The entire Skill Set line arrived here about a week ago. I read through the book the day it arrived and decided it’s perfect for Camp Nana. My granddaughter has been wanting to learn to knit for a couple of years now but we’ve both been frustrated by our attempts. Today, we had success. Casting on by little hands happened today, along with 11 rows of garter stitch.(And each row has the correct number of stitches.) In addition, a designer has been born. My daughter’s birthday is Saturday. She’ll be receiving a garter stitch bracelet.
One thing we both like about the Skill Set booklet is the simple illustrations. I was able to point out to DGD that she can let her left needle help with the through and off without competing with hands in the illustrations. My granddaughter is 8 years old and left-handed. I was sitting beside her but she “just did what the picture show” all by herself. The only reason she stopped was her mother arrived to take her and her brother home. He wants to learn, too.
At least part of the success is due to the quality bamboo needles and Atlas yarn, (Rambouillet is my favorite fiber. We raised them once upon a time.)
An online friend’s daughter is collecting hats, and other items, for distribution this fall. DGD says hand knitting a hat will be too much work. I’m confident her opinion will change soon. Meanwhile, she and her brother can crank out a few on my knitting machine,
I love this! So happy to hear, I can’t wait until my daughter is old enough to really learn how to knit!
SO MUCH inspiration in this post!
I gave my grandniece the book this past weekend. She has access to lots of yarn and needles, so I bought the book without the Atlas yarn. She’s so excited to knit more, and same with the illustrations: she said “oh I get it now!”
But isn’t Atlas great?
YES!! It is.
This is so great! My left handed granddaughter turns 8 next month. We had 1 knitting session but I didn’t have my stuff with me to show her. She would probably rather do it herself, anyhow. Thanks for posting!
Hello Chari
It is wonderful your grandchildren want to learn to knit. My grandmother taught me but I did not start again until I was in my 50s. We have met in Savannah at Unwind but I have moved further south now.
I remember you. Are you still using KC?
The kids didn’t get to come last week because their mom had shingles, but they were here today. Eden knit several bracelets at home and asked to “graduate” to knitting in the round. Since she doesn’t want to knit a hat she cast on a cowl and will be adding a lace heart motif she found in one of my stitch dictionaries. It will be challenging but I’m hoping her enthusiasm over wearing something she designed herself will get her through the hard parts.
I hope she does enjoy the knitting and designing. I have started using KC a bit more recently but I seem to have forgotten more then I remember of how to get things set up.
Yes, Skill Set is amazing. Eden is now knitting independently and diagnosing and fixing her mistakes when she’s not here. I helped her make a major error in her cowl. Neither one of us noticed the chart in the stitch dictionary only showed the odd-numbered rows. Oops! But, she likes the way her knitting looks and is continuing as is. It’s her one design, anyway.
Evan had an advantage is learning by listening to Eden chant “in, around, through, off” quite a bit until she got the rhythm. I knew he was interested from the way he was staying close ( like on top of my feet with his Lego while I was close by Eden). I was ready when he asked to learn. He stuck with it long enough to master the slip knot, get ten of his own stitches onto the needle, and knit one row. Then, he was ready to get back to building a robot. I’m confident we’ll be knitting together again when he comes back after “Mommy’s” honeymoon, my daughter second wedding was a year ago and the new couple left for Costa Rica yesterday. The kids get a whole week of Dad, and only Dad. They’ll love it.
I feel the need to point out I paid a lot more than the cost of Skill Set for an art college student to teach my youngest daughter to knit. Then, she taught me the long tail cast on. I had never learned it and just couldn’t get it. I appreciate the clear instructions and illustrations in Skill Set so much.