Basic knitting question

[Longhorn]

I decided to teach myself to knit and I have a kit to make a baby cap and booties. I thought I was doing okay but decided to check into it some more this morning by looking at some videos. I realized that when I'm doing the knit stitch (English, so far, though I want to try Continental,) I've been entering the stitch from right to left instead of left to right though I still went in behind, not in front of, the left needle.

How big of a mistake is this? Should I start over or just start doing it correctly from now on? I have done six rows of plain knitting and about four fours of stockinette on 56 cast-on stitches. Of course, that took me several hours! :) But I'll take it out and do it again if this is a biggie.

Thanks! :hi:

[Katherine Brengle]

1. I think all of your stitches would be twisted...

I'm having a hard time visualizing bc I'm quite a newbie myself, but that's what it sounds like. If that's the case, it isn't going to look right when it's finished without a redo.

[Longhorn]

4. It's hard to tell that they're twisted

when I'm not sure what it supposed to look like! :)

Thanks for your help! I'm going to start over. I don't have a baby in mind for these but with two daughters married this spring, you never know and I do want it to be right. :hi:

[China_cat]

2. That's what you would do if you had the instruction

knit through the back loop. It's not a real biggie and you could continue, but do you really want to turn out something less than the best you can do? Not to mention reinforcing a bad habit.

Or you could finish it as is and keep it as a reminder of newbie mistakes.

But one day you WILL have to learn to rip out lots of work and do over. Might be a good time to learn that skill. :evilgrin:

[Longhorn]

3. You've got me pegged!

I am somewhat a perfectionist. I've mellowed a little over the years or I would never be able to complete anything! :D

But, no, I do want to do it right. Thanks!

[China_cat]

5. Another thing you could do, just to see what you're doing

wrong, is to knit 2 swatches of about 20 stitches. Do one properly and do one the way you've been doing it. You'll be able to see the difference easily.

[knitter4democracy]

6. If you untwist on the next row, you're fine.

If you keep on doing it, then it's a design element. ;)

[Longhorn]

7. A design element -- I like that!

:D

I've already started over about five times! I also decided to learn how to do the long-tail cast on, which is actually easy but I didn't allow a long enough tail once and I put the stitches on too tight another time, so that the next row of knitting wasn't going so well. I'm also learning to do the Continental style. So far, so good!

Knitting is harder than crocheting!

Thanks! :hi:

[China_cat]

8. A tip for tight cast ons

Use a needle one or two sizes larger than called for if you tend to cast on too tightly. Saves your sanity, and the bottom edge of your piece. Also, don't worry about what style of knitting you do. What's important is that it feels right and allows you to concentrate on the piece instead of what your hands are doing. I was taught to 'throw' at the age of 7 or 8 and trying to knit continental slows me down and just feels 'wrong'. (After 55 years of doing it that way, I resent being told I'm knitting 'wrong') As long as you're turning out work that you like and looks good, it really doesn't matter how you get there.

Some of my pieces;
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=390x1071
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=390x1223
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=390x1629

[Longhorn]

9. Right now, I only own the pair of needles that came with my kit

but I'll keep your tip in mind if I find that this continues to be a problem. This last attempt worked really well -- I just tried not to pull the stitches too tight.

I was taught to knit when I was a child, I think by my grandmother. The Continental method seems more familiar to me than the English method I was trying to do but I only remember knitting one pink potholder, so who knows? ;) But as a crocheter, it also feels more natural to me to work the yarn from the left side.

I got several rows done last night and it was beginning to feel more normal all the time -- my biggest problem is that I seem to want to go clockwise with the yarn instead of counterclockwise so I have to watch that. :shrug:

I've enjoyed seeing your completed projects as you've posted them and I'm even more interested now that I may have a new skill! :) Look for a picture of a completed baby bonnet sometime soon! ;)

[China_cat]

10. I can't wait to see it.

For working with a bigger yarn (necessary to mobility after working with lace weight) I do socks and baby things. Lately I have gotten the book '50 baby booties to knit' and there are some really cute things in there. Jester slippers and different shoes and...DUCK FEET booties. A really quick knit (did a pair in one evening) and am working on some variations so that I could do them in green and make them frog feet.

[MaineDem]

11. I tried learning the continental method

I'm just so familiar with the "throw" method that it takes me much longer to knit the other way.

And so far it's just knit. I can't purl using the continental method. Kinda limits what I'm able to do. :D

[Morgana LaFey]

12. Sounds like you're doing great -- I'm so impressed

I just can't get over those of you who teach yourself to knit, altho having the online videos makes it almost like having a teacher. It took me forever (it seemed at the time, back in 1968) to get any rhythm and speed going. And oh! how MANY times I started over. And over. And over.

And then after all that struggling I went straight on, dashing ahead to knit a shetland wool raglan cardigan! I finally knit my first scarf earlier this year when I realized both DH and I actually needed some. Hah! Imagine that.

I haven't been knitting all this time -- it's something I've done once or twice every decade. But this time I'm back for good. THIS time I consider myself "a knitter," not just someone who knows how to knit. THIS time I'm enjoying the process of knitting as well, and the finished item isn't the be-all, end-all. I suppose what I'm saying is that THIS time I've matured some. :evilgrin: