#OpinionatedOctober - GoodKnitKisses Cast On for Beginners

October 9
GoodKnitKisses How to Knit Cast On Beginners
YouTube Tutorial



I've been loom knitting for about a year and a half now, and I love it. It's really versatile and there's a ton you can do with it. But I've been kind of curious to go back to looking at the technique for needle knitting again now that I understand the actual process more through watching the fabric come out of the loom. I also not so secretly want to try those really big knitting needles that can knit up fun stuff with super bulky yarns. You can get looms that do that (notably, the Zippy Loom from Authentic Knitting Board) but the big needles just look so fun. So when my best friend ended up with a pair of needles and trying to learn needle knitting, I thought I'd give it a try too. We'd both watched GoodKnitKisses videos before because she does a lot of loom knitting tutorials too.

Tonight I watched the cast on video, and I have to say it really is a great video for beginners. She uses a bright yarn that's easy to see, she goes slowly, exaggerates her movements so that you can see what she's doing, and does it enough times that you can watch her go through it more than once. And she doesn't ramble on for a minute and a half before she even gets started on the technique, which is my biggest pet peeve in knitting tutorial videos. Just show me what I came here to see! Anyway, in her cast on video she says to practice casting on a lot and don't jump to the knit stitches, but I don't follow directions well and watched her knit and purl stitch videos next, and I've knit five rows now...

#OpinionatedOctober - Authentic Knitting Board 32 Peg Basic Loom

October 2
32 Peg Basic Loom
From Authentic Knitting Board
Crafting Tool
http://www.knittingboard.com/32-peg-basic-loom/

About a year and a half ago, I decided that I really wanted to try a new craft because I wanted to spend my time making things rather than playing dumb games on my phone. Years ago I'd read about "knitting boards" and I decided to give in. I got a kit from Authentic Knitting Board that included yarn, instructions, and this fabulous little wooden knitting loom.

I absolutely love it, and I highly recommend it. I've made a couple dozen projects since, mostly scarves because that's the easiest thing for me to make, but I've branched out some and I'm about to try my first pair of socks. I especially like this loom because it's small, and easily held, but it's perfect for making double-knit scarves with worsted weight yarn (and AKB has a ton of great videos telling you how to do it). I recommend starting with double knit, because that's what I did and I found the transition to single knitting a lot easier than others have said going the other way tends to be. Plus, a double knit scarf is very warm and winter is almost here. One hint: a skein of Red Heart Super Saver comes out to a great scarf length if you use the whole skein.