I can knit! Totally! My KNITTED Shawl of Secrets is all done, and it is totally stunning, even if I say so myself. Knitting is not as hard as it looks, if I can do it, you can do it.
Resources
- Shawl of Secrets Pattern – English Print, Dutch Print (Nederlands), Digital download on Ravelry
- Scheepjes Secret Garden yarn
- Knitting needles starter set
Materials
To make a Shawl of Secrets you need
- Written pattern which is available in an After Party booklet in English Print, Dutch Print (Nederlands), or as a digital download on Ravelry.
- 7 balls of Secret Garden yarn
- 4.5mm or 5mm knitting needles
Scheepjes Secret Garden is available from Wool Warehouse (UK/Int), Caro’s Atelier (NL/EU), Love Crafts (US), and many other Scheepjes stockists.
My Shawl of Secrets
The goal of me knitting this shawl was to learn to knit. I didn’t really know where to start so I asked my friend Tammy from Canadutch how to go about learning to knit. She advised me to look into the work by Staci from Very Pink. Really, this lady is great. In her knitting library she shows you exactly what to do, what to watch out for and assumes nothing. Kind of like I do for crochet 😉 I watched some of her videos and a few hours later I was making my shawl.
I have learned that knitting is actually very easy. All it boils down to really are two stitches, the rest is all a variation on those two stitches. I can do the knit stitch, and I can do the purl stitch, so I guess I can knit! I am not knitting completely as you are supposed to, I have my own unique version of continental knitting going on here because I am used to holding my yarn in my left hand and holding it in a certain way that works for crochet, but it’s also working for my knitting and I guess that’s all that matters.
To be able to make the Shawl of Secrets you need to be able to do knit stitches, pearl stitches, yarn over to make an increase, keep track of stitches by using a stitch marker and be able to count. Don’t underestimate how hard it is to count! I have already worked too many rows in knit stitch and then had to do less rows in garter stitch to compensate. Ooee, learning the knitting vocabulary already and fudging where needed. I am soon to be a pro at this rate.
This shawl is a great pattern for beginners because the pattern is rows of knit stitches or purl stitches which then get new names, but that is all it comes down to. You increase every second row by doing a yarn over, and that’s it. The first few rows of the pattern are a bit tricky with short rows of 2 stitches which you then have to turn to pick up 7 stitches. I just cast on 7 stitches and took it from there, much easier.
I showed my knitted shawl to the knitting ladies from our bloggers group, and Tammy was totally happy. She just about welcomed me to the dark side and had visions of knitting tutorials. No knitting tutorials, for that I don’t feel comfortable enough at this point, but I am going to knit a bit on the side on a regular basis.
My next challenge, socks! I have always wanted to have a pair of hand knitted socks. I have loads of sock-yarn in my stash and I have invested in some thinner knitting needles for sock knitting. Now to find a nice beginner pattern. This might take a while longer than the shawl, but I will tell you more when I have knitted part of a sock, promise.
With love,
Esther
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Dag Esther,
schitterend wat je gemaakt hebt, zonder veel voorkennis en op zo’n korte tijd, chapeau !
Good on you, wow, you finished it so fast! I can knit a bit but I’m slow as a snail, crochet seems so much easier. ? Your shawl is absolutely lovely!
I miss knitting! I was taught to knit by my maternal grandmother when I was little, but I haven’t been able to knit in recent years as it makes my hands go numb to hold the needles. I do occasionally pick up a small project, but I have become so enthralled with crochet since teaching myself from a book while moving house in 2010 that knitting just hasn’t had a look-in! I must admit: I do prefer the versatility of crochet, but I can knit any pattern I can memorise with my eyes closed! I have a *lot* of projects on the go at the moment, but will have to pick up the needles again soon: nothing compares to a pair of hand knitted socks!
Esther try looking at Winwick Mon’s knitting site… she has a sock site withgreat beginnier patterns! LOVE your shawl!!!!
Thanks for the tip
Excellent job! I knew you could do it ?
I hope one day you video some tutorials. I love learning from your videos!
This is lovely. Ooh for socks check out Winwick mum on Facebook she has a beginner sock pattern that is easy to follow ?
Amazing! You are smazing!
Theun was al bang dat hij de rest van zijn leven geen nieuwe gebreide sokken meer zou krijgen ??
De mohair en alpaca rythm breit prachtig en voelt heerlijk aan!
It looks lovely! Congratulations.
I am very impressed that you knitted it so fast !, and for your first project. Looks lovely. I have also heard praises of Winwick mom, but I would also recommend Elisabeth Wetsch also known as nadelspiel.com. She has A LOT of videos, and the main part is about sockknitting. most of the videos is in German, but she has started to do them in English as well. I think she is not known as well as she deserves, but that is just my oppinion.
good luck with the sockknitting 🙂
Hi Esther,
I really really really do appreciate your video tutorials and I am wondering if you will do some knitting ones.
no, not at this point 🙂 I don’t consider myself good enough
Ziet er prachtig uit. Ik heb ook net het patroon gekocht en probeer het patroon te begrijpen. Wat bedoel je met :I just cast on 7 stitches? In het begin bij de 2 steken? Vind dat ook een lastig stuk. Ik brei nog niet zo lang en jouw tip is makkelijker zeg je. Graag hoor ik hoe je dit hebt gedaan ?
ja, ik heb dat stukje van een aantal rijen 2 steken breien en dan steken ophalen heb ik gewoon overgeslagen. Ik snapte er niets van. Ergens in het patroon heb je dan 7 steken en dan begint het echte patroon. Daar ben ik gewoon begonnen met 7 steken opzetten.
Ik heb het garen al sinds augustus liggen. Ik ben al een paar keer begonnen en snap er niks van. Geweldig idee van je om gewoon 7 steken op te zetten! Ga ik ook doen.
Ik snapte er ook helemaal niets van, lussen ophalen en draaien en toestanden. moet makkelijker kunnen dacht ik 🙂