PLEASE HELP! I'm losing faith!

coalminerswife · 10-04-2006, 10:28 PM

I am REALLY new to knitting (about 2 hours old) and have been trying to teach myself using this website. The instructions are amazing, and I can cast on really comfortably now. I am using the English stich (German?) and am giong REALLY slow so that I don't add stiches. Here is my problem:

When I am done with my last stich in a row, I have a big loop at the end and it is unrealistic to go onto the next row. I mean a BIG loop. I have started over (frogged?) so many times I am about to poke my eyeball out with one of the needles!

Please, someone, anyone, help a woman who wants to keep her kids warm this winter! They may be wrapped head to toe in skinny scarves, but something is better than nothing.

Thanks in advance!

knitqueen · 10-05-2006, 03:32 AM

The last stitch of any row does tend to be a bit looser than the others. What happens if you turn your work around and start working the next row, even if the loop seems too big? If you insert your needle to work that first stitch (the big loop) and pull the working yarn nice and tight when you wrap it around the needle, it should be fine provided everything else was done properly. Otherwise, is it possible for you to post a picture of what you mean??

Welcome to the world of knitting - stick with it, ask lots of questions, and you will probably grow to love it as much as the rest of us do!!

xxx

Ingrid · 10-05-2006, 03:41 AM

You've been knitting for 2 whole hours and your knitting is not perfect?

Would you expect to play a concerto on the violin after 2 hours?

The loose last stitch question is probably the most common one posted by new knitters. Hang in there, just knit, knit, knit. Don't frog, don't worry about mistakes, just keep going. xxx

Mulderknitter · 10-05-2006, 06:41 PM

I agree with Ingrid, just keep going. As you work more rows, you will see where it starts to get tighter together. my stitches still do that at the last one, and I've been doing the knit stitch on scarves for way over a year now.

rebecca · 10-05-2006, 06:44 PM

Congrats, coalminerswife for finding the wonderful world of knitting! Please, please don't be frustrated! I agree with Ingrid 100%, you will do fine, practice

coalminerswife · 10-06-2006, 02:27 AM

Thank everyone. I worked it some more tonight and am finding that I am getting better (obviously I would hope so!). I figured it would be relaxing to knit while the Sunday, Monday, Thursday and Saturday football games are on the TV!
THANK YOU!

Ingrid · 10-06-2006, 02:29 AM

You know, it's OK to knit on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, too.

cgd · 10-06-2006, 03:13 AM

I know it's hard, but you've gotta give yourself time to learn this. I've been doing it for a few months and have just now gotten more comfortable with it. And I still make mistakes! I just know how to fix them now. You have to keep knitting until it gets in your muscle memory. We Americans want everything now, but knitting is a hobby that will calm your mind and feed your zen side. I'm very impatient, so I feel your pain, but knitting and crocheting are places where there are no shortcuts. Hang in there!!