Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Deciphering knitting code

I used to hate knitting, because I couldn't read patterns.

I didn't want to hate knitting - I've always loved to knit!  But all of those codes and symbols and gee gaws were absolute Greek to me.

(I have a theory that all frustrated knitters have the same problem.)

I remember trying to knit a gorgeous, intricate lace sweater when I was in my 20's.  (This was pre-internet, people!)  I was so frustrated, continually scouring the magazine's instructions and abbreviations, trying to make sense of M1 vs. YO vs. k2tog.  Argh!

I never finished that sweater, but I was pretty proud of myself for successfully knitting at least a third of it!

When I took up knitting again nearly 20 years later, I was once again super frustrated with this secret language.

So I started googling the codes.  Wow!  I found video tutorials, standard abbreviations, and countless other resources!  Absolutely lifechanging.  I would not be here today, designing knitting patterns, if not for the internet.

I'm working on a one page resource to help beginning knitters understand and decipher knitting code.  It's not so scary once you embrace it.  Once you see it on paper (or PDF).  Once you realize it's just a language and is learnable, like any other language.

Better yet, this will be a downloadable freebie!

And as I work on this, I'd love to hear which knitting terms you're hoping to understand!!!  Let me know in the comments!


Image credit:  Bamboo increases stitch markers by girl on the rocks at Etsy

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