[Nfb-krafters-korner] learning to knit

[Powers, Terry (NIH/NCI) [E]]

Can you read braille?  If so, there is a great book, in braille, on knitting, written by a blind man, on knitting.  If Joyce or someone does not jump the gun and get you the imfo, I will try to find it on Tuesday.  Leaving for the dentist.

Terry Powers


-----Original Message-----
From: Deidre Muccio [mailto:deimucc at verizon.net] 
Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2013 5:31 PM
To: 'List for blind crafters and artists'
Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] learning to knit

Hello Annette and others
I was eager for the first beginner's knitting class to happen yesterday. I felt sure that I could learn. Right off I lost my slip knot off the needle several times. I never successfully casted on. I was also totally perplexed because the motions described for knitting were not what I had been shown several times before by a neighbor. It turns out I had been shown English not Continental, which is what we did yesterday. Btw, probably many of you have taken this with Annette before, and you know she gives her all.
Today my neighbor came back over to try to help me get the hang of Continental. I still didn't manage to cast on a first row of stitches, so she did it for me. I can't wait to hear the recording to see if at some point before the next class, I can figure it out myself.
	I now see the difference between English and Continental, it's the same, except for where the long strand of yarn gets placed or picked up. I can do that movement now except that a problem I'm having is that the stitches get so tight that when I need to pick that stitch off that left needle the stitches on both needles have to be right up near the tip and I risk their sliding off. I was told the reason things are getting so tight is that I am putting too much tension on the strand of yarn that is resting on my pointer finger. I was also told that it is good for there to be tension as the two needles are inside the stitch on the left needle, but I suppose that is easy for a sighted experienced knitter to say! 
	I can't believe everyone in class yesterday was able to knit a few rows without dropping stitches. At least 3 times I dropped stitches off the left needle and my neighbor had to put them back on. I felt them and she told me what to do to get them back on the left needle but I'm not 100% sure I would have done it perfectly. I am not always even sure when I've  made a mistake, so to speak, though often I can tell when something happens that didn't feel right.
	What do you other beginners do if no one is around to help remedy the kinds of problems I'm talking about? Start from the very beginning again?
	This process of learning is quite remarkable. I'm trusting that I'll get the hang of it, but I will surely need more help. I'm not willing to give up yet.

	Deidre


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