The beginning of Branching out from knitty.com. Everybody says it's an easy pattern and it is, in that the pattern repeat is only 10 rows, 5 of which are purling back. The difficulty lies in the fact that there is no place to put markers to take intermediate stitch counts as you go across. Missing Yarn Overs or other mistakes don't become apparent until you have the wrong number of stitches at the end of the row or the next odd number row. The moral is: count your stitches at the end of each row. The yarn is Ingenua by Katia. I'm surprised I got such a clear picture. It is actually verrry hairy and the gauge is chunky if not bulky.
Speaking of counting stitches after every row, I told my students that is a rule. We had our first knitting club meeting yesterday on Wednesday. I thought it went well. I didn't take attendance, but I think I had about 16 kids of the 23 or so who registered. I meant to bring great big needles and thick yarn to demo the knit stitch, but I forgot. I managed to use the Elmo machine to show how to make the stitch. I tried this last year & couldn't figure it out. I had many returning students who can already knit and not as many 3rd graders as before. Only one student had huge trouble even with my personal attention and Mrs. S's personal attention. Only a couple so far couldn't make themselves go on when they'd made a perceived or real mistake. Things were pretty calm and mostly kids stayed in their seats. I wonder why? I know it'll get more lively, but I've never seen it so calm before. Maybe it helped that I had the yarn & needles passed out and kids had to sit where there was yarn and were not allowed to move the yarn.
I didn't make everyone say the poem. Not everyone learns with mnemonics, even though they help me. (I find this very annoying. It's like the song says, "Why can't they be like we were, perfect in evaree way?)
In through the front door,
Around in the back,
Down through the middle,
And off jumps Jack.
I've thought to change the "down through the middle" line but I already passed out copies. Maybe next year. I really should have spent a little time finding better pictures to illustrate the knit stitch on that handout. Again, maybe next year. I had the fabric, but I didn't sew up enough non-flowered knitting bags. Nonetheless, I think we are off to a good start.
2 comments:
Any Cracker Barrel Waitresses in your class?
Very nice color!
I did't think Branching Out was so easy when I first started it. It got better once I was about halfway through the first one. My second one was much easier.
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