Following through: day two
Well, good to my word, here I am! Day two and another six rows completed… And, as I pat myself on the back and think about cracking a cold beer, I think “maybe six rows seems ridiculously easy to most people reading this…” So, I think it’s best to say that I am still at a stage where six rows bring beads of sweat to my brow and leaves lines on my face which weren’t there before.
Day 2
Maybe come day seven or eight I will be blitzing a massive twenty or thirty rows a session – we’ll see. In the meantime, I think I do deserve that beer.
May 18th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
Leave a comment here and then go to my blog as well and you’ll get entered into a draw to win a copy of Wendy Johnson’s new sock book.
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May 18th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
I forgot… ace knitting, Pete!
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May 18th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
That looks great, you definitely deserve a beer.
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May 18th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
You’re doing so well, my first piece of knitting was like nothing on earth… and getting wider all the time. Keep up the good work (and have the beer)
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May 18th, 2009 at 8:57 pm
Cheers you lot – I feel less of a fake already!
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May 18th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
Wow I really admire you for the work you’re doing out there and knitting too. I always find it harder to knit when the weather is hot, so I can only imagine it makes it more of a struggle. Well done and keep up the good work!
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May 18th, 2009 at 9:05 pm
Keep going with it. You obviously have a natural talent because it looks really neat and even from here!
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May 18th, 2009 at 9:15 pm
I think six rows is a lot when it’s a) small needles and not thick yarn b) a pretty wide scarf and c) extremely neat.
So well done you and enjoy that beer :0)
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May 18th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
Six rows is excellent! Well done Pete
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May 18th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
Looking good! Seems really even too…soon you’ll get to the point where you won’t want to put it down!
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May 18th, 2009 at 9:25 pm
I remember the pain of those first rows. It gets easier I promise. One year after learning to knit I designed my first pattern for p/hop….
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May 18th, 2009 at 9:31 pm
I can definitely see a scarf starting to emerge. Way to go! I can tell my donation will be due soon.
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May 18th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
Pedro, what is it? A little scarf for a rabbit? Are you ‘down’ with the Anarchist Knitters? I’ve seen them in Hackney, innit. Isn’t it?
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msfuk Reply:
May 18th, 2009 at 11:14 pm
If only… Are there really anarchist knitters? And can I meet them at Pogo? Went recently and food was greeeat…
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May 18th, 2009 at 9:40 pm
Coming along nicely Pete!
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May 18th, 2009 at 9:41 pm
Well, I’d like to encourage you, but I’m a Spurs supporter.
But then again, anyone who knits is ok by me.
Good luck and keep going.
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May 18th, 2009 at 9:42 pm
nice one! I always find my knitting improves after a beer…
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May 18th, 2009 at 9:48 pm
With every row you complete, the next one will be easier. Soon you will be able to knit and talk at the same time!
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May 18th, 2009 at 9:54 pm
Well done, go get a beer and continue tomorrow.
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May 18th, 2009 at 10:00 pm
It’s looking great – and if you manage 6 rows a day they will soon add up! You’ll get quicker too with practice
Keep going!
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May 18th, 2009 at 10:38 pm
Great job so far! Are you making something specific?
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msfuk Reply:
May 18th, 2009 at 11:15 pm
Arsenal scarf. I even think the fact that I stopped the knitting contributed to our end of season droop…
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May 18th, 2009 at 10:45 pm
Well done! When you finish your scarf remember to wear it with pride! (or frame this one and knit another!)
Your next project must be a Hat!? – a lot simpler than you may think.
Keep clicking!
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May 18th, 2009 at 10:56 pm
Wow.
Thanks for encouragement (even from the tottenham fan) and good luck to all of you with the book!
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May 18th, 2009 at 11:33 pm
Well done Pete. When I started knitting I used much bigger yarn than that which made it go much faster. Congrats on what you have so far! PS. I was sitting next to you at the Charity Bingo night and you and Syn were copying all my numbers. Good to meet you both. I was horrendously hungover the next day…
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msfuk Reply:
May 19th, 2009 at 7:45 am
Hey Mel, well weirdly enough it was talking to you more than anything else that made me decide to get serious about it again…. S, thanks!
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May 19th, 2009 at 1:50 am
Eh, if it doesn’t make you sweat, it’s not worth doing! Before you know it, you’ll be knitting in your sleep
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May 19th, 2009 at 2:53 am
my partner is an Arsenal fan and went to see them years when he was a kid & visited England. The game was at highbury & they played against Middlebrough and I think Arsenal won
keep going with the scarf youll eventually get to wear it
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May 19th, 2009 at 3:11 am
It’s good to see another man knitting. I started last October. Are you sure the scarf is an Arsenal one? It looks like Man United to me
)
Keep up the good work for HIV AIDS
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May 19th, 2009 at 5:27 am
Hey your doing great, won’t be long till you have this one done and planning your next project.. have a beer or two for doing so well
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May 19th, 2009 at 6:23 am
Good going! Those are very skinny needles for a beginner scarf. So sorry about it being an arsenal scarf….
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May 19th, 2009 at 6:37 am
Well done! Will we see you knitting at a game in the future? Maybe not, knitting needles are probably a no-go in football grounds!
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May 19th, 2009 at 6:57 am
Pete- As a relatively new knitter, and wife to a 6′+ mountain man knitter, cheers and keep going! I know this must seem like a foreign land (full of, oh, seemingly-not-so-many-men) but there are more men here than you think! Have you signed up on Ravelry yet?
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May 19th, 2009 at 8:18 am
Well done. Just carry one!
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Cornflower Reply:
May 19th, 2009 at 8:19 am
I mean ‘carry on’.
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May 19th, 2009 at 8:26 am
Hey Pete, you would do a lot better if it were a Liverpool scarf!
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May 19th, 2009 at 8:37 am
Keep going on the scarf! It was good to see you at the Bingo night – the knitting community has hold of you now! I think six rows is worthy of a beer, but maybe just don’t try to knit again after drinking…
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May 19th, 2009 at 8:40 am
Stick with it Pete – nothing like a beer after knitting (or during knitting, or as a pre-knitting warm up drink..!). Its looking pretty good so far.
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May 19th, 2009 at 8:53 am
There was a young knitter called Pete,
Who thought that his knitting was neat.
He stood on a plinth
And added an inch
His scarf will soon reach to his feet!
Sorry Pete – it’s the best I could manage. Are you quite sure that’s not a Liverpool scarf
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May 19th, 2009 at 8:54 am
Go, Pete, you can do it!
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May 19th, 2009 at 8:54 am
Little and often makes it grow quick.
Keep going
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May 19th, 2009 at 9:09 am
Hey, six rows is nothing to sneeze at! Way to go, Pete, and I love the photo.
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May 19th, 2009 at 9:12 am
Congratulations on your attempts so far. Six rows is great – crack open that beer and slap yourself on the back.
Word to the wise, though…I once knitted whilst under the influence of a couple of G&Ts and I ended up having to undo it all. Alcohol and knitting do not mix!
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May 19th, 2009 at 9:13 am
Well done, Pete
Six rows is a huge effort for everyone at first, and then before you know it you end up with a drawer full of handknit socks.
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May 19th, 2009 at 9:13 am
I think your handiwork is looking excellent. You have a lovely, even fabric so far and the colour is great!
Enjoy the beer and the rest of the knitting; you will get a lot faster as you go along, and sometimes little breaks along the way give your fingers a chance to memorise the actions of knitting… like with riding a bicycle, at some point it just becomes second nature.
It’s going to be an amazing scarf!
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May 19th, 2009 at 9:14 am
Well done Pete, keep going!
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May 19th, 2009 at 9:14 am
Well done – six rows is quite an acheivement for a new knitter. Crack open that beer and enjoy.
A word to the wise, though…knitting an alcohol do not mix well. I once tried to knit while under the influence of a couple of G&Ts and I made so many mistakes!
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May 19th, 2009 at 9:29 am
A scarf’s a great thing to start with – and remember *There are no Knitting Police* LOL
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May 19th, 2009 at 9:43 am
Way to go, Pete – that’s brilliant. By the start of the next season, Arsenal will be all the better for another fan with a hand-knitted scarf. You’ve done the hardest part, it’s fun all the way now. If I winn the sock book, I’ll knit you socks to go with it
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msfuk Reply:
May 19th, 2009 at 10:40 am
I shall hold you to that
Best dressed fan at the Emirates!
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May 19th, 2009 at 9:45 am
Well done with the knitting, Pete! Nice yarn colour, but are you sure that you’re not knitting a Man Utd scarf? Ha…
)
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May 19th, 2009 at 10:00 am
Looking great so far, very neat! Keep going
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May 19th, 2009 at 10:06 am
You’re doing great Pete, am seriously impressed, even though I’m a Liverpool fan!
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May 19th, 2009 at 10:10 am
Good luck Pete! When I first started to knit it took me a whole weekend just to figure out how to cast on and make a stitch properly – 6 rows is great! You are doing brilliantly, keep up the good work.
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May 19th, 2009 at 10:36 am
Quality not quantity, I say … your tension looks very even, the colour is wonderful and no holes!!!
Keep it up, Pete!
Anne-Marie
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May 19th, 2009 at 11:23 am
Don’t give up! We’ve all been there (mind you, some of us never pick up any speed…). The scarf looks great!
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May 19th, 2009 at 11:28 am
In the film ‘Any given sunday’ Al Pacino famous motivational speech refers to ‘an inch at a time’ -seemed to work & the same must apply to scarf knitting (or even a stitch at a time!). Good work & keep it up.
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May 19th, 2009 at 11:42 am
Welcome to the world of kntting, you’re doing great. Soon you’ll be addicted to Ravelry and attempting those patterns you love but thought were too difficult!
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May 19th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Keep going – it gets easier and eventually enjoyable!
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May 19th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
6 rows at the start is a big chore to tell the truth, but Pete you’ll fly through it! My first scarf took me 9 weeks to do, now I can do one an hour, and I have a fella here who wants the pattern you are using so I can knit him one!
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msfuk Reply:
May 19th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Errrrr, pattern??
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May 19th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
On watching the video I’m pretty impressed that even as a newbie you can talk & knit at the same time!
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May 19th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Looking great! You’ll soon be flying through the rows, knitting, watching football and drinking beer simultaneously.
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May 19th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
You’re doing great, keep going and be thankful it’s not mohair you’re using! The last man I taught to knit, who wanted to make a scarf for his partner (a goth), kicked off his knitting experience with black mohair!
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May 19th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Keep going, nothing worth learning to do takes just a few minutes. By the time you have finished that scarf you will be an expert.
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May 19th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
C’mon Pete, get a move on :-0 Lads in my class at school 45 years ago were shown how to knit and guess what they knitted – yup, footie scarves. I can picture them now – they were as pleased as punch!
Looking forward to seeing it wrapped round your neck!
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May 19th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Are you going to have stripes or just red? Looking fab so far. You don’t have to have a pattern, anyway.
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May 19th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
My comment is not showing?! Anyway, it looks good, and I meant to ask if there will be stripes or is it pure red. You don’t have to have a pattern so don’t worry.
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May 19th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
Looks good from here. Keep going. My daughter is learning to knit but gets bored after the first ten rows on a scarf (she’s started a few) so we’re trying a toy rabbit now!
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May 19th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
keep going! almost there – er, well, sort of …. i might have to share this with the lads i teach, they are fascinated by my knitting
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May 19th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Stay LOOSE Pete! Relax those shoulders! And practice, practice and it gets easier, faster, zen! ’specially after a beer. Or three.
Scarf looking good!
Dunno about arsenal.
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May 19th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
wooop woooo – can’t wait to see those white stripes flowing from those needles. 6 lines closer to a neck warmer!
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May 19th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
are you knitting at a “fever pitch”?
when I started learning to knit I found I had a different number of stitches on the needle each time I checked! You just have to carry on and then it all clicks. Enjoy!
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May 19th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
Keep going Pete! Excellent work.
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May 19th, 2009 at 7:31 pm
I love helping new to knitting people to knit, and while I know how quick I knit (which intimidates even my poor fellow stich and bleather folks) I still love looking at each row and each stitch, I love the purl stitch (back of the knit stitch)which looks like a gem stone or a pebble depending on the colour of your work, whicle the knit side is smooth and so very touchable, I find my slef not knitting sometimes just feeling my work and the sense of accomplishment form every little stitch. I made it!
good luck, and like any skill, time and repetition will speed you up but nothing else will be your first piece, enjoy every row even when they cost so much, esp. when they cost so much.
lol ruan
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May 19th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
You are doing brilliantly, keep with it, my uncles all knitted, even socks. Go boy!
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May 19th, 2009 at 7:56 pm
I’m sure I posted yesterday – but anyway it is a really neat piece of knitting – much better than my 16 yo beginners in school – theirs are full of holes!
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May 19th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
You look like you are enjoying it!It’s simply a skill, that you won’t give up until you have mastered it – the needles will not master you!!!Well, they might,when you lose an odd sock in the wash, you can simply knit yourself another one!
Get yourself over to ravelry.com too….
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May 19th, 2009 at 9:14 pm
For a beginner, your stitches are looking really nice and eve. Keep up the good work!
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May 20th, 2009 at 7:47 am
It looks really good, and I promise you it does get easier! Keep up the good work!
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May 20th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Thats a great scarf for a beginnier, good on you and keep knitting. When its finished you’ll be well chuffed!!
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May 20th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
6 rows must be nearly an inch, do that each day and you will be wearing it to matches next season.
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May 20th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
Really impressed! Keep going……….
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May 20th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
It all becomes much easier after a couple of beers to lubricate your needles – you’ve made a great start. When you’ve finished, can you knit one for me too? Pink and white stripes would be great, thanks!
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