I learned to knit as a teenager. I used to go over to my Aunt Marie and Uncle Otto’s house to help with the twins and then my Aunt would take out a few minutes to teach me how to knit. I can still hear her say “Don’t make your cast on stitches too tight or you will be in big trouble.”
I decided I wanted to TRY knitting socks. OH MY it was harder than I thought. I am using the four needle method. I cast on…frogged…cast on…frogged. ( Frogged is when you rip out all your stitches and begin again) Threw the needles on my desk and gave up many times. I watched videos. I learned a long tail cast on. I watched how they made their join. More frogging …more giving up…one video said “Keep at it, if you have to cast on and knit that first round 100 times eventually you will GET it.”
I wanted to spend more time with my Aunts that knit…but sadly they are dead. Both my Aunt Marie and my Aunt Mia were extraordinary knitters.
I dropped some stitches, four needles is a challenge…I knit my join too loosely and made “ladders.” Uffda.
Finally I made an acceptable join.
AND I have a cuff!!!
I am now working on the body of my sock. My reward for making it this far was to go to town and get some more needles and some worsted weight sock yarn that is a wool mix…sock yarn is quite expensive.
I was astonished that I still knew a knit stitch from a pearl stitch…and could do both decently after all these years.
Will I be able to do a heel?? I hope so. This first pair is made out of some practice yarn…I will let you know how it goes. I will wear these socks no matter what they turn out like!
I have to remember to relax and go with the flow. Relax was my word for this year. I do find knitting relaxing…I keep my yarn and needles on my desk or the dining room table and when I take a break I can do a few stitches. I have found out that knitting uses different muscles in your hands versus crochet.
Far Side
Good job! Your heel will be fine just follow the instructions
ReplyDeleteStanding ovation from me!! Congratulations! I like the yarn in your pic.
ReplyDeleteIf it helps, here is a link to a diagram that helps separate the parts of a sock as you progress: https://blog.tincanknits.com/2013/10/03/socks/
Fun to read about your progress.
I am simply amazed. I learned this so long ago but never this complicated stuff! I just received a notebook with my Grandmother's instructions she cut out of old newspapers for making lace and doilies!
ReplyDeleteWell done! I don't knit socks very often and I recall the first pair was huge, even though I'd followed the instructions. I suspect my tension was way off.
ReplyDeleteLike you, my aunt was the first person to teach me to knit. My mom knit left handed, and while I am left-handed as well, I knit right-handed. All I made back then were scarves. :)
Have fun!
WaHoo! The cuff looks wonderful. Worsted weight yarn makes great house socks; plus, the needles are larger and easier to handle. Youll have a lovely pair of socks if you persist.
ReplyDeleteWonderful memories and great talent. My mother was a knitter but I never had the patience. I have tried a few times, but I knit so tightly that after a few rows that my needles are frozen and I have to cut the yarn to remove them. You have a great start on your socks!
ReplyDeleteI knit a pair of socks long ago. I still remember the heel part, and I look forward to hearing how it all went for you. :-)
ReplyDeleteOMG!!! Look at you! You've been hiding your talent...I didn't know you knew how to knit?!?! I won't tell you about my 'frogging' this week. It is true...I must have re-knit my first pair of socks a zillion times...I think it took me over a year before I actually had a pair of socks and then there was no stopping. I taught myself using a tutorial and You Tube. They are my favorite thing to knit...probably because I know how now! LOL! I just found out that Plymouth Yarn (I think WEBS online carries it...has a soft acrylic that wears like iron and you can wash and dry. It also comes in some great striping colors. I'd like to make some for the grands. You Go Girl!!!
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful! Both your memories of your Aunt Marie and that you remembered the stitches! As you know, I love knitting AND crochet. Socks are so much fun. Just remember to COUNT your stitches at the heel. Utube videos are great help, i’m Pulling for you.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Betsy
Good for you for picking up those needles and taking on the challenge of relearning. I have never knitted, and now my hands would not be able to do it, but I try other things. My word for the year had to be a phrase. "Embrace imperfection". As my physical limitations increase, I will have to let go of the plague of perfectionism. I'm not good at it yet, but I have a whole year. :-)
ReplyDeleteWOW! You are doing well. I tried socks and gave up! Good for you!
ReplyDeleteI never learned to crochet or knit. Good for you for staying with this project. It's looking good. Enjoy the day.
ReplyDeleteGood job! I think you can do anything! I can knit a flat piece like a scarf or baby blanket. That's it for me and knitting!
ReplyDeleteCan't crochet. Not because I didn't try and try. My grandmother, mother, and sister crochet. I learned to knit and so did my mom, but I could only knit scarves, wash clothes, and blankets--LOL! I could never get the tension right. I am SOOO impressed with your determination and progress. Socks always looked like a complete mystery to me. Awesome! :)
ReplyDeleteI could never get the hang of knitting
ReplyDeleteWay to go...to keep trying till you get it right. So many people knit and crochet...so much of it pretty. I never learned to knit or crochet, and I sort of regret it. But with how much I like quilting, I tell myself I need another hobby about like I need another hole in my head. I have loved quilting as long as I can remember. Since 4 or 5 yrs old, I knew I would make quilts.
ReplyDeleteGood for you for facing a new learning challenge.
ReplyDeleteIt's great that you don't give up.
ReplyDeleteYour cuff looks lovely. I'm sure that the rest of the sock will go well. Knitpicks.com has some lovely yarn at good prices. And I have found some good deals at Craftsy too. Good luck, and let me know how picking up the gusset goes. That is the part that has me frogging the whole works. I think if I keep trying I'm bound to get it eventually.
ReplyDeleteWhen my mom first learned to knit when I was young, I did learn the basics. I like the knit and pearl thing but won’t take it up. It is fascinating what the string turns into when it is woven together with needles.
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ReplyDeleteLooks great! Turning the heel is fun once you've done it. Quite the trick :-D.
ReplyDeleteYou are making me think of knitting again. I haven't knitted for years.
ReplyDeleteMy Nan taught me to nit when I was about nine. I'm not fantastic at it, but I can do an OK job. I've even made some knitted toys in the past.
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