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probablyjane
Permanent Resident
United Kingdom
1227 Posts |
 Posted - 05/31/2005 : 07:45:16 AM
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Whenever I am struggling over a pattern I remember the three disastrous ice skating lessons I had a couple of years ago and reflect on the fact of how much better I am at knitting than I am at ice skating....
Jane
PS I have learnt the hard way about reading a pattern through before beginning thanks to those three little words 'At the same time....'
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janelithgow/album |
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Patience
Permanent Resident
USA
1076 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2005 : 09:14:47 AM
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Rose,
I find it nearly impossible to learn from a book, or even from the illustrations in books. I need visual aid and I'm fine thereafter. If I see someone do it first, I'm off and running, but I have to see it in person or on a closeup done during a good video "how to". You are most definitely not alone. 
As for the crochet questions........once you reach the end of your chain and the instructions say to turn, you take the crochet hook out of the last stitch and put it back in from the opposite side (straight toward you), then turn you chain around. This manuever helps you to "see" in your mind's eye just what you're doing.
Then, let's say that the pattern calls for you to single crochet in the second chain from the hook (away from the hook). You would put the hook through the middle of the chain stitch and go down into it a tad so that you would see "2" pieces of yarn on your hook. Then you would hook the working yarn through both stiches and voila....one single crochet completed and so on across the row.
As for creating a round for your crochet, you would make your chain as long as necessary and the take the end of it that has the tail, bring it around to the hook, hold on to it and slip you hook through whatever chain stitch the pattern would tell you too, in the same way as I described above.
I hope this isn't as clear as mud, LOL, but once again, it's sometimes difficult to explain it in "words". If I can help you further, please don't hesitate to ask.
Regards, Patience |
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jrwhiskey
Gabber Extraordinaire
373 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2005 : 09:26:06 AM
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Rose - as others have written, everyone has a unique way of learning... I tutored Chemistry and Math in college and boy did I find that very thing out!! To learn, what or whomever is teaching the new information has to present in a manner that the learner can relate to. Authors can only "pick" the most common way - words and diagrams, but for alot of people that's not enough. Some need to see a demonstration... and then again that may not be enough for some.
Don't be discouraged - if you really want to learn something, in time, you will discover the best way for you to learn it. 
Julie in central MD |
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Deni
Chatty Knitter
198 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2005 : 12:29:48 PM
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"As for the crochet questions........once you reach the end of your chain and the instructions say to turn, you take the crochet hook out of the last stitch and put it back in from the opposite side (straight toward you), then turn you chain around. This manuever helps you to "see" in your mind's eye just what you're doing. "
Oh, dear. I thought I had that part right. Now I'm really confused. My question was really about the second row or round, I guess. I have managed to do the chain and do a sc, for example, in each chain. It's the going back where I didn't know where to put my hook.
I think I'll stick to knitting. :-) |
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Karknit
Seriously Hooked
USA
711 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2005 : 8:38:11 PM
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Not having a grandmother when i was growing up, I get upset when I hear people say they where taught to knit or crochet at grandmas feet. I had to learn myself. But I learned that I have alot of pacients and I am very stuborn.
I taught myself to shuttle tat this past winter, and spend hours every day for about 2 weeks trying to get the flip, make a ring and then a chain. once i mastered it, I lost interest.
Then I picked up knitting after 4 years away from it, again self taught. I just spend time looking at the books and searching online for help. I still have alot of queations about how to do this or that. Thats why I love this fourm, all my questions get answered by people who have a real passion for knitting. Now I enjoy it and plan to be a knitter for the rest of my life, old, gray and still knitting, thats what i will be.
Dont give up if its something you are interested in.
Learning to knit or crochet is better than housework anytime.
Just keep at it and sooner than you think you will have a beautiful piece of work to be proud of.
karknit
My diet incentive, to knit smaller sweaters. |
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KnitKnut
Permanent Resident
USA
1246 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2005 : 08:26:14 AM
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If you're a dumbo, so are we all. We've all had that pattern that we just couldn't get, no matter what.
I learn better visually, even though I am very verbal. Once I see it, I've got it. Consequently, I find it very helpful to chart out patterns that are difficult or complicated. I also find it VERY helpful, when stuck on a pattern, to do it one stitch at a time as I read it aloud or have somebody read it to me. You'd be surprised how sometimes our minds tell us to do something that isn't what the pattern says.
Marie from NC |
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SerMom
Permanent Resident
Canada
6412 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2005 : 2:50:57 PM
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And it does't help matters any that there's no standard language for this stuff, even within the same tradition, let alone accross continents.
Imagine the difficulty we have here, with our mixture of American and Commonwealth. If I read single crochet, do they mean the US one or the English one?
I'm very good at following written instructions, and I have no probelm with winging it, but I get stymied somethimes, too. It's wonderful to have this venue for checking our interpretations and ideas out.
Barbara
Remember, we're self-selecting!
My photos:
My blog:
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Chayah
Permanent Resident
1924 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2005 : 4:48:00 PM
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| Deni, The part you are having trouble with, where to put the hook, is I think the hardest thing to learn about how to crochet. I find with something like this I need someone to show me in person. I have also found some of the simplest "Teach Yourself to...."books to be very helpful because they have clear pictures. I still use them even though I have been knitting and crocheting for some time. Best of luck, Chayah |
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knittingbaglady
Permanent Resident
USA
1207 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2005 : 5:18:18 PM
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Hi Rose,
It was fun reading down this list! I knit and crochet and love them both equally. Learn how in two days? I think not! For a long time I had a mental block about...the fifth chain from hook? Which one is that?! You don't count the loop that is on the hook! Finally I got it... Anyway, to make a circle you chain 12 or so stitches, join by placing the hook in the first chain you made (with a slip stitch) then work through the hoop you just made. Ok Ok...don't want to get confusing...
Hang in there!
A friend of mine has a mom who is a great knitter, she's in her mid 80's...and I just found out she still knits herself two SUITS a year!
Humbling...
Martha.
http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ50QQsassZknittingbaglady |
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