New Knitter :: Needs tips and info

[Norman]

Hello Everyone..

Might not be the only male on this site.. but I've been wanting to startup knitting for a long time.. my dad knitted for many many years, and I wanted to carry on what I thought was a great hobby.

So this is my problem.. I finally got the cast on thing kinda working.. but while I knitt ([em]haven't figured out purl yet[/em]) the stiches seem really tight and it's hard to get the needle under the stiches.. but I orignally started doing counted cross stich and was tought to hold the thread a little tighter to maintain nice stiches..

And that might be my downfall.. I've watched several of the videos, and let me tell you they help alot, but I'm having some problems doing this..

I seem to be doing okay with the cast on..and the knitting will work, but I have to really force it..

When I watch the videos her knits and stiches look so fluid... I was just wondering if anyone had any tips and or resources..

I'm learning this on my own, as my fater is usually a little busy and I don't have time to ask him righ tnow, but plan on in a few weeks. I've been knitting for a couple of weeks (not consistenly) and just wanted to get the knitting a little more fliud and quicker paced..

I appreicate you litening to me ramble and helping me out

Dave

[Hildegard_von_Knittin]

Hi Norman! guy knitters rock!
I had the same problem when i first started. You could try casting on extra loosley, but if that doesn't work, try casting on over 2 needles held together, or casting on a needle a size larger than you want to work with. Maybe your needles are just too blunt in the tip, you could try getting pointy-er ones. Good luck!

[PiousPoet]

Hurray another guy knitter. I'm not alone. It may be that your tension is too tight as well. I know that was my downfall for a little while and made the knitting a lot harder to do. Once you loosen up the sts, it goes a lot more smoothly. Unfortunatel I think proper tension just comes with time, and that there isn't really any way to quicken the pace except by knitting.

[Egeria]

Heya Norman, guy knitters are so cool!!!

I had a problem with tension at the start as well, my problem was I was pulling the yarn too tightly before I slipped the stich off the needle. I eventually learned to relax my hands and hold the yarn more loosely while I knitted.

Casting on can be tricky and sometimes I would have to re-cast my work if I've done it too tightly. Hildegard's tip does work!!

Anyway, practice does make perfect so keep on trying!

[Egeria]

Here are some other guy knitters!

http://www.thejonblog.com/knit/
Jon hasn't posted in a while as he is off on travels. But you can read the archives and such.

http://www.knitdad.blogspot.com/
Has some cools stuff! Also has a link to the 'Men who Knit'' Webring.

So Norman, Poet you are not alone!!

[Norman]

Thanks everyoune..

I enjoy the support and seeing that I'mn not the only one that had trouble..

I think the main reason is when I CrossStiched, I was taught to hold that thread Extra tight, and I find myself hold the yarn the same way..

But people call me a perfectionist.. and I have problems sometimes..

But I have been trying and trying.. I was able to knit a small swatch of like 10 rows x 15 stiches (as a test)

But I also have the problem of splitting the yarn.. That starts to get me annoyed..
I'll start up with 15 stiches and by like the 4th row, I magically have 18.. but that I know is probably cause my initial caston and knit rows are too tight. so it all comes back to that..

I was thinking of taking a class around here.. but.. they are limited to 6 people and fill up fast!

Thanks for the support
Dave

[PiousPoet]

I too had a problem with splitting, and I think part of it was due to the tight tensions. Once I was able to slip my needle in easily, the splitting problem vanished.

[Norman]

Yeah this is what I imagine.. I should take a pic of my swatch before I stopped.. cause it was getting to hard ..

I'm going to start again tonight trying to purl test..

Thanks everyone.