Knitting, Anyone?

[livingdeb]

Long, long ago, in a land far, far--ahem, actually it was right around here--I took a beginner crochet class from Informal Classes. It was a good class, but it was clear that the instructor was even more interested in knitting than crochet. She was teaching a beginning knitting class right after our class, and she couldn't help showing off some of the things they would be working on and looking at.

I thought to myself, wow, I never learned all that stuff in my beginning knitting class. I learned how to cast on, knit, perl, switch between knitting and perling both at the end of a row and mid-row, and cast off. I also learned how to change colors at the end of a row. No increasing, decreasing, cables, lacy things.

And so I vowed one day to take her knitting class, sometime when I had time to practice, and I would learn the continental method where you don't keep letting go and so ideally it's more efficient (by which I mean quicker) than the English method that most beginners find to be easier to learn.

Well, my friends, that day has come. Informal Classes is coming to an end, and I have a final opportunity to take this mythical class in beginning knitting.

You can tell what sort of class this is by what you are supposed to bring:
* $4
* size 7 knitting needle
* several skeins of worsted-weight cotton yarn; light colors are easiest to use (none of the cheapo acrylic stuff that pills up right away)
* cable needle
* large-eye tapestry needle
* crochet hook, size F or G, if you have one
* scissors.

I'm going to make time to practice. Those of you in my town can join me (if you can get to the six-pack on campus by 6:00 on Tuesdays for five weeks starting a week from tomorrow)--the website says there are two openings left and six people signed up. (Yes, I did almost wait too long to register. Hush, now.)

This isn't like that Spanish class I tried to talk y'all into. The instructor, Pat Tittizer, is awesome. And if something should happen to her, Informal Classes, a legitimate entity (until the end of the summer anyway), will actually inform us and refund our money.

You, too, can heroically knit in the hot Texas summer.

Comments

[raaga123.livejournal.com]

You're supposed to bring only one knitting needle? An unusual class, indeed. ;-)

[livingdeb.livejournal.com]

That continental style is very efficient!

And when you get really good, you can do it both with one needle AND one hand, and that's when you can get the second needle and do two projects at once. It makes it easier to make the sleeves match perfectly.

(Fun with typos!)

[(Anonymous)]

Pat used to teach at the Michaels I worked for. I seem to remember that her students loved her and the store management hated her, but i don't know why! Can't stand knitting, but I hope you have fun! --texpenguin

[livingdeb.livejournal.com]

Ha! A mystery. Wonder if I can solve it. I may look for evidence.

[sparkylibrarian.livejournal.com]

I'd watch out for the all-cotton yarns, since they don't have as much stretch-and-rebound as wool or other blends and they are HEAVY. If you gotta use a cotton-based yarn, go ahead and get one that has some acrylic in it too to give you a break from the weight and to get a little stretch. Stretchiness is Very Important when learning to knit.