3-26-07
Hi,
I was 7 yrs. old when I was taught knitting. I think you
could try teaching her now and if she isn't ready, try later. I don't think it matters which method of knitting
you do or teach her. You can teach her both knitting and
crochet but choose one for now and the other one later.
Hope this helps.

If she wants to learn, she's ready.

I'm kinda a strange one around here, I didn't learn to crochet until 17 and I didn't learn to knit until 19. I wish I had learned sooner because I lurrrve it.

She might not stick with either for now, but she'll probably pick it up again later.

I say teach her whichever she wants to learn first, and then the other one, unless you don't crochet, in which case, teach her to knit. :)

Good luck,

~ Kit

I was 9 when I learned to knit. All I'm willing to say is that it is more than 50 years ago. :) The crocheting developed slowly. I found I needed simple crochet for edges of knits.

As for working with a 6 year old, I think I'd start with simple crochet using a J hook and worsted weight yarn. The hook is just large enough for small hands to get the
feel of it.

I'm not so sure that at 6, a child has the coordination to have both hands interact at the same time. Another couple of years on that I think.

Making scarves, bookmarks and simple hats would give a child a lot of pleasure and a great sense of accomplishment without too much frustration.

If she's asking then try and teach her. Even if you have to do all the casting on for the next few years......(I would go with knitting first myself). If she can do the odd row of plain knit after you do the turn for her even. It takes patience and children can get bored easy, but if she is asking then take this as a teachable moment. I would buy even suggest purchasing her own small needle set (they make smaller beginner knitter needles - our Walmart carries them) and a skien of wool of her choice (within limits costwise) once she can do a straight knit stitch. Getting her "own" things makes it such an accomplishment. Good luck, and get your teaching things ready.

I still have the green plastic crochet hook I learned with when a little girl. If she wants to learn teach her!! a simple scarf can change her life!!

Thank you all for your comments and helpful hints!! We went to Michaels a few days ago and she got to pick out her own hook (5.5mm) and her own yarn (Bernat satin in Flamingo). I showed her how to do a chain and a few ways to hold the yarn....I'd forgotten just how much coordination is required!! She quickly realized that she could make bracelets, hair adornments and little belts if she had a long enogh chain. Well, that motivated her. The next morning before breakfast and kindergarten at 7am, I found her quietly sitting in a corner trying to pull that silly yarn through the loop in what looks to me to be the most awkward way...but it works for her! Since then, she's taken her special little bag along on car trips and during quiet times at home to cast on a few more loops on her chain. She doesn't want any help right now with learning the "proper way" to hold the hook or yarn, so I'm just going to let her go at it. I'm soooo happy to have a little crocheter!!!

she make a small chain and deliver an inexpensive flower to her teacher/grandma/auntie/elderly neighbor this easter....with her own ribbon attached...or get her to do for Dad and tie it on the vase placed in a spot where she can inform one and all "I made that!" ....... Thanks for letting us know how you made out and sharing your little crocheter with us all. It's nice to hear of such little ones taking up the hook or needles now a days. Budster

Oh budster, that is a beautiful idea. at the moment her chain is about 10" long...and is she ever proud of it! I'm in the midst of knitting Mr Bean's Teddy Bear and each day she'll bring out her little bag of yarn and hook and says, "well, I might as well get some of this done too!" Then she plunks herself down beside me and adds 10 minutes worth of chains! I love it!!

My daughter was 6 when she started. She did the same thing -- chained and chained and chained, and was so very proud of it. She loved it. When she started to get a little bored with it I showed her single crochet, double crochet, and how to turn. She immediately started working on a blanket for the dog. When her friends would come over she would teach them with scrap yarn, and when they got the hang of it, she would let them work on her dog blanket. They all picked it up quickly, loved it, and did not need gigantic hooks.

chuckle, chuckle ... "well, I might as well get some of this done too!" I wonder where she has heard those words before, kickypants?
I am teaching an 8 year old how to knit. I am envious that her stitches are soooo even in size!! (So I am like you, "the proper way" to hold the needles can wait a bit.)

We're just over halfway through six weeks of "knitting At the Library". The local public library closes at suppertime and the librarian is a knitter, so she has a six week trial period to see if other people want to join her on her supper break. She said she would be knitting anyway.
The response has been great! With 8 to 12 people showing up each week.

jane2 - what fun! I would love for one of our local librarians to take that approach. I have been discovering fictional books with a knitting theme and have quite enjoyed getting two hobbies in one.....you might ask your librarian to pull a selection and place them out in case someone in your group wants to give knitting fiction a try. My latest read is "Knitting" a novel by Anne Bartlett published in 2005 by houghton Mifflin

Isn't it nice when someone takes that kind of a selfless step out of their own time. I bet it makes her feel great too! I'm going to have to find someone like that to help me figure out how to knit socks one day! I'm fascinated by double pointed , multiple needles! And I thought 2 needles were tricky enough!!