...and it all falls apart.

[GoingNorth]

What both books will do is teach you how to measure your "victim" and make things that really fit. For example, socks!

The only times I've had socks that really fit was when I or my husband knit them. Yes, my husband knit as well. A friend and I taught him when he was laid up on home rest for several months after breaking his foot very badly. He was making me nuts and needed something to do with his hands...(before I strangled him)

He turned out to be a very good knitter. His first project was a cable sweater and it actually came out! I thought he was NUTS.

 

[Lil]

Apparently, the whole way i hold the needles, yarn, and manipulate them is "off", so when I used to go to knitting club, or into a knitting class, I'd draw a crowd when I started knitting.

My friend who taught me told me she knit "continental" which I didn't understand the difference of between that and "regular", but you hold the working thread with your left hand like you do when crocheting. Since I already knew that, it was actually pretty easy to pick up. I have 16" round needles to start learning with. I'll get more later. I watched some You Tube videos on knitting and saw how they do it "regular". Looks so weird to me! I'll pick it up.

 

[Copabanana]

His first project was a cable sweater and it actually came out! I thought he was NUTS.

As somebody who never moved beyond knitting a scarf (because I could not master a rectangle) I am awestruck with Stu's capacity and even more, his audacity. A cable sweater for his first project? It is like deciding to be a Hell's Angel with a Harley (and doing it) while learning to ride a trike.

 

[GoingNorth]

My friend who taught me told me she knit "continental" which I didn't understand the difference of between that and "regular", but you hold the working thread with your left hand like you do when crocheting. Since I already knew that, it was actually pretty easy to pick up. I have 16" round needles to start learning with. I'll get more later. I watched some You Tube videos on knitting and saw how they do it "regular". Looks so weird to me! I'll pick it up.

Lil, my grandmother was left handed and knit left handed. I'm right handed. I can knit continental or "pick". i naturally knit right handed, but can knit with either hand which is how I knit with more than one color if stranding. I knitting jacquard (large blocks of color) where each color is on it's own spool, i just use whichever hand is handy to pick up the color when I need it. The MOST important thing for you, as a beginner, to learn is how to knit to gauge. ALWAYS knit a gauge square before starting a project, and change needles as needed until you get the gauge specified in your pattern, or what you've come up with to get the measurements you need.

Right handed I used to be able to knit to gauge with needles specified in patterns, but wouldn't trust it right now. Left handed I have to test gauge.

 

[GoingNorth]

As somebody who never moved beyond knitting a scarf (because I could not master a rectangle) I am awestruck with Stu's capacity and even more, his audacity. A cable sweater for his first project? It is like deciding to be a Hell's Angel with a Harley (and doing it) while learning to ride a trike.

Nope. The audacity came when he was on exercise and pulled out the sock he was working on...in a tent full of Rangers.

 

[Lil]

how to knit to gauge

Not 100% sure what that means.

Right now, I'm just doing a hat on my little (fat) round needles. I suspect I'll be sticking to hats and infinity scarves - I need much needles with a much longer cord-thingy.

See? Cord Thingy. I have the jargon. LOL!

 

[Copabanana]

to gauge

This was my problem. I could not keep a consistent gauge (I mean one of my problems--I also made errors that I did not detect until they were revealed by the ugliness of my work.)

Cord Thingy.

Lil. You can get these for very, very cheap on Ebay. They are sent from China. It is fun for me just to look at what is available--except then I buy.

 

[Copabanana]

I suspect I'll be sticking to hats and infinity scarves

Lil. Isn't it fun? When i was knitting (I mean, trying to knit) I was so engrossed, almost transported--I would look at the clock and hours would have gone by. They say knitting is a meditative activity and you get to the same "place" as with more conventional meditation. How is the smoking going?

 

[GoingNorth]

According to my mother, my first project was a dishcloth; knit out of string. I did a few of those, then my grandmother had me knit a dishcloth from corner to corner, thereby teaching me how to do increases and decreases.

It sort of went on from there. Oddly, she didn't do 4 needle knitting. She used to make socks with the feet in two pieces and then graft the sole together. I hated them. I taught myself to knit on 4 needles when I was about 8 or so, and it was out of a Zimmerman book.

It's actually just the same as knitting in the round on circular needles. The only reason for using multiple needles is for small "in the round" things that would be awkward on circular needles, and of course, before circular needles were invented.

 

[Lil]

How is the smoking going?

Yeaaahhh....that's going to take a bit longer to quit again after all. We'll get there.

she didn't do 4 needle knitting

OMG! 4??? You can use more than 2? I think I'll pass on that for a few - years. Right now I'll stick with my hat.

My friend taught me on the round needles because you don't have to purl. She said after I have the hang of knitting and my hands know what to do, then she'll teach me to purl. But she also said I picked it up faster than anyone she ever taught before and she thinks I can figure it out from videos, so I might try that next. But I need more needles.

I never learned to read a crochet pattern. When I crochet I make afghans and scarves and such. My Granny squares don't even turn out right. Maybe I'll be better with knitting.

 

[GoingNorth]

Lil, using multiple double-pointed needles is exactly the same as knitting in the round on circular needles. You just use the DP needles for when you're knitting something in the round that is too small to manage on circular needles. It's not hard at all!

Some folkways use 3 needles, some use 4, some use 5. I learned with 4, so that's what I use. When knitting socks, where you have to make a heel flap and then knit it back into the instep, you do go to two of the four needles to do that, and then, by doing increases, work your way back to 4 needles and knit the rest of the way down in the round again, decreasing toward the toe. (And, if you were making socks for my husband, increasing for his bunions, which is why custom made socks are so great.)

It's not at all as hard as writing it out sounds. It's a bit more complicated than crochet, but doesn't use as much yarn because you're not wrapping the yarn for the most part.

I can crochet and have made a few afghans and a very lacy baby layette, but mostly I use crochet when needed in knitting (It's a handy skill to have if you knit, especially as a beginner, as it's great for picking up dropped stitches.)

Purling is no big deal. It's just entering the stitch from the other side and pulling the yarn through from that side. Nothing to be afraid of.

Just practice your gauge square with the stitch pattern you'll be using as many people don't purl to the same gauge that they knit.

 

[so ready to live]

Wow I love the way this thread turned...to think I learned today's "going price" of a bong and a slew of knitting tips. I might get the needles back out...I do really appreciate you all. Warm hugs to Lil and Jabber, you are not alone.

 

[Lil]

He's alive. Cold, but alive. Just called and said he is in the homeless camp but there was no place for his tent so he's just sleeping on the ground with his two little fleece throws he took. It's getting into the low 40's at night, and will be 34 on Thursday night. I told him to check the Salvation Army and see if they'll give him a quilt or sleeping bag and roll up in the tent like a tarp. I really wanted to offer to buy him a sleeping bag which he could pick up at Wal-Mart. Wanted to. Didn't. Can't guarantee I won't tomorrow.

 

[RN0441]

Remember they always make it sounds so much worse than it is!!

 

[Lil]

Remember they always make it sounds so much worse than it is!!

True...but I checked the weather report for his city. That's where I got the night temps. He's not in the dessert anymore. Daytime is still nice, but nights this week show a low of 34 on Thursday and there's a tent city because there are not enough shelter beds...so ... He may get damn cold. I suggested Salvation Army for blankets/coats and a day labor place for some cash.

He didn't ask for anything. So there's that.

 

[AppleCori]

This situation is not all bad, really. It could be considered a learning opportunity.

Maybe he will find that he doesn't like the homeless lifestyle.

Maybe he will realize what many of our young adults finally realize--there are really only two choices--homelessness or working. That's really all the choices there are, for the 99.9% of us who don't have parents willing and able to support their adult offspring in perpetuity. Most dont need to be reminded of this, but many of our guys do. Sitting around smoking pot and eating pizza for the rest of their lives isn't one of the choices.

I'm glad he got through the night. It will make him stronger. I do believe that.

When I was waiting for the traffic light to change yesterday, I gave the homeless woman there the few dollars in cash that I had with me. Should I have? I don't know. Did she use it to buy drugs or alcohol? I don't know. But I'm glad I did.

Anyway, we are rooting for D C.

Apple

 

[RN0441]

We let our son be homeless for about ten days. Turns out he was sneaking in girlfriend's house to sleep but I do know he has nowhere to go during the day. I know he hated every minute of it and it was stressful for him. It was a good learning experience.

Will it change anything? Who knows but one can hope that each little thing will add up to an "aha moment"!

 

[Lil]

He's texted me a few times today. With his first call he'd said he was in a coffee shop waiting for the public library to open and he was going to hang out there. I did let him know that the shelter gives out clothing and household items between certain hours, so if he wants to try to get a coat or quilt, that's the place to go. He told me that he really needed money and I told him to try googling day labor and temp agencies.

He'll live.

While typing this, he called and said that he got a coat and quilt and that someone he met in the first city had hit him up on Facebook and offered to let him stay with them if he can get back there. So...I guess he'll be headed back. Sounds fishy to me, but I guess stoners all kind of stick together. According to him everyone he's met came there from somewhere else and they are willing to help each other out. All I know is that I'm already tired of knowing what's going on. Seriously, I just want to know he's alive and well. I can do without the rest. He said he'd call tonight and let me know what's up. I told him he didn't have to,"Just text me every few days that you're alive, that's all I need." But Nooooo....He will call.

And you folks think I'M the one that needs to let go?

 

[Jabberwockey]

When I was waiting for the traffic light to change yesterday, I gave the homeless woman there the few dollars in cash that I had with me. Should I have? I don't know. Did she use it to buy drugs or alcohol? I don't know. But I'm glad I did.

I personally wont do this. I've seen too many stories about people who were pan handling and someone followed them afterwards only to see them climb into a very expensive car and drive away. We donate to the shelter and food banks through our church. They can go there for our support.

And you folks think I'M the one that needs to let go?

LOL! Never said that he didn't seriously need to let go as well.

 

[BusynMember]

He won't let go because he wants money. That's his inability to let go. 34 isn't that cold really. He will survive. And he can find a job at a restaurant. All the kids I work with smoke pot or worse. They don't get drug tested and restaurants always need help. The servers make decent money.

Take care and stand strong. Nobody told him to take off with no.plan. He may learn from this if you don't back down. He chose to be homeless. He had a job and your support. Who knows if he really left because of J? What can J really do? He may have gone to Colorado because of why many young adults go....legal pot.

I feel so bad for your hurting heart.