Hi, Guys, I'm Kristen and Welcome to Studio Knit.
So, this is sort of a different one.
This is KAL Time, KAL, that means Knit Along.
And now that you have learned how to knit, really what you need to do is you need to
sit down and keep doing it.
So, I thought that I would have a little video where I could sort of chat with you and here
on camera while I'm knitting you can be knitting.
We can become new knitting BFFs and hopefully this will be helpful and kind of fun.
Okay so let's get started.
So in today's knit along, I am simply going to be doing the knit stitch on every single
row.
If you have your knitting with you, please pick it on up and knit along with me at your
own pace.
We do not need to be matching each other stitch by stitch, not at all.
And if you do not have your knitting with you, I believe this video will still be really
valuable to you because I am going to be discussing questions that I have received during our
Absolute Beginner Knitting Series from you guys on my YouTube Channel.
You guys are leaving so many really nice comments, you're super excited for the series and those
have just been wonderful.
I'm going to try and find questions that I can answer, this will be sort of like a podcast
as well.
So, let's look at one question from each of the videos in the Absolute Beginner Knitting
Series.
And the first video, my Announcement Video, Jane Clermont is asking "Where did you get
your yarn shelf?"
And I think what's she's asking is behind me in my videos I have a green background
with yarn attached to it and that is something that I actually picked up at this really cool
place called SCRAP here in San Francisco.
I also have visited one in Portland and it is a nonprofit and it's like a thrift store,
but it's all for craft supplies, so you know, all those extra craft supplies that you have,
you're able to donate them and then purchase craft supplies for a discounted price and
it was hiding in the back, it was sort of like a peg board, but I'm not really sure
what it was originally used for but I thought it would be the perfect little pop of color
and I could add some balls of yarn to it, so that is my new backdrop in my videos.
On Day 1, Knitting Tools, well first off, we have Tera Mitchel and she says "I personally
would like the music to be a bit lower so I can hear everything Kristen has to say."
And I took that to heart, I actually took all the background music out of the videos
from that point forward so that you can hear me as clearly as possible.
I also closed caption my videos, so I type out everything that I say and on YouTube there's
a way to turn on captioning, so you actually are able to follow along what I'm doing if
you're in a situation where you really shouldn't have the audio on, then you can still watch
and see all of the words on the screen below.
And Barbara Lawson says that she's seen a friend use wooden chopsticks to knit with
and that they worked.
Yes, they do work.
You don't have the points necessarily on the chop sticks unless you whittle it down yourself
but I think it's really awesome when people get super crafty and come up with materials
that they can still use knitting techniques with to create their own awesome creations.
So, that's cool!
So on Day 2, about knitting yarn Franca Perotti she writes "I use synthetic because I can't
touch any kind of wool."
And you know, that's really interesting and it's so true, there are people that have allergies
or perhaps ideologies where they do not want to be using any animal products and that is
another great reason why synthetic yarn should not be looked down upon because it does have
a lot of beneficial uses.
Oh, also, I love this, enigmagirl, she talks about a video called Yoshi's Wooly World,
and encourages people to check it out, I did and it's so cute, it's all little knitted
creatures with knitting backgrounds and so I just love when gamers and knitters and different
interests can come together like that.
So, thank you so much for letting us know about that.
Oh, and Deni Finch-Fredrick, she also says that she agrees that choosing a solid color
yarn she says "It may seem boring but it's so much easier to see and understand what
you're doing."
So for those of you who are knitting for the first time, and using a solid color, I hope
that it's really helpful to you, because those verigated yarns are super fun but they can
kind of make your eyes a little bit crazy if you're trying to see exactly what you're
doing stitch by stitch.
Oh, and if this video has been helpful to you, so far, do me a favor, LIKE IT UP, it
really helps me out.
Oh, also in yarn RavenStealstheNight says "I had no idea there was a number seven yarn."
And that's something that I actually discovered while I was creating this video.
You know, there's a lot of really big chunky knits that are popular these days and so there
are jumbo yarns and there is a new yarn weight, yarn weight number seven added.
So I updated the chart on my website and it's a really great resource if you are out shopping
for yarn or knitting needles and need to figure out exactly how to match them up.
On Day three, selecting your knitting needles, Kathy Lenh, she says "I was wondering if you
can teach us how to knit with the cable and circular knitting needles?"
I have one Circular Knitting Needle video that really still holds up today, it's probably
a couple years old, but it's really popular and really packed in with great information.
So, I will leave that down below.
If you find yourself ready to start knitting in the round with those circular needles,
go for it, I think my video will be helpful to you.
And as far as doing a cable needle video, that's a great idea.
What I do have right now is a playlist of Cable Knit Stitch patterns and in those I
try to be very specific and explain why I'm using my cable needle, how I'm using it, so
that you can follow along.
Oh and Barbara Larson, she says that she got some circular needles at Goodwill and that
they were two dollars.
So, a couple things about this.
You can find knitting materials at some thrift stores, so definitely check out that section
next time you go by a goodwill or any second hand store.
And also she mentions using circular needles.
You can use circular needles to knit straight.
So, that means that you're not attaching it in the round, you just go row by row with
circular needles.
So if you find yourself, that's all you have, and you want to knit like we are with our
straight knitting needles you can use circular needles in that way, as well, so good going
Barbara!
On Day 4, we're talking Tapestry Needle and this is enigmagirl again, she had a really
great point, she says that she also likes to use the plastic ones because the plastic
ones tend to bend so it's nice to have that instead of the rigid metal needle at times
when I'm sewing things in the round.
Great point on that!
As far as any sort of substitutions, you know I used that little bobby pin, and RoseaBee
she says "I've learned that a closed safety pin works wonders when you can't find a tapestry
needle as well."
So, that is a very cool little tip, thanks for that.
And Linda Neale, she says that a crochet hook can be used instead of a tapestry needle.
So, for all of you crocheters who are learning how to knit for the first time, I'm sure you
have a lot of those crochet needles around and yes, that's a great point, you can use
it to bring your yarn through those loops.
And next on Day 5 we learned how to make a Slip Knot and I love this.
The Little Knitter44, she says "I have only been knitting for 7 years, but sometimes I
forget how to make a slip knot and I laugh at myself and thank you, see you soon."
That's true, sometimes the most basic tasks are really easy to forget and so it is great
having these videos to be able to quickly go to, refresh your memory, and move on.
Chocolate Chip Muffin says "I did it!"
That she made a Slip Knot and she is seven years old.
And she has since just by watching these videos she has done a slip knot, she has cast on,
and she is knitting row by row.
I created this knitting series for absolute beginners but I honestly had adults in mind
and so knowing that children, especially as young as seven, are benefitting from this,
it just warms my heart!
So, good going, Chocolate Chip Muffin, I'm super proud of you and all of the young knitters
that we are creating with this knitting series together.
Day 6 is Cast On and Melissa Miller chimed in with really great advice.
She says for beginners "do not cast on your stitches on too tightly onto your knitting
needles because actually beginning to knit it will be a lot less stressful if you don't
cast them on too tightly."
And that is such a great point.
I have addressed it in my most recent video that I just launched yesterday.
And I just think it's great that experienced knitters are jumping into this series and
helping out with answering some questions and adding in your own little tips, as well,
so thanks guys so much for being a part of this knitting series.
I really appreciate it.
And I know all of the beginning knitters do, as well.
So, Day 7, How to Knit Stitch, I just love this.
Chris David Hartley says that he's 23 and he has been knitting for 3 years and his friends
find it strange for a man to be knitting, however he says I like to "prove that knitting
is for everyone and it can be fun and it's not just for females or older generations."
And he says to keep up the great work.
So, I just love hearing from guys that are knitting, there are so many talented knitters
out there that are men.
And, actually, 20 percent of all of my viewers are men.
So, I know that knitting is usually thought of as more female, especially here in the
United States, but there are some really great guy knitters out there and I'm always really
happy to see you on my channel.
Now, Deana Faulkner she says that when she's "using a bigger needle, the end stitches are
never as tight or the same size as the middle stitches."
And it's just a matter of making sure that your TENSION is even throughout and I believe
it's something that as you keep practicing, it'll just come much more naturally to you.
And I think it's great that Carlos Espinoza chimed in with some expertise of his own.
Oh and I love this Juanita Lane says "I am now a knitter yea!"
And that's the best sort of comment.
I am so happy that you guys are becoming knitters, you have no idea.
So, congratulations Juanita and everybody else that has been knitting along with me
these last couple weeks.
On Day 8, we looked at the difference between knit stitches and knit rows.
Asma Inayath, she says "please put up a video on how to count the rows, I sometimes get
confused on how many rows I have done.
So a tutorial on that will be helpful.
And that is a really good idea.
I will just answer right now that pen and paper a lot of times, just ticking off marks
or doing your own sort of little system with pen and paper is a really common way that
some of the most basic knitting as well as some of the most complex patterns you can
think of.
It's a great way to track your progress and I also have a video, I'll put it in the description
below on this cute little device called a row counter.
There's a few different versions.
This is a digital version and you can check that out and see if that's something you want
to give a try.
Okay guys, well this went by really fast and this was really fun.
So if you enjoyed these sort of knit along questions and answer type videos, I think
that this might be something that I should consider doing more often.
Action Item of the Day.
You guessed it, keep knitting.
Just knit row by row.
Tomorrow we're going to take a look at the PURL STITCH, we're going to switch it up.
And now you can check off Day 10 in your knitting series planner.
Hey guys, so how many rows, let me know, with this knit along, how many rows of knitting
did you accomplish doing it along with me in this video?
Chatting along.
I hope that some of the information that I've been sharing in this Absolute Beginner Knitting
Series has been really helpful to you.
Thank you so much for being a part of it, it's been a lot of fun and I'll see you next
time, guys.
Bye!