Learning to Knit: Day Three

I am enjoying this book a lot. I think the instructions are really good and the translations of knitting terms to english are excellent. Unfortunately I think the book falls down really hard on a couple points. Now to be fair although I assumed this book was for beginners it may be for advanced beginners not newbs. Even though it explains with pictures how to cast on there is no instruction on:

• the knit stitch
• the purl stitch
• binding off

All three are very important and I think not explaining them is a big mistake. Which is a shame because I think this book is great in so many ways.

So off to youtube I go to learn how to bind off my rib sampler. It is not the suggested length but the book says I can stop when I feel I've "got it". And I do. Purling is still a wee bit awkward and I still find holding on to everything a bit of a challenge but I feel I have a good grasp of what this lesson is teaching.

After a paragraph translating what BO in patt. means the book just says:

Pass the worked stitches over and off the right needles to bind off as usual.

And then an explanation as to why you BO in the pattern you knitted. I find it really odd the book feels the need to translate BO but not explain HOW to BO. I looked in the index and the only binding off instruction is towards the back for binding off three needles.

Maybe I am missing something or not understanding the part in the translation which is actually teaching how to bind off but I honestly dont see it there and it is no where in Chapter One with the other general information. (Nor are the knit and purl stitches) The only bits on finishing is weaving in the ends and blocking.

Oh well I will look for a video.

Which reminds me I should credit the videos which helped me with what I couldnt get out of the book.

Long Tail Cast On - the book has diagrams and pictures of this but I just could not get it. I had to watch the video many times to finally be able to do it myself.

Knit stitch - not in the book

Purl stitch - not in the book

All from knittinghelp.com

For the bind off I watched two videos. One on just binding off and on on binding off in pattern which is what you needed to do for this project.

I will post pictures tomorrow because I forgot the camera in the other room and I dont want to wake the baby.

On to project 2.2 Checkerboard Square.