I challenged myself to learn to knit in 24 hours 😅

[@fionacreates]

as an obsessive knitter... staring into the abyss when one makes a mistake that needs hours of correction is part of the craft.

[@ch3llou]

I would love to see a video where you buy a bunch of jumpers from charity shops with the intention of unraveling them to turn them into something else 🤩

[@megxkat9140]

I've been planning on doing this as well!! I just haven't figured out which types of jumpers are best for unravelling 🤔

[@paularuppert1096]

I know that two of my greatgrandmothers did this after the war and made money for their families with socks they knitted from old jumpers that were no longer usable. As the daugther of a very advanced knitter - Thanks mum, for the most complicated and amazing christmas socks! - I guess you should choose jumpers that are made from a yarn that isn't too thin and where you can easily see the structure of the knit. The thickness Leena used or a bit thinner should be easy to unravel. Since most jumpers are made from rectangles that are sewn together, cutting those seams would be the first step. I'll stick to crochet meanwhile since I don't want to compare myself to the other gernerations of knitters in my familiy 😅

[@leenanorms]

Yes! I'm assuming they need to be made of quite thick yarn, and only one or two colours?! Alot of the ones I see are made of TINY stitches that would take forever to re-knit. I'm on the look out, will report back ;)

[@sanjanak2405]

@@leenanorms not necessarily! once you've unraveled the jumper and made the yarn into balls you can always hold 2 or more strands together to increase the thickness, allowing you to knit with larger needles ultimately making whatever project you choose to make with the repurposed yarn knit up faster!

[@bassoonrckr]

I am an avid sweater unraveler! I found an article online maybe 5 years ago about how to pick out thrifted sweaters to unravel. 1. A find a sweater with yarn you like. I can usually find higher quality wool/alpaca/yak/cashmere in sweaters than I could ever afford in new yarn. 2. The seams of the sweater should look like a knit/crocheted seam with the same yarn as the garment and not sewn with regular thread/machine. Machine sewn generally means the knitted fabric was cut to shape instead of knitted to shape and you’d just get a lot of short pieces of yarn. 3. Undoing the seams and finding which end to start unraveling from always takes longer than I think. (Helpful tutorials are available but knowing garment construction is good head start) Yarn swifts and ball winders can be helpful but you technically don’t need anything other than scissors to get started. 4. Choose a final project that uses less yarn than the original sweater, long sleeve sweater into short sleeve or vest, large into medium, etc. When I first started out I would use the number of wraps around the yarn swift too calculate total yardage but I’ve realized you don’t have to be that technical, just use common sense to make a slightly smaller finished product and you’ll have enough yarn. (Didn’t realize I had so much to say about unraveling sweaters, but I love the mindlessness of it, the quality of yarn I’m able to find, and not buying new when I could thrift)

[@frozencherryblossom]

As someone who was labeled "gifted" as a child and, as an adult, struggles to stick with hobbies I'm not instantly good at, this type of video is so helpful for me! Just seeing Leena continue after a mishap inspires me to do the same.

[@Jasmine-tr1zs]

Same!

[@Miss_Lexisaurus]

omg I feel this!

[@Victoria-dh9vb]

Same. Though I'm convinced that "gifted" was them just upselling having autism or ADHD that wasn't severe enough to be completely debilitating....

[@Miss_Lexisaurus]

@@Victoria-dh9vb I feel that! Just realising I'm likely Autistic myself - apparently this is not news to any of my Autistic friends.

[@morganeraposo9587]

Same here!

[@kathryn6403]

I've technically known how to knit since I was about 10. And at 28, I can still knit a straight line, and have literally never managed to grasp anything else. Not patterns, not purling, not increasing or decreasing, nothing. This is a brilliant idea, challenging myself to learn something in 24 hours is probably enough novelty to motivate me to do it.

[@leenanorms]

aw I bet you'll pick up the rest fast - for example, I thought decreasing/shaping would be super hard, but turns out it's just ADDING or SUBTRACTING a stitch in a pretty straight forward way. You're probably already 75% of the way there!

[@kathryn6403]

@@leenanorms only one way to find out!

[@tintinsparkles]

I'm the same, my mum got so impatient trying to teach me to cast on that she just does it for me 😂

[@katekilroy7827]

I can only knit a straight line as well. I don't knit to think, I knit to calm my anxiety and to have something to do with my hands. Ive made scarfs and blankets with just a knit stitch. Scarfs are simple and all a blanket is, is a bigger wider scarf. I also made a pillow to match one of my blankets out of the scraps of yarn I had. A surprising number of things are just rectangles.

[@gee159]

Me too haha

[@maria5988]

I would definitely be interested in a deep dive on wool

[@Curiouscrazy]

Yes!! me too!!

[@laurahrobinson]

Yes!

[@scoobird]

Yes please! And yarns/other fibers in general - environmental impact etc

[@evilqueenliv]

there are two books that come to mind related to the subject: "a short history of the world according to sheep" and "fabric: the hidden history of the material world".

[@lasofi.mp4]

Yesss please do this

[@thiadesg]

As someone who taught myself how to crochet and knit, I would never have started with a hat. I knitted maybe 10 scarves before I felt ready for rounder projects. Last fall, I learned how to knit slippers like my grand-mother makes and I'll have to keep doing at least a pair every year to remember the stuff. My nephew was very happy with his Spiderman-coloured slippers :)

[@dauser4]

yeah, i thought she was doomed to fail when she pulled out that beginner hat pattern. beginner does not mean "first time ever holding needles in my hands" 😆. you definitely need to start with just knitting a rectangle and practising knit and purl stitch and just getting used to the technique. thats what i did and then knitted a scarf in the round and now i'm finishing my first hat with decreases.

[@thiadesg]

Congrats on finishing your first hat!

[@Jodie_May92]

I cannot tell you how many times I nearly gave up on a project after ripping out hours worth of knitting when I realised I made a huge error, so I totally get you. We’ll done for keeping going

[@kellicoffman8440]

Too true ripping is part of the process

[@sayloreichhorn3476]

I am 26 and I have been knitting consistently for ten years. If I knew how long it took for me to work from a pattern let alone make things that look wearable I would not have started. It takes some grand delusions to get going, but its well worth it. Knitting is an art that connects you with a history of crafts people from all walks, I'm so happy to see that you're enjoying it!

[@kellicoffman8440]

I couldn’t have said it better. I love the connection to all the other knitters throughout history and seeing the craft passed on to a new generation

[@Nico5890]

One of my fav videos of yours ever! I would love a video about either 1) other activities that are meditative/energy-giving rather than energy-draining or 2) habits to cultivate instead of scrolling on a phone to fill your short periods of time. ❤ appreciate all the work you put into this brilliant channel

[@readergonerogue]

I've crocheted for over a decade and I have noticed myself swinging between learning new crochet skills to make something complicated and falling back on something mindless and easy when I just need the MH benefits. Because of the last few years being what they were, I've definitely gravitated towards the mindless, simple projects lately. Luckily I'm in that time of life where there always seems to be a new baby that needs a blanket so my house isn't piled high with afghans 😄 Welcome to the fiber craft world and I'd love to see that yarn video!

[@sanpellegrinolimonata]

If anyone else is struggling with ribbing: try practicing with chunky/extra chunky yarn (and the corresponding needle size). If you’ve just started your rib and it doesn’t look quite right to you, just try to trust the process and make sure you just stick with the pattern. sometimes it doesn’t look quite right while you’ve started it, but a couple of rows later it looks great!

[@roossipkes444]

Ohmygosh honey, you have waaayyy to many stitches on one needle!! I would never🙈 That’s what’s making the knitting so difficult. Very impressed that you keep going though! Edit: I was only half way through the vide when I responded and ríght after I commented this message you actually started doing this

[@gamewrit0058]

Leena, that's brilliant: You learned to knit in 24 hours, but it takes longer to learn how to make a hat! 🤯👏

[@Cxrriemc]

Ah! This video came as such a spookily good time! Similarly I grew up being called "gifted", I was considered smart, was in advanced classes in primary school, then a grammar school, and just generally excelled at things. However, now I'm older, I am terrified of failing and doing things terribly. If I'm not perfect then I don't want to do it. I made a list of like "life improving" goals for 2023 and one was to start or try a new hobby and actually complete an entire "thing" regardless of it being good or shit. Well today I got a cross stitch kit and I'm currently making a lady bird. Already messed up but stopped myself from ripping all the stitches out and forced myself to do another 10 mins and work past the mistake instead of giving up😌 Well done on the knitting!!🎉

[@MidrinaTheSerene]

Cicular needles truly are life savers when it comes to knitting hats or anything with a lot of stitches. I think that a reason there are so many knitting needles at charity shops is that a lot of knitters have gone towards the circular needles. Also welcome to the knitting club 😀

[@sambee2145]

As most of the commenters here have said, this video is awesome! I think you may enjoy crochet, if you like the passing knots idea! It's mostly rows on rows of fancy knots, and you can make things called amigarumi, which are absolutely adorable and great for under the back when laying down!

[@kaitlinrosholm6378]

From ethical concerns about yarn to how hard freaking ribbing is, I don't think I have ever related more to a video in my life. 😅 Keep up the great work!

[@emma.greenwood]

Would also love to see an ethics & sustainability of yarn video. It's such a minefield and very hard to find origins for a lot of brands. I'm especially against mulesing which is a horribly cruel practice!

[@leenanorms]

just googled that, wish I hadn't! But also glad I did, it's going in my notes app about the yarn video, thank you.

[@emma.greenwood]

@@leenanorms eek, sorry! ❤️

[@nicolahutchinson1583]

Also fabrics for us sewing fans?

[@TwelvetreeZ]

CW: Animal cruelty For those interested, here's the Wikipedia article: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulesing Mercifully, it has no pictures (do NOT Google image search it)

[@nicola.p]

Mulesing is banned in the UK, so as long as it is advertised as being British wool then it will be mulsing free. The main supplier for UK indie dyers also use mulsing free wool.

[@ThePixiixiq]

I flat out laughed at your salty instruction-comments. I did my masters thesis on the challenges of written knitting instructions and oh boy how your comment resonate. It is inherently difficult to write good instructions even when we have standart abbreviations. But even professional pattern makers are challenged here, and then we have this hobby where so so many amazing people with other non-knitting-careers also publish patterns - designers of both kinds often end up having to invent the wheel and on the other end of their own learning curve naturally loose track of the beginner and novice knitting experience. Admittedly I'm a huge nerd and I think it's super interesting! 😁

[@lorensirel2471]

This video is so reassuring. You remind me that in a stage of my life where I am expected to know a lot and be skilled in so many areas (when it doesn't feel like I am in reality), that it's okay to be a beginner in any form. It's okay to start from the beginning and then try again, judgement free. Your videos are wonderful Leena, thank you.

[@Nico5890]

Yessss! Also psst we're all faking it ☺️

[@CiriliaRose]

Glad you discovered circular needles! I used to work in yarn and have taught a fair few people how to knit. While casting on and joining is a bit tricky, knitting a cowl in the round is often a much easier first project than a simple scarf. Turning the work over and managing edge stitches can be a challenge but simple knit stitch in the round really helps cement that muscle memory early on. You're 100% spot on with the patience observation, too. Studies have shown that people who are doodling or knitting during lectures often retain more than people who aren't. I'm almost never put off by a long wait or delay as long as I have a project with me! Welcome to a very rewarding hobby :)

[@booksandquills]

I was NOT ready for how addictive knitting was going to be before I started. 😅

[@jenniesaur]

I would love a video about yarn! I've been learning to crochet and knit over the last year and the world of yarn is still baffling to me. Teaching myself knit / crochet in the last year has been such an experience, it's really taught me to learn to sit with my discomfort that I don't know everything, and learn to be patient with myself, which have been such great skills to have. I've been inspired by your videos to try sewing this year, and once again I know it will be hard but your videos have shown me that it will totally be worth it in the end.

[@leenanorms]

yeah I totally agree, I think I used to be really USED to being bad at stuff when I was at school because I was taking 13 subjects and there was no way I was going to be good at them all - in adulthood we often niche down and stop being practiced at small humiliations and self-grace. I'm already working on the yarn video, it's on its way ;) x

[@SophieDnt]

I just started to knit 2 days ago and I just really needed to hear/watch/listen to this because otherwise I definitely would have given up, so thanks on that note!

[@BookNomming]

Love the fact you talk about learning and that it’s okay not to be the best at it or even brilliant. I love doing art but find it hard and really tough not being as ‘good as others’ but I do enjoy so I press on

[@cimoirine]

I am a knitter and I 100% loved this video! I want to see you knit some more!! Knitting really is passing loops through loops, passing the loops back and forth between two needles. I was so rooting for you! It can be so therapeutic, and at the end you have something you can wear! I agree with the free resources. Knitting can be so expensive but it doesn’t have to be. KZbin is the best teacher for knitting, and thrift stores are such a great resource. I’m proud of you too!!

[@emma.greenwood]

I taught myself to crochet a few years back and it probably one of my favourite hobbies. It calms me deeply in times of strife and is very high reward - great for the brain! 🥰

[@leenanorms]

Yes! I feel like the MH benefits should be shouted from the rooftops, even for those who don't want a million crochet blankets in their house ;)

[@emma.greenwood]

@@leenanorms totally agree!! And relate to the million blankets too hard 🤣🤣🤣

[@sallys.2707]

I taught myself to crochet and knit (i prefer crochet) and it's sooooooo rewarding. Even more than sewing I feel. Now I want to teach myself nalebinding, because : kniting like a viking with a needle and my thumb ? Yes please ! Also : circular needles for the win !

[@EstherAller]

Also second comment, it's called "frogging" when you unravel something because you "rip-it, rip-it, rip-it"

[@RoxanneRichardson]

One of the great things about knitting is that you can learn the basic skills fairly quickly and make useful, attractive things. On the flip side, if you have the desire, you can continue to learn new knitting skills indefinitely. I'm a certified master hand knitter, but I still learn something new from every project, because I seek that out. (I hear you on the Dunning Kruger phenomenon. I tend to shy away from being labeled an "expert" knitter, because I am aware of how much is still out there that I don't know.) It's interesting to hear your perspective on what you wish you'd known when you started.

[@EvaSkewes]

Last April I decided I was going to make a quilt for the first time entirely by hand. At just about every stage in the process I made everything harder for myself (modified a pattern from wall hanging to queen size, hand-sewed, hand-appliqued circles (moon cycles), decided to hand-quilt space-themed designs, created my own binding, etc. etc.) but I also don't regret any of the decisions I made because I taught myself something new and made a quilt I'm going to love until it's in tatters. I also found it really rewarding to teach myself something that had nothing to do with making money - it was purely for my own enjoyment or as a gift for loved ones. It was a good reminder that hobbies can just be hobbies and not side hustles.

[@elizapither4641]

I learnt to knit in 2020 and switched from normal needles to circular needles pretty quickly - as soon as Leena pulled out the circular needles I was like YES! They are so much nicer imo

[@Leenanorms.]

Thanks for watching and leaving a comment, message me on tele-gram for your prize👆🏽

[@literaturegeek1570]

Revisiting this video, I can say, I am very thankful I had a friend to just show me the basic types of stitches. It went quite quickly and she was able to immediately affirm, when I was doing things right or wrong. So big time respect for pushing through. And yay for neuroplasticity. 😁

[@asterismos5451]

God I can't imagine learning to knit without someone there to show you what to do and then point out what you're doing wrong as you go and explain how the stitches and needles and everything work. KZbin is amazing and I use it to learn funky stitches now and then but knitting is one of those extremely tactile things meant to be taught in person by someone who can grab your hands and walk you through the motions.

[@jesswen7485]

I've been knitting for 3 years now, but I definitely remember when I thought a 1x1 rib was a row of knit then a row of purl. We live and we learn 🫣

[@paperboundprotagonist]

Congrats on learning to knit! My aunt taught me to crochet when I was young and I recently re-taught myself. I'm having a good time with it, even when things don't come out as they should.

[@Leenanorms.]

Thanks for watching and leaving a comment, message me on tele-gram for your prize👆🏻

[@BuffySummersWannabe]

Frogging (pulling out all the stitches) a crochet or knitting project is a right of passage! Just like seam ripping an entire seam when you're learning to sew!! I learned to crochet a few years ago and oh my goodness it was so frustrating at first, but you are so right that the muscle memory makes it get so much more fun over time. You made a beautiful snood!! and hat!!

[@oheyitsthatgirl]

I’m a self taught knitter and my first project was a scarf of just the knit stitch just to get used to it. I think I would’ve got just as frustrated as you if I tried something more complicated. Glad you figured it out and finally made that hat! Excited to see what else you make!!

[@MaireColclough]

Welcome to knitting! It really is just pulling loops through loops and making holes look fancy. I'm so glad you found tools that work for you! I've never been much of a fan of straight needles, and kept thinking most of the way through the video that you needed a good pair of circular needles for that hat. 💕

[@SamWest96]

I adore this Leena. My whole confidence in my ability to learn new things grew when my daughter was born and she was diagnosed with anaphylaxis. In the last 2.5 years I have become far more knowledgeable about allergies than any GP and actually a lot of our paediatric apartment (told so by the allergy specialist we recently saw.) That's really shown me that I'm capable and intelligent after believing for years that I'm not. So my next projects are growing our own food, sewing my own clothes and painting.

[@rareopal]

My knitting really came along when I joined a knit club. I learned to knit as a child, but never progressed past squares and rectangles. I joined a knit club when I moved abroad, it met every fortnight in a local pub and everyone was so supportive. I learnt how to knit in the round, do colour work, try cabling and be a bit more adventurous. I really recommend joining one if possible. Online is great too, watching videos is really handy and Ravelry is a great way to find patterns and save your own projects! It’s so satisfying to put up the projects you are working on, make notes on any changes you made and take in progress and final photos

[@vargapaula6992]

I've only been knitting for a couple months and I've already learnt so much. Not even in the way one would think, by knowing how to knit a bunch of different patterns. I can feel a big difference in my endurance to figure things out. I don't give up as easily anymore. (After you spend a week trying to understand a pattern originally written in Danish not even knowing what they might have been referring to in English, you can do anything lol ) I also found the creativity I never had. Literally every personality test and zodiac description describes me as really creative and I've lived 19 years without knowing where the creativity went before learning to knit.

[@charliebirnie8052]

I spent years knitting large rectangles for a patchwork blanket. Recently I’ve gotten really into knitting and started crocheting, and I’ve been surprised by how quickly I picked up crochet. Like it feels easier to learn more complicated things with crochet than with knitting.

[@nataliesteffen6334]

I started knitting two years ago in the midst of long covid chronic illness and for me personally i think it was one of the biggest things that helped me recover to where i am today! it helped my brain fog, memory issues and fatigue - just doing one stitch at a time, just enough stimulation to keep me engaged and such a sense of achievement to have created something even if it is small ... i'm such a mega fan now, i get itchy fingers when i'm watching something without my knitting :)) loved all the things you said also around the ability to be a beginner, and it being a tool to help sit still

[@LiveMoveDance]

Exactly this! So happy to see I'm not the only one who struggled with the rib stitch as a total beginner 🥲. Kudos for not giving up and just making it work your way!

[@theprettypurplepony]

As a crocheter, I've attempted knitting a handful of times, got past the cast on, and found the rest absolutely impossible. I had resigned myself to never figuring it out, but this video inspired me to give it another shot and now I have my first ever lovely (wonky) stockinette stitch swatch!! Thank you for the motivation :)

[@qwertzufil]

I'd love to see a deep dive into yarn and maybe also fabric? Like combining the worlds of knitting and sewing and looking into options of finding sustainable alternatives of all kinds, or maybe learning first about what is problematic about it in the first place (assuming there is something incredibly problematic, there always is).

[@katerrinah5442]

If you're looking into fabric and sustainability the closet Historian has a really good video on sustainability and sewing

[@raahimas2776]

leena! i’m four minutes in and every part of this is sparking joy! i knitted as a child and i’m an avid crocheter and just picked it back up again this summer making loads of little squares and i’ve just started on a jumper! it’s making me so excited and i love seeing your knitting journey too! gotta love charity shops they’re the best and can often be crafting goldmines :))

[@Leenanorms.]

Thanks for watching and leaving a comment, message me on tele-gram for your prize👆

[@hepcatliz]

that snood! Well done! Good for you for keeping with it, the finshed hat looks great 🤩👍 ETA: it can absolutely be meditative, muscle memory keeping your hands busy. I crochet, and work from home. Ive been caught more than a few times in zoom meetings with a project in my hands. It weirdly helps me focus on the meeting

[@BaileyJadeMakes]

I love your enthusiasm! I have been knitting for over 30 years. I learned when I was 10 years old. It’s a great skill to have. And I agree, I concentrate better with my knitting in my hands. It calms me down. Congratulations on learning a new skill.

[@nylonsalad]

Knitting has brought me so many wonderful things. It gives me confidence and a sense of control. I can make beautiful, cosy, durable clothing for my loved ones and myself. I can learn to read any pattern. The options are limitless. And especially, as some other commenters have mentioned, as a gifted child who has never really learnt how to learn something and excel at something that doesn't come naturally and requires effort, knitting is teaching me that I can learn anything if I take the time, pay attention and persist. I'm proud to call myself a knitter. :)

[@raraavis7782]

Ah yes. I, too, made a feeble attempt to learn to knit this winter. I never imagined, it would be so finger-cramping difficult. Congrats for soldiering through!

[@singwhenhappy]

I have just recently gotten into crochet! Like in the past 6 months or so. I have a baby, and have been on parental leave. I found myself watching sooooo much TV when my son was sleeping, but I was too tired to move. I decided to give crocheting a go so I had a creative release, that was meditative, grounding, but also slightly mindless! I absolutely loooove it. I recently crocheted beautiful blankets for the babies in my antenatal group for their first birthdays and could sincerely tell them that there was love crocheted into every stitch. Highly recommend crochet! It took me a week or so to feel confident with the basic stitch, but the youtube resources are amazing!

[@amysalmon2290]

I think my mom taught me to knit around six times while I was growing up. It finally stuck when I decided to make mittens because I could see a useful thing take shape and not just a square of lumpy stitches with terrible tension. My favourite hobbies double as gift-making opportunities. After leather making, sewing, and baking, I have an itch to learn stained glass. I also have an over-inflated assumption of skill. Glad it’s not just me

[@AbbeyandMusic]

This video was the push my discouraged perfectionist of a brain needed to retry learning embroidery haha. As for a wool video, YES PLEASE. As someone keen on jumpers and sustainability/ethics (and your videos), there is nothing I would like to see more!

[@Leenanorms.]

Thanks for watching and leaving a comment, message me on tele-gram for your prize👆🏻

[@oliveheadwhoa]

Cross stitch is easier to get into, in my opinion! But both are very fun ☺️

[@AbbeyandMusic]

@@oliveheadwhoa Aw thanks for the lovely tip there! Appreciate the expertise ☺

[@hierismail]

I taught myself how to crochet in a similar way. 7 years ago I started looking for nice presents to make and found 'amigurumi'. So I started crocheting tiny creatures for my friends. Right now I'm working on my 2022 temperature blanket: a project so big, I never thought I'd actually commit to doing it. But I found 7 awesome colours in a nice whool blend. I told myself it's okay if it takes me 4 years to finish it, right now I'm 1/6th done.

[@Leenanorms.]

Thanks for watching and leaving a comment, message me on tele-gram for your prize👆🏼

[@roebearwhat]

I want.. ALL the yarn/wool/knitting content in any form you see fit! Love it!

[@andikelley2295]

Welcome to the knitters club!! It's a wonderful community. Try looking around for local yarn shops, they often have classes for all sorts of topics/are usually willing to help answer questions. When you're ready to try a jumper, I suggest the flax sweater by Tin Can Knits.

[@msandycm5120]

Leena, I've always felt your videos are relatable AF but this, THIS ONE, is the most relatable video of yours I watched EVER! It's like I was at big brother and you were watching me as I started learning to knit. I almost gave up, I kinda did. Kits are so misleading! I also started from a wool and the gang one and I'm happy I had a friend tell me to start with a kit that only asks you to do knit stitches! I'm still only knit stitching FIVE MONTHS IN🤣🤣 Yes, I need to branch out but I'm committed to doing a baby blanket that is all knit stitch and then learn how to purl. But yes, knitting is so much fun ❤

[@tatyclj]

I've been knitting for about 4 years now and it's one of the best things to ever happen to me. Having a craft but also a community I love is priceless. I'm glad you've enjoy the hobby so far!

[@anniewang3065]

Hat and cowls all look spectacular, well done! And extra points for the smart use of scraps! I'm a passionate knitter and I happily welcome you into the community :D I likewise started knitting as an adult and had many a late night of heartbreak at the start of the learning curve. There are so many wonderful knitting traditions out there, and not least in your neck of the world! Just as an example of yarn purveyors from the UK, I would recommend people like Marina Skua and Woolly Mammoth Fibres (aka Emma Robinson) as examples of both sustainable/local wool farming and natural dyeing. Can't wait to see where this may take you - knit on!

[@Leenanorms.]

Thanks for watching and leaving a comment, message me on tele-gram for your prize👆

[@kslaney4161]

Came for the knitting journey but left with my heart warm and fuzzy from that wonderful pep talk at the end about stretching your brain to remind yourself of your potential. Thank you 🤍

[@charliebirnie8052]

1x1 rib stitch was so hard for me to learn but it ended up teaching me how to recognize a knit vs a purl stitch when looking at my work which is a useful skill

[@lauraserafina5242]

Hey, you totally learned how to knit in 24 hours! Mad props to you for a) learning this by yourself and not having a knitter show you the ropes, and b) jumping straight into a garment. My grandma taught me how to knit when I was 13 and I would always advise making a square first to practise, which can become a dishcloth/cleaning cloth, and it doesn’t matter if there are mistakes in it 😊

[@knotyourcup0ftea]

As a long time knitter (I’ve got a couple sweaters and baby dress on the go because I can’t focus on one thing) and a long time subscriber this video makes me so happy. I sew as well and Lena discovering the joys of these hobbies is so fun to watch.

[@janievalgunn]

Welcome to the fibre arts community!! I’ve been knitting and sewing since I was a kid ~ my gran taught me. I also taught myself crochet, punch needle, embroidery, cross stitch and weaving and it’s such a joy to sit down with an audiobook and just make something. That’s pretty much how I spend most of my free time 😂

[@emilylouise9705]

Oh Leena, I'm so excited for you! Knitting is such a wonderful hobby, and the rabbithole really goes as deep as you want it to 😄 I feel like knitting is a hobby that gives you tons back even if you only pick up your needles occasionally. I'm interested to hear your thoughts on wool. This is something that I've been trying to learn more about, too. A couple of years ago (well, during the first Covid lockdown, with too much time on my hands) I actually wanted to try making my own yarn "from scratch". So I contacted a farmer and bought some unprocessed sheep's wool from them. At this point, it was basically just a by-product of the annual sheep shearing maintenance routine, and it would have otherwise ended up in the bin. A lot of farmers don't actually sell their sheep's wool, because it's not really worth their time - the money they get back from it is minuscule. Some farmers actually just compost the wool (as it's just keratin, it's fully biodegradable). I always think this is such an enormous waste, though. I mean, they have to shear their sheep in order to keep the sheep healthy - domesticated breeds of sheep don't naturally shed their wool, and so, without regular shearing, they would end up overheating, with matted wool that could become extremely dirty and attract parasites. Seeing as they have to shear the sheep anyway, I reckon we might as well make yarn from their wool? At least until sheep farming is phased out altogether. In the end, I did wash and spin the wool into yarn - it's a bit janky looking, but that's purely from inexperience I think. But it proved what I wanted to prove - you can literally take wool directly from the farm and turn it into yarn that you can knit with no problem, all by yourself! 😂 My next project is to try dyeing some of my handmade yarn with plant dyes - apparently onion skins have a ton of pigment, so that's what I'm going to try 😅

[@charlottea.m.9211]

It is so great to see you enjoy knitting! I love love love knitting. It started when I lived in Edinburgh when a co-worker showed me the basics. I was obsessed and learned everything else from KZbin videos. When I came to Germany I noticed that everyone here knits in a different style. Knitting is a whole world. But it is so rewarding ❤️ There are so many video podcasts here on KZbin and such a nice community. Have fun ❤️ and I would love to see if you keep knitting and what you do

[@Horsebuggy2]

did anyone else get lowkey emotional at the wholesomeness of the last 7 minutes or so of the video? big sis Leena coming in hot!

[@hazelpurls]

Well done! As a knitter (and other yarn based pursuits - including spinning - my profile picture is handspun yarn dyed and spun by me) it was interesting seeing how you got on with a "beginner" project (as others have said - definitely not a new beginner project). The long-tail cast on you used is probably the right one for the project - but is definitely not a beginner cast on (it took me a long time to learn that one - the diagram in books for it is unintelligible. KZbin is a fantastic resource that can be watched and rewatched and paused, etc...). Well done on finally knitting the hat - it looks fabulous - with lovely lines of decreases! There are definitely ethical issues with yarn and wool so it'll be interesting to see what your take is. Caution on unravelling old jumpers - many manufactured jumpers have cut and seamed edges - so you end up with lots of short lengths of yarn (a row's worth) rather than a nice ball (which is why felting is often used as a way to reuse old knitwear)

[@thomson4247]

Hiya Lenna, as an avid crocheter I highly recommend crochet! super easy, fun and sometimes faster than knitting. I would also like to pass on a word of warning, I too like to make gifts for people but I found that after a while that adds an element of pressure to this relaxing activity so maybe make sure you are also always making things that make you happy. Happy knitting :)

[@zofiabochenska1240]

I'm so impressed with a hat! What a plot twist - I saw a short with the scarf first, and I was sure that would be it. But not Leena, she persevere, and end up with a beautiful, colorful hat. Chapeau bas!

[@Leenanorms.]

Thanks for watching and leaving a comment, message me on tele-gram for your prize👆🏻

[@sleepingroses761]

Poor Leena, learning to knit with no teacher, and starting flat (the hard way) instead of in the round (easier for beginners)! 😯 My heart goes out to you. ❤️

[@Meagan-Renee]

Leena - Have you come across the wonder that is a knitting machine??? The charity shop may have one or two of those as well. They're SOOO satisfying. My mother sewed and knitted professionally and we had more than one at home that we used to make socks and hats. You just load on your wool, turn a crank... and poof! socks!... hat!... and if you have the back and forth one instead of the crank one.... scarf! and sweater! The point is, they're fun. Highly recommend... and you can probably get the old ones from the 1970s and 80s for a song at a charity shop.

[@ashamileswebster750]

I'm so here for a video on the ethical/sustainable considerations of various wools! Also, I really like the mindset of not only keeping going with a learning a new skill but also of that 'back of the mind thought' about if there's a societal collapse, it would be handy to know these things!

[@hollydaggar79]

Knitting is such a great meditative hobby! I'm in a knitting club in my city and made so many lovely friends through it

[@MelsGunn]

welcome to knitting!!! as a knitter i am overjoyed at seeing this! i love seeing people learn this hobby!! def reccomend sticking to circular needles, way less stress on your arms

[@GinaMarcella]

Welcome to the knitting community! You're right, it's a pretty wholesome corner of the internet, so enjoy it! :)

[@anncat1111]

Yes! Well done Leena, I'm really impressed. Soo many times I tried to break into 'this kind of thing' since age 5, and didn't get it for so long, eventually found crochet was my bag - I've made lots of granny square blankets, hats, scarves, bags, dreamcatchers, all sorts since then :) My mum got to a point she couldn't use her hands as much any more and gave me a whole IKEA bag of yarns I'm making my way through, however, I would like to from now on purchase only organic plant-based fibres, as man-made fibres are chaos for the planet, and I don't like to use animal products, so yes a video on yarn fibres and their impact on planet would be FAB for me - thank you! love you!

[@mktegaki_e]

Leena I'm sure you get few plastic bags from stores anymore, but you can remake them into plastic yarn for knitting, there are tutorials on youtube for that. So if your extended families and friends are hoarding plastic bags you could probably take them off their hands and make yourself some plastic yarn to knit strong reusable plastic bags. Also, an easy cardigan pattern is just knitting a big square however you'd like, folding it in half, then stitch the sides together leaving arm holes where the "fold" is and voila! (Personally my grandma taught me a little of how to knit when I was 9 but it never went anywhere, and when everyone was holed up at the beginning of the pandemic and doing new hobbies, I still had work but was jealous of the new hobbies so I took up knitting again and learned entirely from youtube.)

[@katarinajovanovic3528]

I was sitting here like 'i am a small adult with no hobbies at all' and it made me sad for a moment but then i started thinking about the little notes i write in cards or online to boost spirits and share my love, about the tiny drawings i doodle in notepads, my little oil pastel drawings, the occasional book i finish reading etc. And finally, the way i started studying fun facts with a passion, just to be a better team mate for our weekly pub quiz. I guess what i'm trying to say is, even though i don't excel at any of those things or do them nearly as much as i would like to, i do have hobbies i enjoy. Perhaps it's the same with others as well. Hope whoever reads this can also have this little shift in perspective: yes that little bit counts as long as it makes you smile just by thinking about it 🌻

[@emilykarell-chu692]

My mom taught me to knit maybe 15 years ago? And I still call her sometimes when I need help in a knitting project. Learning by yourself is quite the feat!

[@sarahcross-yw6ze]

I’m in agreement, would LOVE a video on yarn, but also a video on learning crochet!! As a self taught crocheter I empathised with a lot of your struggles in teaching yourself to knit. And having an interest in learning to knit, it would be great to see if knowing how to do one makes for an easier time learning the other…

[@Chitownreader]

I did the same thing this past New Years! I can crochet but could never figure out knitting so I decided it was now or never. Sat with my friends for crafting for about five hours, continuously getting irritated over not being able to get it, but kept pushing through. Ending up making a snood similarly to you. It was like I cracked the code and now I`ve moved onto making my first sweater! Really breaking it down into small parts and giving yourself time to make mistakes really helps!

[@quinnhasnousername]

this video really made me think about how I'm always starting new hobbies, the whole thing about your brain being elastic was an amazing description of what I've been going through

[@SC-kq7yj]

I am still fascinated by people from the UK knitting, you do it so diffrently to how I learned it and it looks so much more complicated. I should really give it a go :)

[@tobywollin8978]

Brilliant as always! Now -- I guess I must be brave because I had a mum from Yorkshire and Glasgow who could knit massively difficult Faire Isle and highlands lace jumpers. She's been a nurse in the war and had all sorts of dead time at night so having, as she put it, 'a bit of lace' to work on made the time go faster.(she worked at the hospital in Glasgow that was torn down and replaced with a memorial garden with a massive nappy pin in the middle of it) And my mum was someone who'd decide she wanted to do something (sew, refinish furniture, reupholster, paint the house, etc.) that she didn't know how to do and she'd find someone to talk to who was already doing it and ask how to do it, help her get the tools and supplies and off she'd go. In the summer, our backyard or the garage would have something going. So, the message I certainly got was, 'If you want to do something, find out/get a book/take a class and do it. I've taken workshops in: shoemaking, carpentry, furniture making, violin, grafting fruit trees, pruning, blowing glass, making stained glass, fusing and slumping glass, glass lampwork, pottery and the latest: WELDING. This was MIG welding and I have to say that yes, we were outfitted with a safety helmet (self-darkening, I might add), leather gloves, a shop coat and an amazing sculptor instructor who took us through the basics, taught us how to operate the equipment and after 4 hours, we all had lovely spooky black metal trees. It was brilliant and I plant to talk to her about doing a project together - I'm hoping we can combine furniture making with welding . Now for people here who feel like they are failures because they took something up and then threw it aside - not an issue. At THAT moment, you were not ready. I'm convinced of it. It's like toilet training toddlers - either they are ready or they are not. Sit down and think - 'what was it about xx that drove me mad? How can I fix that? Maybe it's a book or finding someone to hold your hand. Or maybe it's time for you to just find someone else to gift it to. The other thing (and this is really about knitting) is this: Don't be upset or self-critical if certain techniques drive you nuts. Just because you can't do Faire Isle multicolors in each row doesn't mean that you give up knitting. If you like multiple colors, find yarn that already HAS multi-colors built into the yarn. At the moment, I'm literally knitting a cardi for my grand-daughter out of teal, turquoise, raspberry, purple, periwinkle, and grape yarn. It makes different widths of stripes and has this sort of schedule built into it. So I get my color and mindless knitting as well. Knit ON!

[@as_creates]

Yay!! I love seeing you knitting. My knitting is more than just a hobby. It is always my constant when everything else is often in chaos. Wishing you lots of yarny goodness🧶❤️

[@ForTheLoveOfMusicals]

Knitting while talking or doing something else is great! I loved the professor who randomly told me I could knit during lectures

[@Leenanorms.]

Thanks for watching and leaving a comment, message me on tele-gram for your prize👆

[@Hello_Kristie]

When I did student teaching, my host teacher and I taught the more rambunctious 8th grade class how to crochet and the class transformed! We started reading the books aloud while the kids crocheted and it was amazing. It’s such a great learning tool!

[@carolinamanhaes2922]

As a person who has many craft-related hobbies, I can really relate to your enthusiasm. Finishing the first few projects of a newly learned craft always makes me childishly happy and pround of myself and also makes me feel like I can do anythyng (which is obviously not entirelly true but feels good in small doses kkkkk)

[@genny1765]

Welcome to the knitting community! So happy that you love it, I do genuinely think knitting is one of those most fun hobbies there is because you can make so much with literally one skill. I made loads of things without ever having to purl and then once I learnt to purl, the possibilities were endless! Yarn can be quite expensive but it does depend on taste, and I've done the unravelling a charity shop jumper thing and it's a lot of work but very satisfying! Can't wait to see what else you make! 💕

[@CatEyedFancy]

Good for you! I learned to crochet via KZbin video many years ago now and also knit, but I learned knitting from a local group. If you can find a local knitting group it's wonderful because there are so many ways to do different things and each experienced person you encounter can teach you something new and you'll also find inspiration for new projects, color combos, learn about fibers, etc.

[@domestictrashpanda]

you staring into the abyss as you contemplate frogging your project is the biggest mood that every knitter I know has felt lol (frogging is the process of undoing your work, because you rip it, rip it)

[@Que.SeraSara]

Just signed up for a beginners crochet class at a local bookstore! I will definitely recommend they get your book in stock (I ordered mine online and really enjoyed your work) thanks for sharing your learning experience with us. Progress not perfection! 💟

[@SpikyEaredPichu96]

Yeah when you got to the ribbing I wondered if the pattern needed circular needles. 😅 So glad you pushed through and have found a casual(?) love for the craft!

[@comeseeaboutme]

I bought one of those sets while drunk in 2019- and ive neevr looked back. knitting is whar's keeping me sane now. ive made several scarfs and hats, socks and jumpers and each time i pick a more complicated pattern. the more complicated the pattern, the more it makes my brain shut up. no space for anxiety or thougth spirals when you're knitting lace ^^

[@janebaker4912]

Knitting is great for anxiety! Moves my hands, calms my mind. So goo

[@peggychecksitout]

😂 having to frog (unravel) your project is a basically a knitters right of passage Leena, so a jolly welcome to the knitting club 🎉🥳

[@noraraber1419]

Yes, yes, yes for the video about different kinds of yarns and their impact on the environment and animals :)

[@marilee42]

I gave up learning to knit. Now I'm inspired to try again. Thanks Leena 😊