Ideas Needed for Beginning Knitting Class

StarStrong · 02-29-2008, 09:05 PM

Hi!! I need your help....
During lunch at work, I've been teaching a beginning knitting class. They are doing great and have run through the three projects I'd planned - a small purse, a purl scarf and a pair of slippers. Currently they are trying out stitches while making 6"x9" rectangles for the project I run.

So here is where you come in - I need ideas for their next project

Some thoughts have been a ribbing hat and scarf (but, hopefully, spring is around the corner here) or a poncho...but I don't know a good pattern that lets them learn new stitches.

Ideas would be appreciated!!!! Thanks, Deborah

Hildegard_von_Knittin · 03-01-2008, 02:28 AM

What about a lacy hat? Good for spring.

boo1 · 03-01-2008, 02:37 AM

campbellmom549 · 03-01-2008, 03:45 AM

My Grandmother teaches a beginning knitting class and she has them make "The Thing". It essentially ends up as a scarf, but it contains sections of every kind of stitch you would encounter in knitting, including increases and decreases and possibly even cables. It's just a pattern she sat down and made up.

StarStrong · 03-01-2008, 03:49 AM

Originally Posted by Hildegard_von_Knittin

What about a lacy hat? Good for spring.

Sounds like a good idea - know any good free patterns??

StarStrong · 03-01-2008, 03:51 AM

Originally Posted by boo1

Is the great American Afghan a specific pattern?
Not sure they are ready for an afghan yet but it could be an idea for later. Thanks!

StarStrong · 03-01-2008, 03:52 AM

Originally Posted by campbellmom549

My Grandmother teaches a beginning knitting class and she has them make "The Thing". It essentially ends up as a scarf, but it contains sections of every kind of stitch you would encounter in knitting, including increases and decreases and possibly even cables. It's just a pattern she sat down and made up.

We are basically doing that now with the 6"x9" rectangles. A scarf sounds like a fun idea! Thanks!

raederle · 03-01-2008, 05:14 AM

How about a dishcloth? And I don't mean just any garter stitch dishcloth, but one that lets you experiment with different stitch patterns. Tons of free patterns on the Internet, everyone can choose their own favorite. My personal favorite is the "your state" cloth, very handy for gifts when visiting relatives.

You can buy one skein of cheap 100% cotton for them, so the cost is minimal. The time investment isn't huge, and you have something useful that won't suffer badly from gauge issues.

Now, if you have those who have no use for dishcloths, how about burpcloths or bibs? It is easier than pie to knit a strap for the dishcloth, add a button, and voila, baby bib (buttonhole can be optional, depending on how loose your gauge is. Or go wild and sew in a snap set. Easy way out is a cute diaper pin.) Burpcloths tend to be a little bigger squares to cover the shoulder. (I've made several "Babyfeet" bibs---it's such a cute pattern!) http://www.knittingknonsense.com/babyfeet.html

And if those ideas don't float their boat, they can make 9 "squares" (dishcloths) for a baby blanket or lapghan, out of wool or acrylic or quiviut rather than cotton. It would be a good collaborative project, and very illustrative of gauge differences.

Hope this helps! Wish I'd known about dishcloths when I was starting out.

e

suzeeq · 03-01-2008, 05:28 AM

For dishcloths, there's 5 pages of patterns at Dishcloth Patterns

StarStrong · 03-01-2008, 07:53 AM

Thanks for the dishcloth idea and patterns.

I'm looking for an idea that is past the "learning the stitches" in a block idea - we are doing that by making 6"x9" rectangles.
This is part of why I've been having troubles with where to take them next.

Thanks for your ideas!!!!