Learning to Knit Thoughts: Month Three Reflections on BiCrafty Bootcamp from the Marly Bird Team
Have you been following along with BiCrafty Bootcamp: Knitting Lessons for Crocheters? If so, then you know that Marly Bird team members Cryssi and Kathryn are learning to knit alongside everyone else. Every month, we try to share our learning to knit thoughts with you. We want to be honest about the ups, the downs, and the process. So, here we are with our month three reflections.
Recap: Learning to Knit Thoughts So Far
Just in case you want to catch up, here was our:
As you can see, we wrapped up month two learning how to knit a cowl in the round. Kathryn was struggling a lot by that point, although she was enjoying the process of learning how to knit. Cryssi struggled some, too, in the beginning. However, by the end of the month, she had completed her first knit cowl. And she loved it! She incorporated a lot of colorwork and was eager to begin month three.
BiCrafty Bootcamp: Month 3 Lessons
In the first week of June, we finished our first knit cowl.
Then we moved on to creating hats to match and/or complement that cowl. If you wanted to repeat the stitches you learned in the knit cowl pattern, then you were invited to make the matchy-matchy knit hat.
As a group, we went on to create a complementary knit hat. This allowed you to learn new skills while creating a hat that still goes well with your cowl. Those lessons were:
- Starting the brim on smaller needles then switching to larger needles
- Learning how to knit braids – specifically creating the Latvian Braid
- Stranded knitting in the round
- How to knit triangle lace
- How to knit cables and finish your hat on DPNs
Wow, what a lot to learn in a month. Here over on the Marly Bird team we started our hats on Jimmy Beans Wool SmartStix Interchangeables. We’ll have a full review for this awesome sponsor up on the blog tomorrow.
Month Three: Kathryn’s Learning to Knit Thoughts
Kathryn had some moments of peace with knitting in month three. She also had a lot of frustrations. She hasn’t been able to catch up with the group’s lessons. Therefore, she’s finally resigned herself to returning to the lessons at her own pace in the future, when the timing is better for her. However, she’s still here … she’s reading every pattern, she’s there for as many of the live videos as possible, and she goes back and watches the videos over and over again. She knows that even though her hands aren’t doing the work, yet, she’s still picking up a lot by watching Marly knit.
Moreover, she really connected with a lot of your bootcampers in a recent live video when she shared her struggles. Many of you came out of the woodwork to say that you, too, are very far behind even though you’re still showing up for the lessons. You’re working on your garter stitch or your stockinette. Or maybe you’re reworking your cowl. And what we can all take away from this is, once again: there are no knitting police. There’s no wrong way to do this or right pace to take it on. You’re already knitting. The rest is gravy.
So, Kathryn has been working on knitting a chunky garter stitch scarf on straight needles. That’s what works for her right now. And she’s marveled at all of you in the Facebook group and on Instagram that have soared through the lessons and done amazing work. She’s here to say that she’s proud of each of you – whether you’re as behind as her or so far ahead you could almost teach the class. You’re doing awesome!
Month Three: Cryssi’s Learning to Knit Thoughts
Cryssi had some struggles getting her knit hat to work this month as well. We want to say that this isn’t a reflection on the lessons themselves. The lessons make sense, and we get them. It’s just that sometimes life gets in the way. We would love it if all we could do all day was knit but other things happen and sometimes it’s hard to keep up with learning new things in the process.
The first thing Cryssi wants you to know is that she’s loved working with the Jimmy Beans Wool needles that we started the knit hat on. (We’ll have our full review for them here on the blog tomorrow.) She started the hat off slowly but felt good about it and was especially excited to learn the Latvian braid. She said about this, “I’ve even heard seasoned knitters exclaiming at how awesome that is and that it is a skill they haven’t even learned! WE ARE MAKING SEASONED KNITTERS JEALOUS, Y’ALL! How awesome is that?!”
From there, things fell off a little bit. Cryssi tried working on her hat when she was tired, and you know how that can go. Even as an experienced crocheter, you might find yourself making crochet mistakes when tired. So, she had to put her hat in time out for a bit, frog it and redo it. She’s determined to finish it soon.
Cryssi’s also been working at the challenge of learning to hold her yarn in her right hand instead of her left. She says, “Continental knitting has spoiled me and now throwing feels like I’m a baby giraffe learning to walk all over again! But 12 weeks ago, that’s what continental felt like, so I’m learning and determined to work on this muscle memory to build up my skills!”
Month Four Goals for BiCrafty Bootcamp
As you’ll see in tomorrow’s post, we’re going to learn how to knit mittens next! These will complement the hat and cowl that we’ve created.
Kathryn’s only goal is to keep up with paying attention to the lessons. She might not knit along, but she’s going to keep abreast of exactly what you’re all doing so that she at least has some working knowledge of it. She’ll continue working on her basic knitting skills as well.
Hopefully, Cryssi can wrap up her hat and jump right into those mittens. We’re going to work with Signature’s needles this month, and that’s something she’s been looking forward to throughout all of these lessons. We’ll keep you posted! And we look forward to continue seeing your work in the Facebook group as well as on instagram with #bicraftybootcamp.
