Still working on my bookcases . . . with these choice goodies available to a good home, completely free of cost or obligation.
The ensuing discussion pertained to the offer of a few language tape sets, which have been spoken for.
Thanks for looking! Keep an eye out for my other auctions!
You should just open your own library, that’ll solve the problem. 
I started with those knitting books you sent me last night. I can’t seem to keep my stitches even and I tend to split apart the yarn by accident with the end of the needle, but I guess I just need to practice some more. O.o
Did you pick these up because they are Gaelic, or because they are Scottish? I stumbled on this with the first few books and tapes I bought, not knowing that stuff called “Gaelic” is Scots Gaelic, whereas Irish Gaelic is called “Irish”. I should probably get rid of some of this stuff, too.
djm
That’s very normal. Your stitches will even up soon, but don’t fret about it in the meantime. It’s not necessary for them to be completely “even,” as they’ll even out with use.
Also, the fact that you’re “splitting stitches” tells me that you have cast on too tightly and/or are stitching too tightly. That is causing you to have too little room in the stitch to get the other needle through. Thus, it keeps going through the yarn.
If your stitch is nicely loose, then you’ll be able to get through there easily. Sometimes, beginners think the needle is there as a “mold,” i.e., it shapes and sizes the stitch. They think the stitch has to be exactly that diameter, so they get the yarn too tight. Really, though, the needle isn’t there to mold the stitch–it’s just there to keep the loops from unravelling and to facilitate poking the yard under the loops. The shape and size are based on the length of yarn you use per stitch–a skill which will come naturally on its own (and sooner than you think if you don’t fret about it).
Even if you think you’re not doing it too tightly, if you’re splitting, you are. Try making the stitches baggy, instead. Practice with a few fat and loose stitches for a while . . . really huge . . . so that you’ll think you’ll end up with a fishing net . . . and see how much easier it is to get that needle through. When you do that, I bet you’ll gain some insight into how much looser you can stitch and how much more effective and pleasant it will be.
There is also a bigger gap at the bottom of the stitch that you should aim for. Pictures in books never really show this, but you can see it easily. You’ll have to angle the working needle (the one that starts out empty, in your right hand if you’re right-handed) down some instead of the way the pictures show.
I always had trouble splitting with metal and plastic needles–they seemed too sharp and slithery, just seeming to require too-tight stitching–but never did with bamboo.
No, I knew the difference. Finding one set too fast, I thought perhaps the others would be more laid-back. Silly me!
I tried to cast them on looser but they seem to pull tighter and tighter as I go down the line. :\ I do “aim” for the bottom where the loop crosses though. I just unraveled the little bit I did though and I guess I’ll start over from scratch. Hopefully I’ll get better as I go along. I mean, with 15+ feet of scarf to do, hopefully by the end of it I’ll be pretty good.
Eventually it should look like this (if I ever get the hang of it!):
A fine looking scarf that is!
Yes, you need to cast on very loosely. HUGELY loosely, because it WILL get tighter as you do the first row after that.
But, that being said, you need to do each stitch DELIBERATELY BIGGER than you think you need. Actually tug on it a smidge to get it bigger than the needle.
What most people do is wrap the yarn around the needle with each stitch. That won’t work. It’ll just be too tight.
The needle’s main purpose is not to SIZE the loop. YOU size the loop by pulling the right amount of yarn through. The needle is just there to keep all the loops from escaping and to allow you to poke and pull. The size of the needle does give you a hint about how big you need to make your loop, but mostly it’s the size it is to give you a satisfactory place to hang your nice loose stitches.
Beginners look at a knitted sweater or a swatch in a book, and they can’t quite see that the flumpy stuff they have in front of them will ever look like that. That inspires them to try to tighten up. What they don’t realize is that the swatch they’re looking at has been blocked and pressed, making it appear that the stitches are more uniform than they were on the needles.
If you are actually practicing ON THAT SCARF, then you’re going to be too tense trying to make it perfect. You might be leery of really letting go and experimenting.
So, why not experiment OFF the scarf? If you have no other yarn to practice on, you can use the scarf yarn. Just unravel it immediately after and wind it back into a loose ball. It’ll be fine.
Try doing a 4-inch piece with rows at different tensions–loose, real loose, etc. Since it’s not your real scarf, you won’t have to feel inhibited. You can have a good go at it, then unravel it and begin your scarf.
I’m not too worried about it. I figure I can always start over if it looks like it’s turning out badly. It’s not like I have a deadline to meet.
No. Learn the Scot. It’s better.
Cool. Do you get Dr. Who when it’s done? He looks ok.
I wish! I could definitely use a vacation on an alien planet in another time.