You will need to register or log in. There are various ways of doing this – make an account or signup with an account you already have such as Facebook or Google.
I signed up with Google
3. This is a free resource which is also good to know! The website will then go on asking you if you want additional information, I said no to all of it but that is entirely your choice!
4. Then you will be able to access various different templates. The different templates are in categories of student projects, teachers & faculty, administrative staff, training, and announcements. I picked the student projects one.
5. Once you pick a category you will be able to pick various different templates. By clicking on the templates you can get a preview of what it looks like.
6. I chose the timeline template in order to document how the weeks have unfolded for my learning project.
This the video preview you see when you click the template
7. On this video preview page, you need to scroll down and it will say edit this template, click that and it will take you to a new screen where you can start to make your video!
8. Start editing!
In order to download or share it is best to upload to YouTube. I tried using the link from Powtoon and was unsuccessful!
Final Results
This app was okay. It is easy to make a quick video although it is better as a premium member like any app. I would have liked that there was more room on this particular timeline and being able to change the little pictures would have been beneficial. However, finding something that pertained to my topic was nearly impossible. I think this app would be awesome for quick projects in the classroom for formative assessment!
At the beginning of the semester, in EDTC 300, I embarked on the journey of learning how to knit. My motivation for picking this project was the inspiration of my Grandma! I learned a lot about online learning as I tried to teach myself how to knit from purely online sources. I look forward to outlining the process of my learning journey through the ups and the downs for you!
Recap of my Learning Journey
Post One:
I had no idea what to do or even the materials I should start buying, so did some research on this
Decided to start knitting a scarf….simple hey?
Got my starter pack…which turns out it was all wrong
Watch some YouTube videos
Some words of advice….do not buy fuzzy wool when you begin. Secondly, do not buy thin wool when you begin. And thirdly, do not get pretty pink knitting needles with no gauge on them. Fail!
Post Two:
Going back to the drawing board…I got the right materials this time!!
So I have the right materials, thick and light-colored wool as well as 6.5 gauge knitting needles
This week I realized knitting was not as easy as my grandma made it look
Started to cast on and I was very uncoordinated with this
Watched some beginner videos from YouTube
I also realized I was casting on wrong, oh what a learning curve it is
Post Three:
Very little progression this week as well
Redid everything I had previously done
Went through some more YouTube videos and recommended my favorites
FIgured out the downfall to learning online is no one there to show you the mistakes you are doing, correcting the bad habits I was acquiring is key
Oh yes, I also learned how to do a slip knot
One of the videos I enjoyed
Post Four – Trying different online tools
Critiquing different knitting apps
Realizing there are different stitches, this was part of my confusion in the beginning
The first app, “How to Knit” – shows various different types of stitches you can use, I only used the purl and knit
The second app, “Knitting for Beginners” – would not recommend this app as a lot of the pictures did not load. If the pictures had loaded I would highly recommend this app as it had pictures and videos, depending on what kind of learner you are this is useful.
My scarf has only two rows so far…yeek
Post Five – did you know Facebook has knitting groups?
I looked into different avenues and people I could connect to with my knitting projects as I was at a few roadblocks
I looked on Facebook for knitting groups, there are a ton of knitting groups
I am making stitches too tight, knitting is really all about technique
Look at all those resources!!
Post Seven –
I tried to make a how-to-video by myself, so it is not the best quality. I also used a new tool while demonstrating how to knit, which is Stop Motion Studio. It is a bunch of pictures that turns these pictures into a video and then you can do a voice-over also. I wish I could have had someone holding the camera so it would work out better!
Don’t mind my pajama pants ha!
My Current Project
I still have a little ways to go but I am proud at what I have accomplished. Here in the closer pictures I tried to show how I alternated from a knit stitch to a purl stitch giving the scarf a different look.
Final Thoughts
I really enjoyed learning how to knit! There are so many online tools out there that makes it very accessible to learn a new skill! Eventually, I am going to make a toque for myself. I got easily frustrated with knitting because I would just get started and then I would have to quit. Also, if the technique was not coming as I would have hoped I would just quit for the night. Stopping and starting the YouTube videos than losing where your hands were was super frustrating for me! I am glad I kept with it and learned how to knit.
I also found by documenting my learning, seeing the progress I had made, and the avenues I went through to get to being able to knit was encouraging!
I can see the benefits of learning online as we are more critical of the resources we chose to share or watch when we are the ones learning. A take away from the learning project is when you are showing online material in the classroom to be critical of the sources, also, put yourself in the shoes of the one that is learning. Would it be beneficial?
Finally, I am happy I had the opportunity to critically analyze online resources and learn how to knit! My grandma would be so proud.
Casting off is the first step you need to start when knitting, or beginning knitting. I used Stop Motion Studio to make a how-to-video with voice over. It was a tricky tool to catch onto, especially with knitting, although I wanted to try different tools to make a video!
I am no pro by any means, and essentially it would be much easier to have another hand while videoing a how-to-video, especially because you need to be so close! Stop Motion Studio uses a variety of pictures that you can allow to take at 1-30 second intervals. I am excited I made a ho-to-video while learning and exploring different technology!
Pinterest is typically my go to for ideas on projects, recipes, hair styles, and now for knitting too! I typed in knitting for beginners and so many resources popped up!
These are just some of the options that Pinterest offered me! I have been using Pinterest here and there to fix some of my mistakes (lets be honest…LOTS of mistakes)! I have found so many online resources on how to get starting with knitting, but Pinterest is one of my favorites so far.
First off, it is very important to know that there are a multitude of different types of stitches that can be used when knitting. There is the purl knit, garter stitch, reverse stocking stitch, and many more different types of stitches that are listed above. This was the mistake I made, I had no idea there were so many different kinds of stitches for knitting! No wonder I was confused for the first two weeks of starting the learning project!
One of the sites I got off of Pinterest was Five Tips for Beginner Knitters, and it had very important tips when in the midst of starting knitting. Although they tell you these important five tips it is also easier said than done. For example, no matter how many times they say “don’t make your stitches too tight” I cannot help but make my stitches too tight. My hands have no coordination for this knitting business yet, but it is improving!
If you can keep these five tips in the back of your head when you start knitting, it will make your life easier…I promise!
I really hope some of these tips help you on your knitting journey! Also, for additional help Pinterest is a great place to go!
I was on the look out for other ways to get into the knitting community and I thought what about Facebook?? I searched knitting clubs and came across a few that you could join. One of the pages shares classes and courses that are offered so that was pretty cool!
The reason I like the idea about Facebook groups is that it is an online resource but it also connects you to real people that can help you! Especially if you do not have a knitter in the family or a friend that can knit this is a great way to get started!
The Knitting Club is one of the groups I decided to join. People share their projects, give information on events in the area, ask for help, and allow you to come together for one common interest….KNITTING! The Knitting Club on Facebook is a small group of people of 79 members that are all interested in knitting.
There is also a Knitting Uncensored club if you are into that sort of thing. I know first hand how knitting can be, maybe this is the site to get rid of some of that pent up frustration! This is a rather larger group with over 6,000 members. That being said I am sure you would get help whenever you needed it with that many members. The group as a whole seems pretty relaxed. I enjoyed scrolling through the posts and seeing the additional help people were offering to beginner knitters.
Another great Facebook group that is worth a mention is the Knitting4Knewbies page. This is a commonplace for newbies to be. I have not investigated enough about this group, but I would assume that there would be some sort of tutorials to explore. Unless the newbies are learning from each other which could be a good new twist to things. I will have to investigate this one a little more, but I also encourage you all to do the same!
This could be the help you need if you started with getting started. For instance, for me to get started I did not know what kind of yarn I needed or the size of needles. Reaching out to people that have done knitting in the past or present through this or other Facebook pages would be a great first step!
I decided this week to look at two different knitting apps that could potentially make or break my knitting fun! The first app I chose was called “How to Knit”. This app was amazing! I have nothing bad to say about it so far as it had every different kind of stitch you could dream of. Although I am not advanced enough to even consider different stitches this would be useful when I get the hang of things and am more comfortable knitting. All of the various stitches link to a YouTube video for further explanation and to view what how to knit with various patterns. However, I could just go to YouTube as well and just type in the type of stitch I would like to create. Although, these are all different stitches that you may not even know that exist. This app may be a good way to get started app to find the stitch that is easiest for you.
The second app I looked at and tried to learn different styles from is “Knitting for Beginners”. This app is just okay, as a lot of the pictures did not load in order for you to learn. This app has step by step guide of tips, lessons and tricks, and video guide. One of the reasons why I like this app is because it shows pictures but if you learn better from a video it also has that option. I would probably have to pick the video because half of the pictures do not load. This can be very frustrating when a step is missed because the picture will not load.
My Learning Project Process
I have used various tools to learn and discover as much as I can about knitting, in order to find how I can do it easier and the way I can learn to. I enjoyed looking through various apps to find two of my favorite ones. I have been knitting VERY slowly!! I have the length of my scarf and the have started rows of the scarf. It is most likely going to be a very ugly scarf, but with practice my finished products will get better and better!
Stay tune to next time when I look at a different online source to see if they are useful and showing different tools that a person can use in order to learn online!
I have not progressed this week in knitting, as I have tried and removed what I have done constantly. I still am very excited to catch onto knitting. My goal is still to have a scarf knitted by the end of this semester! I watched a variety of videos. I will emphasize the videos I found most useful!
This is the picking part I was talking about!
There was a beginner video for knitting I tried. The lady on here knew exactly what she was doing, however, I have a hard time with the second part “picking” in this video. I feel like I do not have enough hands to do this part. But when further researching why I could not get this down pat I found that I was knitting too tight. I was tying skates instead of knitting a scarf that flows. So next time I pick up the needles I need to work on that!
This week of knitting has frustrated me! I will pick up the needles again on the weekend and work away at the technique as well as materials I am using. The downfall to online resources is that you have to figure it out on your own, otherwise you could ask someone that has knit to see what you are doing wrong. I find it sometimes easier to ask a person as opposed to being a self-learner!
This is the part I have a problem with!
I did not make it past the first five minutes of the video because I could not get the second part to fly. I will get it yet! But I can only comment on the first bit of the video until I move forward.
The first part of the video helped me understand how to use a slip knot and that was extremely useful! I found this video more helpful than the last one I watched (maybe because the title say knit even if you are clueless), but I still cannot get the picking part. I am going to get into more videos or other online resources to help me move this knitting process along!
If anyone has any useful tips I am willing to give them a shot! Until next time.
This week learning how to knit has not been an easy task! I tried a couple beginners knitting videos that I found on YouTube. I found that there are different techniques and perhaps I have to find the technique that works well for me. I have not found that technique yet.
I also dicovered that I started with the wrong knitting needles and yarn. I should have bigger or thicker needles for a beginner. I then went and bought new gear to get the knitting party started! My grandma made knitting look so easy, it is not easy at all! I believe once I get the technique underway it will be a less frustrating proceess.
The online materials I have used so far were decent materials, and if you have delved ever so slightly into knitting you may find these sufficient. The first video I started with I believe the instructor needed to show slower and multiple times how to begin. I found myself constantly going back and watching certain parts over and over. I still have not completely caught on to the knitting process.
What I have accomplished so far as I move on to different videos is shown in the photograph below. This is going to be a slow moving process until I get the technique down pat.
I decided to embark on knitting as my learning project for this class. I have zero background on how to knit, other than I used to watch my grandma do it from time to time.
Learning the skills of knitting
The reason I decided to learn how to knit is because very recently my grandma passed away and it was something she enjoyed. My goal is to be able to share the same passion she did while she knitted in the care home. I went to Walmart yesterday and picked up some wool (or is it called yarn?) and some knitting needles. While I was in Walmart I ran into an elderly lady and she explained to me what materials I would need. Very helpful!
My starter pack for knitting!
I found a few interesting sites I am going to start with and hope they guide me on this knitting journey! First off I am going to start making a scarf as I hear it is the easiest thing to start with as it is straight. I have gathered up my supplies and hoping I can get started on the knitting adventure! Stay tuned for my progress, good, bad or otherwise! I am excited to share this journey with you!
Britney Savage - Secondary Educator 