Casting-on: https://www.simple-knitting.com/casting-on-knitting.html
Knit stitch: https://www.simple-knitting.com/knit-stitch.html
Purl stitch: https://www.simple-knitting.com/how-to-purl.html
Binding-off: https://www.simple-knitting.com/cast-off-knitting.html
This small piece of knitting was very challenging at first, as I struggled to re-learn how to knit. I had not knitted since I was about ten years old or so. This first sample is a little lopsided, but I was gaining confidence and muscle memory with each stitch.
In the end, this is a tiny piece of knitting that makes me very happy. My early experiences with knitting were fraught with tension.
My poor mom patiently taught me to knit time and again, at seven, eight, nine and each time I could not get the rhythm of the stitches. My vise-like grip on the yarn and needles made for some pretty tight little scarves. Okay, I never completed a scarf, my best was a slightly longer pot-holder.
But look at these stitches… my 42year-old self, flanked with the right motivation, core breathing techniques and positive self-talk, was able to make a lovely bunch of fairly loose knits!!
Stocking stitch sample: http://www.vogueknitting.com/pattern_help/how-to/techniques_abbreviations/basic_knitting_stitches
The first sample was done a couple of days after my first foray back into knitting. I learned that stocking stitch is alternating rows of knit and purl stitches. I found this sample to be relatively easy to complete and understand where I was in the pattern of stitches.
Rib stitch sample: https://www.dummies.com/crafts/knitting/knitting-stitches/how-to-rib-stitch/
I really struggled with understanding how to do this stitch… I had to call in the big guns (my sister) to teach me this stitch. We did had seen it in class, but because I was so new to the skill, I was still perplexed. I had a hard time remembering which stitch I was on and where I should be going next, should it be knit or should it be purl? My sister showed me what to look for in each type of stitch, and to see how the yarn being either in front or behind the stitch helps me to know that I’ve just done. For me, this one-on-one teaching with my sister was neccessary, as the youtube videos were only helpful one I’d had some explicit teaching from her.
Stocking and rib stitch combo:
I was feeling much more confident with my knitting in this sample and I was able to create this small piece of knitting with having to constantly go back and unravel my stitches or restart entirely. My tension was also getting to be less tight.
Knit booties following a pattern:
So, for my more complex project assignment, I asked my sister over again for some advice on how to follow a pattern. She taught me how to know what the codes mean in a pattern and also how to add and drop stitches and also knit back into other stitches. She sat beside me as a helper for the first bootie. I am not going to lie, it took me at least three hours. I was able to complete the second one without her beside me, and it took about half and hour less than the first one.
As I knit, I did feel rather worried about how it would turn out, but I was also pleased by being able to create a potentially wearable item. I like how knitting makes me feel connected to my grandmothers. As I knit, I imagine how the mothers who came before my had to be capable in this valuable skill in order to keep their family warm and safe.
Single crochet stitch: https://www.craftsy.com/crocheting/article/crochet-for-beginners/
As a child, my patience for yarn crafts was low, I do have to be honest in saying. I was not particularly gifted at either knitting or crocheting, despite my interest and desire to be so. My mother is an excellent artist. She paints and draws beautifully. She also has great skills in textile arts and she eagerly and expertly shared what she knew, but I lacked the patience to persevere in most of these areas (although I some success with crocheting. I manged to make a few scarves and a doll blanket).
Once again, here I was, relearning the art of crochet, revamping the meager skills I had not used for three decades. This textile arts course has been rather humbling in this regard.
Basket weave crochet stitch sample:
This little sample was not to hard to produce. I went to the internet to search for a stitch and the basket weave was easy to follow.
Single and double crochet stitch sample:
This sample alternated rows of single and double crochet stitches. I was using actual wool yarn on this piece and I really liked the colour.