Trying soooo hard to figure out this knitting thing...

[hbangthompson]

I've gotten books, and I can knit and purl and a couple of other basic things. Someone told me baby booties were easy, so I should try one. I started a "simple" garter stitch booty, and I'm finding that it's not quite so easy. I'm stuck at a place where it tells me to: "Break off yarn. Rejoin at base of instep..." What in the world does this mean, and where does one learn what these instructions mean? I have been working with Debbie Bliss' Learn to Knit Book and I have to say, it's not all THAT helpful...especially since the booty pattern is hers (from a different book). I so want to be able to knit something else besides scarves...but am getting so discouraged quickly! anyone??

[shishamo]

Hi,

I'm sorry you are having a hard time! Basicly, 'break off yarn' means cut the yarn (leaving about 6-8 inches maybe do that you can weave in easily). 'rejoin at the base of instep' means to start knitting at the base of instep, and just use the yarn that you just cut off. Does that make sense? I'm really tired now, just came back home, I may not be making sense. Please post again if this doesn't make any sense :)

[christic]

I know that pattern well!, the roll-op booties, right? It will get easier, but you're definitely at the hardest part of the pattern. Basically she wants you to cut the yarn as described above, and then pick up stitches along the instep so that you can start working down the sides of the booty to the sole. I think Debbie Bliss does a particularly poor job of describing this though. It took a lot of rummaging through knitting books to finally figure it out.

Here's a web site with a decent picture of what the picking up part looks like:

http://www.sweaterscapes.com/pickupst.htm

What you'll do is pick up stitches along one side of the instep, then knit around the toe, then pick up another set of stitches on the other side of the instep. It's a little awkward at first, but once you get the hang of it you'll be able to make about half of all the bootie patterns out there. Most seem to be this same pattern with variations on the cuff.

Hope this makes sense!