starting out

[adventures_with_kat]

Hey guys

I've recenty lost a huge majority of my vision and have always been to art/crafty things and was looking at getting into knitting.
Do you guys think it is very visual?
Also any good book recommendations to use to help start out?

thanks in advance :-)

Comments

[tephra]

I would be one of those experienced knitters than can knit without looking at what I am doing. I think it's totally possible to knit without seeing it clearly. Learning to knit might be more of a challenge, but I'm sure it's possible.

I agree with all of the above, though by "big" yarn I would say no finer than worsted (category 4, medium) and needles no smaller than US 8 (5mm). Beginners tend to knit tightly, so larger than typical needles might be a good idea. Just be sure they aren't too big, because you'll have a harder time feeling what the knitting is like if it's very loose.

Pick a yarn in whatever color you can see as clearly as possible. If you can, wrap a strand around the needle you plan to use and find out how well you can see it on the needle.

I'd recommend a smooth, firmly spun yarn. It will have a more distinct texture for feeling the way the stitches are formed and the way the yarn is laying on the needles. Softly spun yarns can flatten out on the needle, losing their twist, and can be very easy to split with a needle tip.

If you have a dedicated yarn store (rather than a general craft store) you will probably able to get some help sorting out what you can work with and the ideal yarn and needle combination. You might get that help in a general craft store, it's just more likely in a smaller dedicated shop.

[attie]

Seconded on the firmly spun yarn! The top reason why I still can't knit without looking is because I have an unfortunately persistent tendency to poke my needle straight through the yarn.