Today I start Lesson 1 of the Basics, Basics, Basics course. Following are thoughts of what I am learning in this course so far just from reading over the reference materials. I would greatly recommend considering taking this course, whether you are a new knitter or an experience one. To take this course, you do have to be a member the Knitting Guild Association http://www.tkga.com/. Membership is only $30 per year and the courses are more than reasonably priced. The advantages of TKGA membership are listed here:
Lesson 1 deals with how to tell the difference between Cast on and bind off edges, basic increasing methods and how to decide where to place increases. The lesson also covers mirror increases. When increasing in a pattern it is often required that they mirror each other, such as when increasing up a sleeve seam.
For 30 years I only knew one way to increase other than yarn over, which leaves holes and you only use when you want the holes. The increase method I knew and used for 30 years was:
· Knit in the front
· Leave stitch on the left needle
· Knit into the back
· Slip stitch off the left needle
Advantages to this increase are that it is easy to remember and blends in easily with ribbing (use between a knit stitch and an purl). The problems with this increase are that it leaves a purl bump where you increased, leaves a hole at the base of the purl bump and the stitch below the increase is noticeably smaller. I always had to incorporate that purl bump into the basic design of whatever I was knitting. I knew there were other ways to increase, but the few I tired never looked right and some left holes. I decided I would rather have the purl bump rather than the ugliness that the other attempts left. Remember that I was self taught and only had books to learn from. Now we have the Internet with video demonstrations, which makes learning much easier.
I recently learned the “Lift 1” increase, which is nearly invisible. This has become my new favorite way to increase and I have used it almost exclusive since learning this method. One problem with this is that I only learned one way to do the increase and there are actually 2, which slant in different directions. In this course I have learned there are two ways to do the “lift 1” so that they slant either to the right or the left.
Okay, those thoughts on increasing completed, here is how lesson 1 goes:
Swatch 1:
· K2/P2 ribbing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuPsks2yZss&feature=related This was the best video I could find showing and explaining the K2/P2 ribbing, but I did find her why of holding the yarn and knitting quite awkward. Like I said several times before for every knitter there is a “right” way to knit. Use the method of holding your yarn and knitting that is the most comfortable for you.
I know you are all capable of going to You Tube and searching for knitting techniques, but I have looked through several to find the ones that I thought would be the easiest for you to follow and learn from. I used the video by Arenda Holladay as she is the instructor that I am working with on this Basics course. As mentioned in previous posts, you can always go to http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/learn-to-knit for basic learn to knit videos; I wanted to give you at least one other view point of the same technique.
Tomorrow, I will discuss swatch 2 of Lesson 1.
Go forth and Knit!
I pray you are all always happy, blessed, loved and healthy.
Have a God filled day,
Vee
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