Welcome to the KnittingHelp forum! ...Introduce yourself! - Page 8

SimplyKaar · 03-03-2005, 08:31 AM

Amy: the new addon to the topic title works better I think

When I first came here to browse the topics I had already been looking for one where the newbies introduce themselves.

I guess I should add that I knit mostly English style but I put the right needle under my arm to hold it steady while I use the left needle to manipulate the stitches to where I want them to go. You see, I"m a leftie but I retaught myself to knit from an old book with just pictures for right handed knitting. So my solution was to do it the way it was done on the pictures but use my left hand for the things that take subtle, fine movements *grin*

I think as a child I knitted lefthanded, English style. My mum taught herself to knit lefthanded first by mirroring her righthanded knitting because she knows that around age 6 or so, it isn't easy to learn to use your "wrong" hand for something or to try and mirror what she was doing to fit my lefthand ways.
I have a great mum 8)

For now I'll stick to this; I have seen the video's for continental knitting and I've heard that some of you prefer to do this so maybe in the future I'll give it a serious try to see if it will feel better for me too. But for the time being, what I'm doing is working great and it's the way both my grannies used to knit aswell as far as I can remember so I'll stick to the family way of English knitting

loofnicnad · 03-03-2005, 04:10 PM

Hi everyone!

My name is Jeff, I am from South Bend, Indiana and I have been kntting for about 3 months now. I started with a prayer shawl project that my fiance, and a friend decided to do as a service project. My first shawl is about 2 days from being completed and I am going to start on another as well as begin making other things for around the house and for gifts. I am enjoying knitting more than I thought I would (and I knew I would like it a lot

)
I enjoy all of the conversation here and hope to, in time be able to contribute and help others the way I have been helped along here. Other than that I am enjoying the supportive atmosphere that this forum provides to those of us who are knew to this craft.

Loof

carollovesyarn · 03-03-2005, 09:20 PM

Well, if beldaraan can do it so can I! Introduce myself that is...

HI!

I taught myself how to knit in May 2004 with the help of Stitch n Bitch, Sally Melville's Knit and Purl Stitch books and a few random sites on the internet. How I wish I had this site to help at the beginning! But I've used Amy's videos lots since discovering them last December and I've been a forum visitor since February. I love the sharing helpful environment that I've found in the world of knitters - it complements my personal knitting experience of creativity, sense of accomplishment and destressing. It makes me want to give as much as I've received.

I love knitting (we need a heart emoticon!) and all things related! I love fibers and yarns and I'm now learning how to spin. I learned how to crochet when younger and now I want to refresh and improve those skills to add to my knitted projects. I'm really getting into my own designing skills and embellishing knitted items - some of it's still in my head, but I've never had a burst of creativity this strong for this long and I hope to make the most of it. I've been turned onto beads, buttons, ribbon, sewing and embroidery. I've been needing a new direction and focus and now I think I've found it.

Carol

beldaraan · 03-03-2005, 11:03 PM

Originally Posted by carollovesyarn

we need a heart emoticon!

OMG, how I cravea heart emoticon.

Hildegard_von_Knittin · 03-04-2005, 01:54 AM

hey!!! Beth showed me how to do a heart! ♥ see???????? It's press-hold "alt" , press-release "3" on the number pad, release "alt". Easy! You can use the same directions to do these too: ☺ ☻ ♥ ♦ ♣ ♠ � ◘ ○ which are 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 respectively... i changed the font to "huge", so you can see them better.

and since we're introducing... I'm Carolyn, I grew up in Maryland, but I live in Illinois now (I met my husband on the internet and we decided to live in his hometown after we got married in my hometown--yes it IS the family scandal). I teach 6th 7th and 8th grade general music and choir, and I *love* my job. The only reason I would quit my job would be to open up a yarn store with my best friend (who taught me to knit in fall 2003), who is also our Art teacher. I have a HUGE stash and a HUGE pile of needles, and a disproportionally smaller number of finished projects, but *that's okay* because I love ♥ love ♥love ♥ love to knit. I taught my mom (pfttec) to knit last spring when she came to visit, and she is the best student I ever had! I've also taught a bunch of kids at school to knit. The best part about knittingis that it has helped me be SMOKE FREE since January 1st 2005. ☺

Christina Cx · 03-04-2005, 11:23 PM

I have been looking for a forum like this one & am very pleased to have found it !

beldaraan · 03-05-2005, 12:18 AM

Welcome Christina Cx!

I must say, "WOW" on all of the links that you provided. I'm sure you'll be happy in your new neighbourhood

Rennagayle · 03-05-2005, 04:56 PM

I've been lurking at this board for about a week and a half now. I got the link to it from another knitting board where I also lurk. Learning to knit was/is my resolution for this year. I've wanted to learn for many years. My sis-in-law attempted to teach me about 10 years ago, but I couldn't quite get it. She's trying to teach me again now, but I've finally realized that she's not a very good teacher. She's a blast to hang out with but doesn't have the nack for teaching. I've tried just watching her hands, but it wasn't working for me. I guess I'm a slow learner.

I ordered Coats & Clarks "Knitting Made Easy" cd, which is great and got me started; but was not helpful enough to undo a problem. That's where Amy's video's come in to play. They are fantastic! I still have problems (am stuck right now, as a matter of fact), but can fix some problems that I couldn't fix before. I have knitted and ripped out the same skein of yarn so many times that the skein is now about 5 times it's original size. In years past, I'd have given up out of frustration by now, but I'm determined to lick this thing, because I truly LOVE to knit! :D

Anyway, I'm happy to meet you all, and am enjoying reading the threads. I often don't know what you're talking about, but it's kind of like a big puzzle, little pieces start gradually coming together as I pick up more info. This is better than a knitting book by far, and I've never been able to learn anything from a book, anyway.

Oh, and I live in a small town with no lys's. Wal-Mart Supercenter is my only local yarn source, and it's pathetically small. There are no local knitting classes, either. I've even hung out (pathetically) at the yarn dept in Wal-Mart's, watching for someone to come along who "looks like a knitter", hoping to persuade them to give me lessons. The only person who fit the bill, turned out to be from another city, in town visiting her sister for the weekend.

cheesiesmom · 03-05-2005, 07:33 PM

I learned to knit at my mother's knee 50 years ago; but was never very "into" it until recently. My daughter wanted to learn to knit, bought some expensive wool to make a scarf and never finished it. So-o-o-o, not being one to waste, I finished it off and have been reinfected with the bug.

I used your videos to learn the continental method in the last couple of weeks and finished a shawl, which I was going to give away, but decided to keep. I find my tension is more even with continental than with english, but it's still a little awkward. Now I have to make another shawl for a co-worker who's facing cancer surgery in the next couple of weeks.

My doctor tells me to exercise more so I'm knitting instead of walking. I don't think he'd approve, but it does take the stress out of my day. And I don't have to worry about slipping on the ice and snow outside. I love nothing more than settling down in front of a good movie and knitting the evening away. Of course, my house isn't getting cleaned very frequently, but I'm having a great time.

Cheesiesmom

carollovesyarn · 03-05-2005, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by Rennagayle

I've even hung out (pathetically) at the yarn dept in Wal-Mart's, watching for someone to come along who "looks like a knitter", hoping to persuade them to give me lessons. The only person who fit the bill, turned out to be from another city, in town visiting her sister for the weekend.

Welcome! Hanging out at Walmart might seem pathetic, but I think it just might work. Keep trying! What about local coffee houses, cafes or bookstores? Sometimes knitting in public (KIP) brings out other knitters - you could even just set out some yarn and needles and sit reading a knitting book and see what happens.

Carol