Friday, July 31, 2009

Beginner Machine Knitting Lessons

I’m having a blast with this project! I go home at the end of my workday and do a couple lessons; I find myself plotting what the next lesson should be in odd moments. I become quite absorbed working on the videos, discarding ones where I do the most amazing, stupid things. One video which otherwise is very good, includes this mistake: I explain that you have to switch the carriage to “hold” and then forget to do it myself – then I just say oops, and do it again the right way! I put it up anyway because it was one of the better visuals of short-rowing.

Certainly I can talk, talk, talk, or knit, knit, knit, but can I do both at the same time? Everyone’s been kind, and I’m improving. If you’re a beginner at machine knitting, I’m certainly a novice, almost a dunce, with videos and YouTube!

For ever so long, I’ve been attending knitting meetings or writing patterns or doing demos, always searching for new and novel things to demonstrate. This project is such fun; there are so many things to show beginners and to demonstrate very simply. My challenge is to make each technique as easy and understandable as possible.

Tonight I hope to film a short lesson on how to rip out. Doing the videos is reminding me of what it was like to first learn these basics. As a beginner, I’d knit until I made a good-sized mistake and start over. Lots of beginnings, not so many endings…eventually, I had to learn to unravel and correct errors.

I realized today that it takes a long time to download the lessons with dial-up. I am going to work on being able to burn CDs of the video files. I can certainly do that for the files that are ready, but this is a work in progress.

The best way to catch the videos as they get uploaded is to subscribe to my YouTube channel. My ID is dianaknits.

14 comments:

  1. These are so very helpful! I love you! I was jammed up about how to do a sock on km, then someone on a yahoo group told m about your you tube posts!!! Yippie, now I can give it a try.
    Thank you so much for your efforts.
    Kershies

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  2. I have just obtained a knitting machine KH91 EMPISAL. date unknown. I hope to master it, working from the instruction book is not always easy but finding your U Tube Video's is great. easy to understand with clear instructions. well done, as my wife runs a charity helping all in need from babies , children Homeless and kids taken into care, Blankets scarves and hats just a few items needed , will be a breeze to make, but must practice first and with your videos I will soon be on my way, Congratulations Regards David Bird "Giving with Love Group" Queensland Australia

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  3. David, I really appreciate what you are doing to help others. If you just work the beginner lessons, one a day like vitamin pills, you'll be all set in about a month. Try the circular baby blanket, my most popular pattern, free on this site, and also very easy and cute.

    You are welcome to email me with questions.

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  4. Diana,
    In one of your videos you use a steamer to block and steam knitted garments. Can you tell me which type of steamer you prefer?

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  5. I have a Jiffy Steamer, very popular among knitters, but any stand steamer would probably be fine. I've noticed several different stand steamers in stores like Target with much lower prices than I paid for the Jiffy.

    I have had one Jiffy Steamer break down. I don't know why. But we use it a lot - almost every day - we used it for all our clothes! I hardly ever get out an iron.

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  6. Hi Diana,as a beginner, I love your video's and would love to try the childs jumper. You mention that the pattern can be found ? on your forum? Could you please point me in the right direction ?

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  7. Diana, Thank You for your lessons videos on you tube, they were really easy to understand, ive only been machine knitting for 2 months and without your videos i think i would have given up. So, once again, thank you because i am really enjoying my new hobby.

    Posted by South Wales Ebbwvalian

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  8. Thanks for the video on the Swirl blanket...I'd forgotten how to do them and couldn't find my pattern...It's probably been a decade or more since I've knitted on my punchcard bulky...But I wiped it off and oiled it up and... it's working! I have a pix of the Swirl blanket made from your video on my blog... Handcraftfun.blogspot.com
    Cathy Hale in TX

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  9. Diana, I am new at machine knitting and I was trying to knit the socks from your video, my machine keeps jamming up any ideas on why this is happening? also wanted to know how many stitches you used to make the socks, thanks Pat

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  10. Diana, I am trying to knit a skirt from a hand knitting pattern, but I don't know how to decrease stitches evenly across the row on the knitting machine..can you help??? thanks Pat

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  11. There are two practical ways to decrease evenly across a row. First one - use a garter bar. It's in my garter bar lessons. Second method - use several rows of waste yarn, take the knit fabric off the machine, then pick the stitches back on, doubling up the stitches as needed for the decreases.

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  12. Boa noite !!! Não falo ingles . Gostaria de saber como posso comprar seus cds. Tenho visto alguns videos seus no you tube e dá praá acompanhar só olhando . Muito Obrigado.

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  13. Eu acho que eu não sei como fazer isso. Você pode me dar um exemplo?

    Eu estou usando o Google Translate, pela maneira - espero que a minha resposta faz sentido.

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  14. susan@talotamhollow.comAugust 5, 2012 at 6:01 PM

    My mother gifted me a knitting machine many years ago. My husband has tried to help me put it together and read the manual to me. I am so stupid. Wherever I went to a Fiber Festial or Sheep and Wool Fair I would ask trying to find someone to help me learn how to use the knitting machine. After 16 years and 7 attempts my husband wanted to burn all of it. I had to hide it under a bed wrapped in a quilt. Then a few weeks ago I found a wonderful couple in Tennessee who welcomed me into their home and was willing to teach me how to set up the knitting machine. Nothing fancy, but I have made several hats and few pairs of fingerless gloves. How do I join an on line group. I can't get the ribber to work. I have a new wax bar, It needs a hospital. Is there a dr in the house?

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