Beginning knitter here, trying to make a scarf that calls for "fisherman's rib" and I cannot for the life of me figure it out. I have looked at diagrams and I have read directions and I have watched youtube videos and it did not help.

Any kind souls in/around Zürich (either left-handed and patient, or right-handed and very patient) willing to trade expertise for a beverage of your choice in town? I'll bring yarn and needles; you show me - slowly and repeatedly - exactly how I am supposed to "knit 1 in the stitch below", and then watch me fumble till I get it right.

I'm not usually (quite) this thick, honest...

Extra bonus beverage if you can talk me through my first circular cast-on too. I have a horror of circular needles which is only rivalled by my horror of short slippery double-pointed needles.

Tee-hee... I haven't in particular done fisherman's rib before but I've been knitting for some years, so I'm game for unventing just about anything.
(and I'm left-handed)

(and I almost always do everything on circular needles, but just do a regular cast-on and then join... is there a fancy technique to cast on a somehow automatically joined piece?)

Are you knitting English stitch or continental stitch?

I spent a good half hour once watching a demo vid and replaying it second by second over and over before I realised it was in continental stitch...

I'm not suggesting that you've done the same but you'll need someone who knits the same way for a demo. Unless they are a bi-stitcher...

What sites have you used for demos?

English (but I had to google the difference just now, so you may be onto something... )

Here's the video I've been watching:
http://vimeo.com/6255267

and some of the directions I've been reading:
http://www.haveayarn.ca/stitch/07_20..._the_month.htm
http://www.thedietdiary.com/blog/lucia/291

Hi Mathnut,
Fishermans rib is 2 plain, 2 purl. Make sure to start the scarf wide enough because this stitch will pull the kitting in and make it look thinner... Will be online again this evening if you need more help and if you need anyone to look at it, PM me Nice colour?? Is it a secret??

Just had a quick look at the Vimeo vid. My laptop is being too slow to watch it but I can see it comes from Drops and they normally use the continental stitch... (it was one of their vids that got me in knots, literally)

I often use this website:

http://knitting.about.com/

There was another that I found but didn't bookmark that had good vids for English stitch. Will try and find that for you later.

Have I been missing something about the new summer collection?




Having a blonde week. loooool. >> tags

I wish! No, the "fisherman's rib" they're using here is purl 1, knit 1 in-the-previous-row - and that in-the-previous-row bit is what's doing my head in.

It's a Mother's Day present (or perhaps a 4th of July present at this rate!) so yes, bit of a secret, but not from anyone on here.

Oh dear, it isn't enough that we have trouble with our fork...

You do actually do exactly what it says. I've done a bit to show you and will now hold it up in front of my screen. Look carefully.

If I remember correctly (did it years ago), the purl stitches you do as usual, but for the plain stitches you ignore the stitch on the needle, put the needle into the stitch in the row below and knit that. The 'correct stitch' just comes off the needle at the same time.

Have a go and come back if it doesn't work and I'll hold my knitting up again.

__________________
Longbyt

seems to be a few knitters in Zurich?? I am a beginner too and just about to move to Zurich. Is there a knitting club in Zurich?? we had one at Uni and used to meet in the pub once a fortnight to Knit, drink spritzers and put the world to rights.... anyone else be interested??

I was very keen to take up knitting again but after reading this thread, I wonder if I have forgotten everything. I bought a couple of books which I have not even opened but now I am thinking I will just see if someone else wants them.

This is the website that I used and the videos helped me crack some problems.

http://www.knittinghelp.com

Had a look for your 'knit one from previous row' but couldn't find anything on here but thought it might be useful anyway for other bits.

As for a knitting group then I'm definitely interested. Am a bit of a trek away from ZH but would love to come up every few weeks for a pub knitting session

I am a very basic knitter (and I haven't done anything for ages) but I'm pretty sure I recall coming across a Stitch 'N' Bitch group based in Zurich, might be worth hunting them out?

Yep, there are two weekly meetings: one on Friday mornings (I think) around 10 am-- not sure where, never been to this one-- and one on Sundays at 10 am at the Starbucks in Schaffhauserplatz.

Find them here. The Sundays one can be a bit irregular... I usually wind up going only once every few months, but there might be a regular crowd involved.. (and it's English-speaking).

Here's a pretty clear video showing how to go into the stitch below in English knitting. Your video is definitely continental knitting which confuses me too.

Thanks Longbyt, that seems to have done the trick. After staring hard at your knitting and watching saharanz's video about 15 times before bed last night I gave it another try this morning - and it works!

Ha, you sound like me. Started to learn when I was nine years old, knitted two thirds of a dishrag and then wandered off in search of other excitement. In the end I think Mom finished the dishrag for me so she could have her needles back.

I thought I'd forgotten it all too but it did come back fairly quickly (the little bit I ever knew.)

... and she's very, very good, too!

I've got two woolly hats, just in time for summer!

Ive knitted some when I was younger... but your post has inspired me to try it out again!!!

Where do you guys get your knitting needles / yarn?

Why DB, I'm hurt. You didn't mention the special banana cozy I knit you. Don't you like it?