Ok, now that Beth thinks I am an expert knitter:D , she wants me to teach her. Casting on went well and she seems to be getting the knitting a little. We are having trouble in that when she watches me, she is seeing it from opposite, you know, looking me in the face. But, it does not seem to go much better when she is sitting beside me.

How did your children learn?

I sit Mandy on my lap, but she's not quite yet 4.

What about sitting side-by-side?

My ds sits on my lap sometimes when I am knitting because he wants to help me.;) I usually hold the needles and he gets to wrap the yarn around the needle. Then he sometimes puts his hands over mine when I am holding the needle to bring the yarn through to make each stitch. Knitting goes sooooo slow this way, but maybe someday he will learn to knit on his own and make *me* something.:D

I tried to teach Hannah (5 1/2) yesterday and she didn't get it. She wanted to learn, but then wanted me to sit and do it all. Will try again in a year. lol

I made dd learn finger knitting first, basically making a crochet chain w/your fingers. She spent alot of time watching me and one day picked up a needle and started a long tail cast on! After I picked my jaw up out of my lap I got her knitting in no time. She's blocking out purling for now. Her dolls all have plenty of garter stitch scarves.

oh and she was almost 6 at the time, she's almost 7 now.

there's a book by Melanie Falick (Kids Knitting I think it's called) it's great w/lots of illustrations.

In fact, I'm halfway through my first scarf and it only took about an hour! Anyway, I learn from that and then she sits beside me and we go over it again and again.

We have lessons that last about 10 minutes as she loses patience with it easily.

She casts on pretty well and she even taught the neighbor girl how to do that. She can knit stitch sort of. Well, she can do it, but she drops stitches here and there and seems to get lost in the middle of a row sometimes.

Basically, she's had 4-5 10 minute lessons and that's where she's at. She'll sit and fingerknit all day. Actually, she does it until the ball of yarn is used up and then undoes it so I can roll the yarn back up and she'll do it again.

At any rate, for us it is repetition. She can't really watch me and learn it. I had to walk her through each step several times before she got it.

Keep in mind, I may not be the best person to answer this question since I just started teaching myself a week or 2 ago...

My grandma gave her some needles for Christmas. They are like 18" long or something! Humungo! I'd recommend the shortest needles you can find. Seems to work a lot better that way.

What's finger knitting?

My girls have asked to learn, but I havent started teaching them yet. Im not sure I have the patience! I believe Marcey said she taught Hadyn while they sat side by side, but I cant remember for sure.

Check out the book Kids Knitting by M. Fallick (sp?) It is wonderful. That is how I taught myself. She discusses finger knitting. I love it but not sure what to do with all this I have know.