The ONE SKILL every beginner knitter needs to learn! - The Knit Chat

Welcome to The Knit Chat, a podcast where I talk about knitting, spinning and crafting in general.
Let's talk about the one skill that will change the way you knit and craft. Can you guess what it is?
You can find me on most social media as CloTricots
#knitting #podcast #fiberart #yarn

[@danielalundy1990]

As a teacher, I do not use "practice makes perfect". My mantras for students are "Practice makes progress" and "Perfect is boring!" I feel striving for perfection is an immeasurable and somewhat impossible goal. But measuring progress is much more concrete and attainable, and leads to more satisfaction. Plus it keeps the person striving, rather than trying for perfection and possibly getting there and quitting. Improvement is always possible! I so agree with your advice to read your knitting. I feel it is such a crucial skill and seemingly not talked about much in the fiber community.

[@cloknits]

Thanks for your comment, it's so important to know that perfect is not a thing in crafting!

[@Gporter34]

Thank you, Claudia, for your videos! I have been crocheting for over 40 years, but I have recently learned to knit, and your videos are so inspiring and helpful to me! I just finished your washcloth pattern last night and I'm watching all of your videos and building courage for my next project.

[@cloknits]

Great job!

[@jennistevenson796]

Being able to read my knitting ( getting better) makes me feel like Neo seeing the Matrix. All powerful and can defeat the baddies.

[@cloknits]

YES! Knitting royalty!

[@linelladevlin7701]

Lovely videos and so true. I am amazed u have only been knitting for 15 years. I have been knitting for 65 yrs, and only recently have I been reading my knitting, been able to fix complex mistakes like going down 9 rows of fair isle or cables. For so many years I just knitted like an automaton. I also have what I call stupid knitting which I do stuck in traffic, waiting at appointments or watching tv looking up. But the real joy is the complex knitting which I love.

[@cloknits]

I always have easy knitting for situations like that too. I knit while I walk my dog so it has to be garter, stockinette or simple rib stitch.

[@isabellecalleau1923]

Merci CLaudia encore une fois ! J'aimerais beaucoup que tu nous racontes tes débuts au tricot et comment tu en as fait un métier...

[@cloknits]

Bonne idée! Je garde en tête pour un prochain épisode.

[@asafirth4987]

This is awesome. I only started knitting this January and I’m completely hooked, but it has been feeling a little like knitting in the dark. I haven’t really understood what I’ve been doing. But now I’ve started “reading” my knitting and I feel much more comfortable. Thank you 🙏

[@cloknits]

It's such a freeing step, when you know how the stitches are made you are more likely going to want to explore new techniques and not feel scared.

[@rebeccakeller6141]

I agree completely!! As a tennis player, if you are continually practicing bad techniques, you aren’t going to improve. Practice must be deliberate, and you must be willing to alter what you are doing, if needed , to make improvements.

[@cloknits]

It applies to so many things in life!

[@cynthiagilbreth1352]

Do I read my knitting? Yes, but do I understand it? That is a whole different ball game.

[@cloknits]

😂

[@MindMuser]

I’ve been knitting for almost 20 years, and I’ve never gotten the hang of reading my knitting. But now I really need to :) I’m in the middle of a shawl pattern with simple lace patterns, and I missed a YO or two and - I THOUGHT I was reading my knitting, but the pattern is shifted because of the missed stitches! So - I need to read it more often. Thank you for the valuable lessons, I love your instruction style. Merci!😊

[@cloknits]

Yes, when it comes to making complicated patterns, it's even more important.

[@noradavid8275]

I stop too for the same reason. 😊 I thought it was my beginner's fear of making the mistakes I made before. Now I check for mistakes, for the fabric is am getting, and to encourage myself to keep going. Thank you for the tips!!! Much appreciated. I'll use them 😊

[@cloknits]

Thank you for your comment, I'm glad it resonated with you.

[@0707Denisem]

I just finished watching your Is Continental Knitting for You? tutorial. I found continental knitting a few years ago whilst looking for a form of knitting where the yarn is fed from the left hand. I didn’t know it had a name. I am a long time crocheter, and learning to knit holding the yarn in the right hand made me feel like I had 10 thumbs. I had no control over the yarn or the stitches. Continental is definitely for me! And I love the purling you showed. I kept trying the Norwegian purl, and after hundreds (seemingly) of time. I gave up. Your approach is so much more relaxing and fun. Now, if I could only learn how to fix mistakes. With crochet it’s easy to rip out a couple of rows, but that’s not an option with knitting. If I knew how to fix those invariable errors I’d be a happy knittter. For now, I crochet larger projects because I am NOT perfect. I’m new to your channel, but I will be a regular from now on. Thank you.

[@cloknits]

I'm glad my videos have been helpful. It's not always easy to find the method that works for you but when you do, it feels amazing! Fixing mistakes does take a bit of experience but the best thing you can do in order to rip a few rows at a time is to put in a lifeline every once in a while (you can always add a lifeline below the mistake after the fact as well) I'll try to make videos on those techniques soon.

[@annmariebusu9924]

Learning to read my knitting made me unafraid of making mistakes because I can fix it without starting over and giving up. Also how to correct mistakes. This was definitely the game changer for me ❤

[@cloknits]

Exactly! Everything becomes doable when you can fix it!

[@TrudySchwartzBurrill]

Hi great video. My art instructor mantra to my students was to experiment wildly with everything and then some; “exploring your ideas wildly” will make you understand more than you understood a few hours ago. 😊

[@cloknits]

I love this, thank you!!!

[@stevenstewart3414]

Thank you, Claudia. This is such an important topic! I am a new knitter and I often realize that I have made a mistake but don't know where it happened or what it was. Too often, I just unravel and start over, which gets me nowhere. I really need to learn how to read my knitting. I will be looking for videos that tell me how to read a particular stitch. And I will be taking the time to read my knitting even though I feel illiterate right now. Time to learn how to read stitches! Thanks again!

[@cloknits]

Yes! Can't finish a book without reading the words. Can't finish a project without reading your stitches. You wiil be so happy you learned.

[@katjafarbenfroh8646]

I thought everyone does that...:) I had no patterns as a 13 year old , so I had to try and look.... what are you wearing is it on ravelry? I like the neckline and the color, looks like brioche. Have a nice day, merci from Germany

[@cloknits]

Hi Katja! Learning to knit with no pattern is such an amazing way to hone your skills. The sweater is September sweater by PetiteKnit and yes it is brioche. It's a very cosy sweater!

[@redwingedfiber1066]

So good! Wise words. Thank you so much ❤

[@cloknits]

You're welcome!

[@felinesewblessed1218]

Great helpful information, thank you. I just found you, and hope to learn some things as a beginner knitter. One thing that would help your channel, is putting your videos in a categorized playlist so your viewers can go to their specific area of interest. When I find a new teacher on KZbin, the first thing I do is to look at their playlist.

[@cloknits]

Noted!

[@lisapettit7403]

Very wise words. I'll admit that I thought this was going to be about the importance of gauge swatching. I am watching this as I am trying to understand and correct a mistake on my colour work sweater!

[@cloknits]

Gauge swatching is absolutely important BUT won't help you get better if you can't understand what it's telling you 😉

[@lisapettit7403]

@@cloknits So true!

[@bsbshhhahga6647]

@@cloknits ok😘😘😘👡👠👒💞💝💜💛💚💙💟❣💌

[@anigozan3785]

This was wonderful, thank you. I so agree, and when you first started talking before you'd said what it was I immediately thought, what's the one thing? I hope it's reading your work! I feel so much more confident and empowered the more I learn to read my work. Thank you for this great chat. I've not been to any fibre festivals etc but I do wonder how to approach them - I have enough trouble just walking into a new yarn shop! - so I'd be happy for you to do a chat on that.

[@cloknits]

I'm glad I could confirm your gut reaction. I'll gladly talk about yarn event in a next episode!

[@armellec.4101]

J'aime aussi vous écouter en anglais. Votre voix est agréable et m'apaise. Et ça rafraîchit mes connaissances en anglais.

[@cloknits]

Merci du compliment

[@bonnadowns524]

Love your podcast 🙏💝🤩

[@cloknits]

thank you so much!

[@adrahtaylor7993]

Thank you!

[@peaches7551]

Will a person's knitting ever be constant, uniform and perfect or should I give that dream up and just enjoy that close enough is okay.

[@cloknits]

Perfect, never but uniform and constant yes it's possible. If you've seen my video on tension, just keep practicing with these tips in mind. You'll get there. Also don't forget that sometimes it,s the yarn that's not helping.

[@bethanybarnes3724]

Iam loving your channel ❤

[@cloknits]

Thank you so much! I love making the content.

[@turkish.knits.handmade]

!! You should do a series about fixing mistakes without unraveling it !!

[@cloknits]

I do plan on having one. Thank you for reminding me.

[@Meredith36]

💚

[@cloknits]

🥰

[@user-qo3du2jb1b]

Listening u speak about practice makes perfect in 0.5 speed😂

[@cloknits]

Haha that's great