Giving Knitting Instructions Without Losing Your Mind
How to give knitting instructions without driving either of you to distraction
Over the years, I've given out my share of knitting instructions. I taught my children, my friends, and even local girl scout troops how to knit. And the one thing I discovered is that everyone has their learning quirks. Some people learn to knit without much struggle. Others go crazy with the process. So if you're thinking of doing some teaching of your own, here are some tips to help you out.
1. Forget about the knitting pattern
When I'm teaching someone how to knit, I teach them to knit a simple square dishcloth using only the knit stitch. Unless you're dealing with a knitting prodigy, anything else is too complicated and only leads to frustration.
2. Go step by step
As with any directions, the best knitting instructions don't jump the gun. Follow the logical order. In other words, don't start explaining casting off before you get there: just instruct the person to bring you their knitting when they reach that point.
3. Use analogies
Depending on the age of the student, analogies really help remember the steps. When I'm teaching children, for example, I explain casting on as a rabbit going up a hole, getting a treat, bringing it back, and putting it on the shelf with the other treats. Once we get to knitting, I say the rabbit got greedy: now he's not only getting his treat, he's knocking everyone else's down!
4. Don't be a slave to tradition
By all means, show the person how you knit. But if something different works for them, don't be too quick to correct it. Unless they're really botching their knitting and forming a terrible lifelong habit, let them pursue the craft in their own way -- that's part of its appeal, after all.
5. Be patient
This is the biggie. Often when I give people knitting instructions, they expect to master it immediately, leading to a great deal of frustration on their part (and consequently, mine). Take a deep breath and show them again. Don't be afraid to take a break, either. Let the student set the pace, and try not to show impatience.
If you follow these guidelines, you'll have your friends and family knitting in no time. Giving knitting instructions is nowhere near as hard as it sounds.
