Monday, March 9, 2009

Discussion #10

Here we go...just 2 more questions left after this week. Just a reminder to comment where you want to comment and knit the flowers you need to knit. It all has to be in by March 31st. Above are some images from a very glamorous knitted flower photo shoot. I spent the day designing the exhibition announcement and just sent it off to Hotcards for printing! To the left I have added the exhibition information. Wonderknit will be hosting The Knitted Flower Project April 5, 2009 - May 6, 2009 with a reception on April 24, 2009 from 6-9pm. Wonderknit is located at 3165 North High Street, Columbus, Ohio 43202. I hope to see all of you there so I can thank you personally for your beautiful flowers and wonderful stories.This week I have a flower from Lindsay (my only felted flower).
Two mondo bulky weight flowers from Cath.
Some little flowers with jewel centers from Ingrid (the one at the top is gigantic, truely).And some classy blue and neutral flowers from Linda. Today's question is:
Have you ever taught someone to knit? Do you have a particular story?
I have taught a few people to knit. I think my favorite story comes from teaching one of my former third grade students. I was working at an elementary school as an after school program teaching assistant. On laid back days I would knit while the kids played. A few of the students wanted to learn so I told their parents what they needed to buy - some simple acrylic yarn and shorter size 7 or 8 needles. This particular third grader really took to it. She was kind of a wild child but super creative - she wanted to be a fashion designer and was taking drawing classes at one of the local art schools. Knitting seemed to really mellow her out and help her focus. One day, a group of us were knitting and chatting. I happened to be watching this future fashion designer just as she reached the end of her row. Instead of flipping her needles and working back the other way, she started knitting backward along the same needle! Amazed, I asked her who taught her to knit backwards because it certainly wasn't me, I don't have those kinds of skills! She shrugged and said she had been experimenting at home and just figured it out. I was blown away. Future in fashion, working with textiles? Not a doubt in my mind. Do you have any knitting proteges out there?
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15 comments:

  1. susanMarch 9, 2009 at 6:53 PM

    several years ago,i taught my youngest daughter to knit. last year,pregnant with her first baby(my first grand child),she had to be on bed rest for several months. so we made a quick trip to the LYS to pick out yarn and needles for a baby blanket.she ended up going with her own design,and the blanket came out so nice.it's a little big for my grandson, but by this summer he will be able to enjoy it.i think with knitting,crocheting,and even spinning there is some kind of fiber gene that gets passed on. i'm very proud of my daughter's knitting ability.

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  2. Bean Counting KnitterMarch 9, 2009 at 7:17 PM

    Nope. I haven't taught anyone to knit. There are many many other people out there that are better at teaching knitting so I will leave it to them. Considering the knitting gurus consider my method of knitting as "not normal" (What the heck is normal? I think normal is the oddity) I am to skittish to tackle teaching it.

    I will help someone with a pattern or a stitch if they are having trouble but the basics nope not me!

    I can't wait to see the exhibit and hope to be at the reception too. Perhaps even Jimmy can be persuaded to attend too. ;-)

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  3. AnonymousMarch 9, 2009 at 8:13 PM

    Cool photo shoot!!

    I haven't taught anyone to knit yet. I've helped people figure a thing or two out. I think that's only fair, given the number of people who've helped me figure a thing or two out. ;)

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  4. RobinMarch 9, 2009 at 8:21 PM

    I've taught many people to knit. My 3 daughters, my 4 girl scout troops over the years. I'm a lefty who was taught to knit right handed. I'm not sure what the difference is- but these days I help new knitters in my various knitting groups. I'm learning new techniques myself to keep it interesting.
    One of my daughters taught her friends at school to knit and they did a service project knitting caps for premature babies. I helped with that. Now I am also helping some friends to learn to knit -it is very rewarding to see this art form grow in an age of technology.

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  5. GraceMarch 10, 2009 at 3:13 AM

    I taught both of my daughters how to knit, not that either of them do much now, but when I was in my 20's I wasn't super interested either, at least they know the basics and could pick it up again if they want too!

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  6. LindaMarch 10, 2009 at 4:36 AM

    I helped teach my girl scout troop to knit when they were in high school. Every winter we would get a cabin at the camp for a weekend and just hang out. So we decided knitting would keep them busy for awhile. We had them knit squares which were sewn together for a project. They had fun and 2 of the 5 girls became knitters. My daughter is not one of them!

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  7. DiannaMarch 10, 2009 at 4:42 AM

    While a Family and Consumer Science teacher with the Ohio Department of Youth Services (aka Maximum-security prison for 12-21 year old felons), I started an after school knitting group for the young men in the institution. During the several years I sponsored the group, I taught the guys to knit, then to follow the patterns for the service projects. They knit hats and booties for preemies, Linus blankets, and slippers. I figure I probably taught 75-100 young men to knit during that time. One of the guys loved knitting so much he wanted to be allowed to knit on the dorm. Because knitting needles can be used as a weapon (you wouldn't believe all the things that can be used as a weapon!) he wasn't allowed to have his project on dorm. During the hours he spent in his room he unraveled his thermal blanket, and using 2 pencils, he knit a scarf. Very touching - totally against the "rules" so he got in big trouble for destroying state property (the blanket). Before the Corrections Officer who found it threw it away he allowed the young man to show me his accomplishment.

    At the same time I started a service knitting/crocheting group at my church. Many of those who join this group already know how to knit, but about five of the original members when we were first starting out needed to learn. This led to another church asking for help in getting a group started - so members of my church group helped members of their group learn.

    I have also taught knitting at Michaels - only for about a year - and I really had only about a dozen people who needed to really learn to knit sign up for the class. Others just needed that help (mentioned by book faerie)to be more confident in their knitting.

    Funny thing - growing up neither of my daughters wanted to learn to knit or crochet. They have both taught themselves - one to crochet and the other to knit. Daughter one has made blankets for all her children. Daughter two - with no input from me at all - picked a cabled shawl pattern as her first "learning" project. She did perfect work - it is beautiful.

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  8. LEMarch 10, 2009 at 1:58 PM

    I learned to knit so that I could help teach a knitting class. Since then, I haven't done much formal teaching, just a few friends here and there.

    I think most new knitters want more hand-holding than I'm willing to give. It's just not my job to tell you what to make! And I'm certainly not going to teach you to slavishly follow patterns! Knitting is about seeing a garment in your head, then making the fabric to make the garment. My best students are already artists or crafters or scientists -- anyone that's already creative and experimental.

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  9. LindseyMarch 11, 2009 at 12:06 PM

    I've taught several people how to knit and I'm always amazed at how fast they pick it up or how they take it and make it their own. Peoples creativity is limitless when they let it be. Usually people learn the knit and purl and then stop but my favorites are people who already know the basics and want help learning more. I recently taught my friend how to knit in the round and within a week she had made seven hats. It's always incredible when you teach someone a craft because then in everything they make you get to take a fraction of a credit.

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  10. RiaMarch 13, 2009 at 5:06 PM

    Nope - haven't taught anyone to knit. My daughter has no interest. and no one else I know is remotely interested. The 3 ladies I meet up with almost weekly are all much better knitters than I.

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  11. KnittyWittyMarch 17, 2009 at 2:59 PM

    A few years after I learned how to knit (thanks to a patient woman at the local yarn shop) I taught my niece who was 13 years old. I wanted a way to connect with her and it's been a wonderful experience to share tips, patterns, and time together knitting. She's a quick learner and now she shows me things!

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  12. Pam Sykes (aka Pretty Knitty)March 23, 2009 at 5:14 PM

    I have taught a couple people to knit, most notable a group of teen-aged girls who wanted to knit socks. Some of them had never held a knitting needle before the first meet-up! It was fantastic because there were no pre-conceived notions, adn all of them completed the sessions with at least one complete sock! (Well, all but the one who decided that she would rather have leg warmers, and so pulled out the foot of her sock to return to knitting a long tube!) It was a learing experience for all of us, and we all learned more than knitting. That was over 3 years ago, all of the girls have since graduated high school and gone on to college, and we still keep in touch. Good times!

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  13. Pam Sykes (aka Pretty Knitty)March 23, 2009 at 5:15 PM

    By the way, I am Pam - sykesmom2. I started a blog today (currently empty-LOL) and I guess now I show up as my blog ID. ;-)

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  14. PrincessofallthingscraftyMarch 24, 2009 at 3:19 PM

    I taught one of my cousins how to knit. She forgot and then her sister had to reteach her. In the meantime, I taught another friend how to knit. She wanted to knit a baby blanket for her nephew to be. Her nephew turned a year old and the blanket still isn't finished! But she did knit a couple of scarves!

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  15. Andi SternMarch 29, 2009 at 5:34 PM

    I learned to crochet first, so hold the yarn in my left hand and basically hook it with the needle as I do when I crochet, so it is very difficult for me to teach anyone else to knit. I tried with both my sons and my one daughter (my oldest daughter had learned to knit from my MIL) and none of them could get it. I can demo technique ok, and have shown people how to do some things while at stitch n bitch, but to teach the basics is not where I am gifted.

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