that's easy" - maybe just explain a little more next time...
I already reworded my first attempt lately saying something like:

"Oh! Good that you ask something that is not hard to learn. Once you know the trick this will be really easy!"
my appretice (who is a beginning knitter) beamed at me and said: "So how does it work?"

I think I learned.

[Lisa R.]

Ah...using the terms to try to buy a pattern is a bit different than just having someone trying to teach you something say, "Oh, that's easy."

I think you're right..sometimes you just have to look at it a bit to really tell. I guess those are just general guidelines--not an exact science. As you said..."easy" is different to everyone.

And it works both ways...for instance, from reading all the knitting boards, it appears that the kitchener stitch is tremendously complicated and scary and hard...but it only took me a couple of minutes to learn it, and I found it to be extremely easy!! But other things that folks say are easy scare me a bit. So, you just never know.