I had the opportunity last night to teach a large group of 8-12 year old girls how to cast on and knit. Fortunately, while I was the “resident expert”, I had lots of help. Particularly sweet Shirlene who took on teaching the lefties. Thanks, girl!
I was intrigued by a couple of things last night. First of all, I haven’t been around left handed people much, or more accurately, I haven’t spent much time observing left handed ways of doing things. Everyone is clumsy and fumbles when learning how to knit. But last night, as I was helping a particular girl, the way she moved was so strange, it caught my attention. After a little while of watching her struggle, it occurred to me that she might be left handed. She was. At that point, I didn’t know what in the world to do with her, so thankfully, my friend Shirlene stepped in. I don’t know what my point is other than how strange the experience was. I feel for those of you who struggle in a right handed world.
Secondly, and I’ve experienced this before, young people pick up on knitting really quick! I don’t think it’s because they’re more gifted than us older folk. I think it’s because of their attitude. A child is much less likely to let a strand of yarn and an aluminum needle kick their butt than an adult is. Why is that? Many of the adults I have taught to knit spend the majority of the time verbally abusing themselves, insulting their own intelligence, and repeating that they can’t do it. WELL OF COURSE THEY’RE NOT GOING TO DO IT!! saying crap like that to themselves. What happens to us as we age, that we turn into our own worst hinderance and obstacle? I’m waxing philosophical here. This attitude goes beyond knitting, obviously, but teaching knitting brings it right out in the open for all to see.
I think we should stop it. I think we should take a lesson and free ourselves. The next time something in MY life is difficult, I’m going to pay attention to what I’m telling myself, and see if I can’t make it better.
I’ve been working on the “secret project” again. It’s getting close, and looking good. I’ve also started Olivia’s Fun Fur scarf. That stuff is SO weird. I’m knitting the scarf pattern on the label, although I’m using size 13 needles because I didn’t think this project warranted a needle purchase. So far so good. I think it’ll be great for her. They’re such girly girls.
Thanks to all of you who responded to my question about fingerless gloves yesterday. It is helpful.
Hopefully I’ll have pictures of something tomorrow. I like having color on my posts.
January 13th, 2005 at 12:45 am
What was the class for? Of was it for one of your daughters? I taught a 12 year old to knit, but I taught her twisted. Opps….
Can’t wait to see pictures of Olivia’s scarf…what color did you choose?
January 13th, 2005 at 2:52 am
It was a girls’ group at church.
I have three different colors of Fun Fur. Light pink, dark pink, and a pinkish multi with blues, greens and yellows.
January 13th, 2005 at 3:31 am
A comment about lefties… My husband and I are both left-handed, and I’ve always appreciated learning things the same way as everyone else. Aside from writing and tying shoes, I think it can be a lot harder to learn more about something such as knitting without just learning it the right-handed way from the beginning. For example, my parents helped me avoid having problems with right-handed scissors by just teaching me to use right-handed scissors. This wasn’t any more difficult for me than learning to use them with my left hand. Since I learned it this way from the beginning, I’ve always cut with my right hand. Perhaps not all lefties feel this way, but most of the ones I’ve talked to agree that this can be much easier at times. So, although I write, sew, and throw left-handed – I knit, cut, play the cello, and eat the right-handed way. Does that make any sense?
January 13th, 2005 at 6:51 am
yes, perfect sense. I learned to cast on left handed, and didn’t know until a couple of years later when a class instructor told me. So then I learned the other way. It seemed to me that learning right handed would be comparable in difficulty to learning left, but I didn’t want to say something like that without any real knowledge on the subject. It could sound pretty insensitive of me to tell someone to do it my way or else! I have often thought though, that if need be, I could learn to knit left handed, so why couldn’t a lefty learn to do it right handed? Hope to see you tomorrow night!
January 13th, 2005 at 8:53 am
Both DH and I are lefties and it looks as though our son will be too. It isn’t odd for us, but know people who come into our house have said things are oddly placed like the dish rack. When Harrison had a changing table it was set up “backward” for most people and our nanny always struggled laying him down the left-handed way.
Interestingly, enough I cut right-handed, but eat and throw left. I crochet left handed but knit both left and right handed. However, my cast on- ALWAYS left, never right. Moreover, I can pick my nose with both hands so in that way I feel completely and totally blessed. :p
January 13th, 2005 at 12:34 pm
You are so right about teaching adults! I’ve taught many adults to knit and/or crochet. One thing I find myself doing over and over is verbally encouraging the women: “Yes, you can do it.”, “You’re doing just fine”, “That dropped stitch isn’t the end of the world”. Many times I have to encourage them before they will even let me start teaching them. Knitting is so rare around here (even though this is the home of the Craft Yarn Council of America, sponsor of all those Knit-Outs) that women think I am some sort of genetic mutation. I must be one of the X-Men, Entrelac the Knitter :-).
January 13th, 2005 at 1:01 pm
Oooh – I just taught myself to knit in the other direction this week! It’s a bit slow going, but I keep practicing and I feel like a rock star – No more purling rows for me!
January 13th, 2005 at 2:45 pm
My grandmother was a lefty and would only teach lefties to knit.
It was nice seeing you tonight even though you waaaaaaay on that other end of the table.
January 14th, 2005 at 3:53 am
sounds like fun! Just curious what cast-on method you use to teach beginners?
January 14th, 2005 at 3:22 pm
Be careful – I might just hold you to that!