Rick's b.log - entry 2011/06/14

Knitting

Yes.

So having read and reread a book with a title like "Knitting without tears", I can say that the description in the book is complete nonsense. So I turn to YouTube and I find a video - this one - to get me started. Ignore YouTube's Ts&Cs, you will need to download this video to your harddisc so you can single-step through the fiddly bits because the girl that made this is obviously a knitter (duh!) so it probably isn't clear to her the bits that are unclear. Actually, I have half a mind to look to remaking it with some explanations. Notice, if you watch it, that there are odd quirks such as just after starting to "cast on" we go from one knot around the needle to three. Say what? And where the wool goes for some of the movements, not very clear.
Still, watching it in slo-mo enough times gave me the basic idea. Mom suggested I learn the "English" method as it is less finickety than the "Continental" method (no idea what the differences are), but as a left-hander it all just seems back to front to me.

Still, I persisted. And I can say that, actually, knitting is pretty boring. You hook the right (take-up) needle under the front of the stitch on the supply needle, towards the back. You put the wool thread in around the back, then flip the stitch... oh, it's pretty hard to explain, watch the video. At any rate, for the entire row you do this for each stitch. Then you turn it all around and do it all over again for the next row. Repeat. Repeat. Yawn.

Still, respect to grannies that can sit at bus stops and knit off things. I guess once you've done it awhile it might take a little less concentration and be perhaps more enjoyable.

Here is the result of my work:

My advice:

• Work fairly loose. If the stitches are too tight, you'll grind to a halt.
• The stitch size is determined by the needle size.
• Don't be a smart ass and try it using bamboo chopsticks. It won't work. Well, laquered chopsticks might, but plain ones won't. ;-)

Five a day

Of course, what does "five a day" mean? How often do people eat five a day of veg? I understand we need to be weaned off of burgers, chips and chocolate, but to make us feel like we need to eat "five a day" is a commercialistic guilt trip that results in things such as that pictured above...

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Rob, 15th June 2011, 08:57

My Mrs says: "You won't get far making a jumper if all you can do is squares!" :-)  Me, I think, well done. Something new for you to do in your breaks?

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