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Can any of your children or grandchildren knit?

(52 Posts)
Daddima Fri 27-Dec-19 18:53:24

The sewing machine thread made me realise that neither of my granddaughters or indeed any of my sons/ grandsons can knit. In my day, knitting was taught in school ( albeit only to girls!), though my granny had already taught my cousin and me to knit.

TrendyNannie6 Fri 27-Dec-19 18:57:06

No none of my grandchildren can knit

Chewbacca Fri 27-Dec-19 19:01:08

I've just taught my 7 year old granddaughter to knit. She'd tried a couple of times before but couldn't get the hang of it and so I waited until just before Christmas and tried a different way of teaching her. Suddenly, she got it! Now she's wanting to teach her mummy!

tanith Fri 27-Dec-19 19:03:03

My daughters both knit and I’ve started teaching a GD but she’s really struggling to get the hang of it I don’t know if dyslexia might have something to do with it. My eldest daughter is very good better than me for sure.

Doodledog Fri 27-Dec-19 19:04:53

Neither of my children (one girl, one boy) was interested in knitting, although I have knitted since I was a child. Boys and girls were both taught in my school, although we made different things.

I wonder if it skips a generation? My grandmother was a knitter, but my mum didn't knit (although she knew how). I think the fact that she knew her own mother would make things for her meant that she didn't have to do it herself, and perhaps my children feel the same.

I am knitting a jumper for my daughter just now, which reminds me that I need to finish it before she leaves tomorrow, or I will end up having to post it to her.

GagaJo Fri 27-Dec-19 19:06:10

No. But I taught a friend of mine to knit. She can now knit from patterns, something I've never been able to do.

My daughter CAN sew though. Resisted all of my attempts to teach her and then took it up as a hobby herself at 20.

NanaandGrampy Fri 27-Dec-19 19:33:08

Neither of my daughters can or want to but I taught my now 13 year old Grandaughter when she was about 6 .

She enjoyed it so now I spend an hour in our local library once a week teaching any of the local primary school children that are interested .

HettyMaud Fri 27-Dec-19 19:36:07

My daughter went to lessons in a knitting shop here and now she's brilliant. I've never managed to learn though I've tried many times. My problem is putting myself right when I've gone wrong. Would love to do it as I love knitted things.

Chardy Fri 27-Dec-19 19:51:51

Tanith, it could be dyspraxia

etheltbags1 Fri 27-Dec-19 19:55:09

My 7 year old he can sew but so far has resisted my attempts at knitting or crotchet
, however her mother can crotchet

BBbevan Fri 27-Dec-19 19:55:11

I taught GD1 to knit when she was 9. She was staying with us at the time and knitted a credible scarf over the week. I sent her home with wool and needles, but I think she didn't carry on. Her mother could not knit so when GD hit a problem there was no one to help. Perhaps she will return to it when older .

threexnanny Fri 27-Dec-19 20:02:19

None seem to have the patience. I think they see me knitting quickly and think they should be able to do the same immediately. However, I have one who has learnt to sew very well now.

FlexibleFriend Fri 27-Dec-19 20:02:23

Neither of my sons knit, I can but don't and my Daughter in law can and does, she's 26. Grandson is too young at 10 months.

CanadianGran Fri 27-Dec-19 21:21:46

No knitters in my next generation. My mother was a wonderfully talented knitter; I can knit but am certainly not the expert. Of my 3 now grown children, only my middle son was interested, but attention lasted only for a few rows at a time.

SueDonim Fri 27-Dec-19 21:22:42

My two dds knit but not very proficiently. They’re both left-handed and I’m not, which has caused confusion. I’ve had no luck teaching them to crochet at all. I don’t understand why they don’t understand what they’re supposed to do! tchgrin

Witzend Fri 27-Dec-19 21:30:49

Neither of my dds can, and Gdcs are too young.
One dd did once want to learn, but had zero patience to persevere with it.

I was never taught at school. My mother taught me initially, and we had to knit at Brownies, but I was still very slow and rubbish at it at that stage, and hated it.
I came to enjoy it much later.

MamaCaz Fri 27-Dec-19 21:45:25

My six year old GD is keen to learn to knit. I have given her a few short lessons, and she manages to do a short row, with me close by to sort any problems,, but her concentration soon goes.
The trouble is, I no longer see her regularly, and her parents can't knit, so. she can't practise at home and by the time I see her again she has forgotten how to do it.

grannyactivist Fri 27-Dec-19 21:49:06

I taught my son to knit, at his request, when he was at infant school. He caught on very quickly so I then paid an elderly lady (who was very lonely) to give him weekly lessons, which was good for both of them. He is now nearly thirty and is a superb knitter and has also taught himself to crochet. He knits for his son and often creates wonderful gifts for close family members.

SirChenjin Fri 27-Dec-19 21:54:25

No, none of my DCs can knit. DD did show a very brief interest in learning many years ago but she soon got bored and the DSs haven’t ever shown the slightest inclination to learn.

allule Fri 27-Dec-19 22:06:30

As a young teacher, in 1964, two classes were combined for the boys to do handicraft, and the girls various kinds of needlework. I was delegated to teach thirty 9 year old girls knitting - knowing only the most basic stitches myself.
Luckily, at that time, many girls were proficient knitters, so I rearranged the class pairing knitters and beginners, and left the teaching to them!

Grammaretto Fri 27-Dec-19 22:32:53

At secondary school our 1st year class were set to knit squares to make patchwork blankets for sending somewhere. India? I panicked because I couldn't knit but DM reluctantly showed me and corrected my mistakes. I completed one square.
I must have remembered how because when pregnant for the first time I knitted booties and hat and later made many sweaters until the DC no longer wore them.
I tried unsuccessfully to interest my DC.
However my DGD aged 13 is an avid knitter. Her other granny taught her. wink
Now that she is a mum, DD has crocheted hats and scarves for her DC. I believe she went to classes at the wool shop.
No-one I know was taught at school, but it's definitely coming back and our knitting group attracts youngsters especially the young travellers from Europe. We go to Woolfest each year.

dragonfly46 Fri 27-Dec-19 22:38:45

Yes my DS can knit and sew. Strangely my DD can’t even sew on a button!
My grandma taught me to knit and crochet and my mum taught me to sew.

Calendargirl Sat 28-Dec-19 07:50:46

Forget the children and grandchildren, I can’t knit myself! At primary school knitted a doll’s scarf, looked like someone had eaten a chunk out of one side. Never attempted anything else. If someone casts on for me I could do a bit of plain knitting, cannot do purl or cast off. Totally uninterested in sewing also, I wish I was good at crafts like these but it just isn’t me. Greatly admire anyone who is.

Niobe Sat 28-Dec-19 10:22:45

I learned in primary school and we made things like a hat, scarf, mittens and eventually socks too.

Our teacher got frustrated at the noise 40 girls made as they chatted as they knitted so she would pick a book and she, or one of us , would take it in turns to read to the class as they knitted. It introduced me to the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew books.

goldengirl Sat 28-Dec-19 10:25:33

I enjoy knitting - though only relatively simple things now - so I was pleased that my GS had taken it up. In fact for a while he took his knitting wherever he went and made some pocket money from his efforts!