My Genius Hour Reflection: The Research Has Begun!

This past week I began doing the research for my Genius Hour project. Having never touched a pair of knitting needles before, I knew there was a lot for me to learn! I decided to begin my research online using the search words “knitting for beginners” and quickly found a plethora of knitting websites and blogs containing tutorials, patterns, and advice for novice knitters such as myself.

Choosing a Knitting Project

Originally, my goal was to knit a blanket. I searched for free blanket patterns online and found a few that piqued my interest. When I shared my plan to knit a blanket with a few of my family members who knit, they gave the feedback that a blanket might be too ambitious, overwhelming, and time-consuming for someone who is just learning how to knit. After discussing a few different projects with them, I decided that a scarf would be a better beginner project. I always wear scarves in the fall and winter, so I would love to learn how to knit my own!

Choosing a Pattern

Having decided on the project of a scarf, I began to search for a knitting pattern. I quickly discovered that there are many different types of stitches in knitting. There are several basic stitches such as the garter stitch, the purl stitch, and the stockinette stitch. There are also more intricate stitch patterns that use different combinations of garter and purl stitches. The website Craftcookie was helpful in my research as it provides a picture and brief explanation for each of the different stitches

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The majority of the blogs and websites I read recommended the garter stitch as this is one of the easiest and most common stitches in knitting.  You create a garter stitch by knitting every row. Thus, the garter stitch is a helpful stitch for beginners to learn as it allows them to practice doing a lot of stitches and to get a good feel for the rhythm of knitting.

 

Hosking, B. (2012, September 24). Example of the Garter Stitch.
[Photograph]. Image retrieved from http://bit.ly/2dTsIiN

Taking this advice, I chose a pattern that used the garter stitch as I felt this would serve as a good first project to learn the basic skills of knitting. I chose the Basic Garter Stitch Scarf pattern from Craftsy.  In the pattern, it discusses how you can adjust the number of stitches and rows in order to make the scarf narrower or wider and longer or shorter based on your personal preference. This gave me the idea to make a child-sized scarf for my niece. I have always wanted to give her a special hand-made gift and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to do so! After consulting with my grandmother, we decided that a good-sized scarf for a toddler would be twenty-five stitches wide. 

Macauley, V. The Basic Garter Stitch Scarf.
Image retrieved from http://craftsy.me/2cUGpeU

Being Flexible

It is interesting to see how my original plan has changed after doing my preliminary research. My original goal was to make an adult-sized blanket for myself. After reading various websites and blogs and discussing the project with other knitters, I decided that a better beginner project would be to knit a scarf instead. Then, after exploring a number of different scarf patterns, I decided that I would love to knit a child-sized scarf for my niece Chloe.  This was a great reminder of the importance of being flexible and learning from others who have more experience in the field. I learned that sometimes it is wise to adjust your goals based on new information you discover. While my ultimate, long-term goal is to knit a blanket, I want to build towards that goal gradually as I develop the different skills needed over time. Thus, my goal for this Genius Hour project is to knit a scarf that will help me to develop the basic skills of knitting. Being open-minded, discovering new information, and adjusting my goals are all part of the learning process as I explore the world of knitting! I am looking forward to the next step in this learning journey as I purchase my knitting supplies!