I think my "keep busy in the hospital" hobby should be..

Sassy_Cassie · May 2010

Knitting.

It's not like I'm sitting on my rear the whole time we're there... I still have a baby to take care of. But I can't clean or do things I would normally do while he naps. I read, I bump, I feel like I've looked at everything the internet has to offer. But I need a nice, quiet, productive hobby.

Is it hard?

Hippinski · May 2010

Not really hard at all. I bet you could use some on-line videos to teach you how.

tinamichelle · May 2010

Or I can send you my copy of stitch and biitch....that';s how Jenni learned

Sassy_Cassie · May 2010

tinamichelle:
Or I can send you my copy of stitch and biitch....that';s how Jenni learned

stitch and biitch? haha..

tinamichelle · May 2010

Sassy_Cassie:
tinamichelle:
Or I can send you my copy of stitch and biitch....that';s how Jenni learned
stitch and biitch? haha..

yup lol

https://www.amazon.com/Stitch-N-***-Knitters-Handbook/dp/0761128182

Sassy_Cassie · May 2010

THEN I COULD KNIT CHRISTMAS PRESENTS! This just struck me as a fabulous idea...

littleanomaly · May 2010

Nope. Like anything it needs a small adjustment period but after that it's really soothing. Even better? There are usually plenty of people around the hospital that know how to knit.

jwpbride · May 2010

AND there's always knittinghelp.com which is the one and only thing that got me though the knit-a-longies! haha

Sassy_Cassie · May 2010

Any advice for getting started?

GladToBeMrs.SRS · May 2010

1. Buy yarn that you LOVE. Not like, not what's cheapest, buy what you LOVE. Love how it looks, love how it feels, love how it squishes. It will make you want to continue when you're frustrated (which will happen in the beginning). Find something in a worsted or aran weight, though. You don't want to start on fine-gauge yarn.

2. Start with a set of wood straights, not too long (10" or shorter). Bamboo is good for starting -- it sort of "sticks" to the yarn and will help you feel secure. Be aware, though, that later on you may want to switch to metal, which "moves" the yarn easier. Size 8 would probably be just fine.

3. www.knittinghelp.com. Watch the beginner videos over and over and over again. Hold the yarn and sticks in your hand and follow along, hitting replay over and over and over. I suggest learning Continental (as opposed to English) from the get-go.

I started by knitting little swatches. Bunches of little swatches. When I had one that ended with the same number of stitches I began with, I started a scarf. Washcloths are also a fabulous beginner project.

Have FUN!! I'm so very excited for you!!

nsees · May 2010

what a stellar idea!!!! i want to start it as my hobby too :-)

triumphantreturnofplanningbug · May 2010

You can totally do it!! Knittinghelp and Stitch&B!tch are totally helpful.

It really helped me to figure out that I needed to think of each stitch as one thing, not lots of little parts. I stopped getting overwhelmed when I made that switch in my brain. Getting a pair of big fat needles also helped me. I started on 8s, but my first decent project (a scarf) was on 14s with bulky yarn that wouldn't split, because I couldn't really see what the 8s were doing. Once I got the hang of it with 14s, I could go back to the 8s and start making things that didn't look like a 5 year old was just taking yarn and knotting it.

I also agree that many people in hospitals know how to knit. When I was at ours with DH, I had more comments and questions on a blanket I was crocheting than anything else (DH included. They could look at his chart, but wanted to talk about the blanket!).

Have fun, and you totally need to post pictures!

GladToBeMrs.SRS · May 2010

triumphantreturnofplanningbug:
You can totally do it!! Knittinghelp and Stitch&B!tch are totally helpful.
It really helped me to figure out that I needed to think of each stitch as one thing, not lots of little parts. I stopped getting overwhelmed when I made that switch in my brain. Getting a pair of big fat needles also helped me. I started on 8s, but my first decent project (a scarf) was on 14s with bulky yarn that wouldn't split, because I couldn't really see what the 8s were doing. Once I got the hang of it with 14s, I could go back to the 8s and start making things that didn't look like a 5 year old was just taking yarn and knotting it.
I also agree that many people in hospitals know how to knit. When I was at ours with DH, I had more comments and questions on a blanket I was crocheting than anything else (DH included. They could look at his chart, but wanted to talk about the blanket!).
Have fun, and you totally need to post pictures!

I can see how this would be true. Bigger is definitely better while learning. It's more instantly gratifying, too. lol

flutiefrostie · May 2010

I highly recommend knitpicks.com. They have good tutorial videos (although I learned from my mom and have only used them as a refresher, so I'm not sure how good they'd be to start from), and their yarn is priced really well for high quality stuff. I love their organic cotton yarn.

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