Beginning Knitter

[KotokoPlum]

Hiii~

I'm a beginner knitter. I knit a pony from an how-to kit for my first project. (It came out... horrible to say the least. I must say it resembles an alpaca. xDD; ) It was all garter stitch, so I learned the basics and stuff.

So for my second project I want to try a scarf. (though this one'll be just for practice because I bought yarn before I knew about patterns having yarn picked out before hand. (I bought icky acrylic yarn, too. x___x;; Twas on sale, I think.)

This is what I'm trying to do, although I'm finding it harder than I previously expected. If this is too difficult for me, does anyone have other suggestions? ^ ^;;

I'll begin trying this anyway~ I've looked up yarn overs and knit two together and watched videos, but I have a question.

Quote:

Instructions:

CO 18 sts.
Row 1: *K1, YO, k2tog; rep from *
Rep Row 1 until you are almost out of yarn.
BO.

With 18 stitches cast on and one decrease and one increase with every repeat, there seems to be two leftover where I can only do a K1 and YO. Should I continue with the k2tog on the next row or start over? (the scarf'll get wider?! o___o;;; )

Or am I just completely wrong? gonk [/resolved]

edit: Well, I tried the second row anyways and durn, I really don't think I'm cut out for this yet. o___o (Specially not with this gross yarn.) So I'm making an easier ribbed scarf now. d:

edit2: Thank you, everyone! OO:  

[Catcheen]

The YO isn't actually a stitch. It's simply a placement of the yarn. When you bring the yarn to the front, that's your YO. You'll bring the yarn over the needle to k2tog.

It's hard explaining without demonstrating. Did it make sense?  

[Lee Kushrenada]

on the last 2 you have on the needle, k2tog.
though I mite be thinking of a different stitch than that one... I don't think it look's the same.

... and just an FYI, for a new knitter, your doing some fairly advanced stuff. but if you think you know what your doing, go for it.  

[Silver Sunrise]

*spends five minutes disecting the pattern* I see where you're getting confused. I'll try to explain but I may only make your confusion worse.

CO 18
K1 YO (move yarn to the front of your work, between the needles as if to do a purl stitch) k2tog (you've used 3 stitches at this point) Repeat the process 5 more times you will have used your total of 18 stitches, ending with a k2tog.

I really hope that helped. sweatdrop  

[Kanhoro]

YO means yarn over so you jsut put the yarn over to the other side it is a type of increase that leaves a decoritve hole if done correctly and needs to add some sort of decrease if needed to keep the same stich amount.  

[KotokoPlum]

OHHH. Thank you! <3

I was watching the animation for it and it included a stitch, so I was getting confused there. OO:

I'll be making that scarf after I finish this ribbed one. (waaaay easier xDD; )

Ummm, and can anyone explain to me the difference between yarns? I've seen merino, wool, cotton, and others, but I don't understand if there's a difference and/or what it is.  

[Silver Mist]

Differnet yarns simply come from different sources. Some are plant based (cotton, hemp), some come from some poor animals being made bald (wool, alpaca, etc). Yet others come from science and fake stuffs. There are icky and great yarns in every category.

What kind of yanr you use depends on what you want to use it for. For huge blankets, a soft acrylic yarn can be the cheapest route and you dont lose softness if you use a decent one. If you want to felt, use a fiber like wool. Many people are allergic to wool though. It really depends on what your after.  

[Peppermint Elf]

I should add that plant based fibers will not felt. They are usually very durable, but somewhat heavy. They may have a lot of chemicals in them because of how they're manufactured. They don't have a lot of stretch. (Cotton, hemp, bamboo, corn silk, linen, flax and ramie)

Wool/animal fibers will felt. Those that won't are called "superwash" and have been chemically treated so that they can be tossed in the washer and you don't have to hand wash it. Different animals will make different types of fiber. If you're allergic to wool, you may wish to try alpaca or even superfine merino wool. Most people are allergic to the chemicals placed in commercial wool or even the microscopic barbs that are on more coarser wools.

Where the sheep lived can tell you a lot about what it's fleece/wool will feel like. If it lives in a cold climate with lots of rain, bushes, lakes, or mountains, it will likely be a very scratchy wool that would make EXTREMELY warm sweaters. If it's from a warm climate with not much rain, it will be a very soft wool that can be worn next to the skin (ie. socks, blouses, cardigans). (Sheep, alpaca, goats, rabbits, llamas, and buffalo)

Acrylics are purely man-made. Usually out of types of plastics. They are extremely cheap, but can come in a variety of sizes, looks, and varying degrees of softness. They are (more often than not) machine washable and very durable. They require very little care, however they are often not very warm and make you sweat. Acrylics will not felt.

Each fiber has it's own benefits and drawbacks. You'll have to keep this in mind when choosing a project.  

[fh-gemini]

I know it can be a bit hard in the begging...I am doing slippers and baby booties. At first I didn't think I could ever get it but with time I could whip out a few pair a day. Here is a link if you need help. They have some videos that are free that show you different techniques and stitches as well as begginer patterns..have fun!
http://www.knittinghelp.com/  

[KotokoPlum]

I see, thanks. O:  

[KotokoPlum]

Since I'm still a beginner, I'll ask my questions here.

For bulky yarn, what needle is preferred? (I know larger is better, but how large? 10 is average so 20? 30?)  

[Annchen]

KotokoPlum

Since I'm still a beginner, I'll ask my questions here.

For bulky yarn, what needle is preferred? (I know larger is better, but how large? 10 is average so 20? 30?)

The yarn should come with a tag where the recomended needle size is. If you're not sure you can ask in the store where you bought the yarn. Patterns will come with a reccomended yarn and needle size most of the time, but the important thing to look at is the gauge. If you make something you intend to wear it's important to pay attention unless you want to accidentally make something huge or baby sized...

What needles you use for the yarn depends on a lot of things besides gauge. How the yarn feels, what you're making, what kind of texture you want.

In general you use bigger needles for bulky yarn but you don't have to.

Big needles + thin yarn = a very airy fabric.

Thin needles + bulky yarn = a very thick fabric that will keep you warm.

My suggestion is to grab some yarn and a few different sized needles and experiment a little to get a feel for what happens. It can be nice to try different patterns (like stockinette, some kind of rib, garter stitch and whatnot to see how that affects the fabric) too.