How To Start Knitting

Learn To Knit- The Basic Guide

Are you interested in taking up knitting, but feel intimidated by all of the supplies and techniques involved?

It doesn’t have to be difficult- all you need are some basic materials, a little bit of patience, and some practice. With these things, you’ll be on your way to knitting socks, hats, and scarves in no time!

In This Article You Will Find:

1. Starting to knit: Materials

2. Follow these easy steps

3. Enjoy your new hobby!

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1. Starting to knit: Materials

Knitting is a great hobby for people of all ages and genders. It is a relatively easy skill to learn and can be very therapeutic and relaxing. Not to mention, an excellent way to keep your mind sharp.

Plus, it’s a great way to create unique, personal gifts for friends and family. If you’ve never knitted before, here are a few tips to get you started.

If you’re a beginner, the options for knitting materials can be overwhelming. But don’t worry, we’ll help you choose the right materials for your first project. The first thing you need to decide is what type of yarn you want to use. There are many different types of yarn, from acrylic to wool, and each has its own benefits. Acrylic yarn, for example, is cheaper and doesn’t require as much care as wool yarn. But wool yarn is warmer and more durable.

•  The first step is to choose the right yarn and needles. For beginners, it is best to start with the medium-weight yarn and medium-sized needles. Most popular yarn labels have a suggested knitting needle size on the back of the label. We recommend regular, worsted-weight (#4) yarn like Caron Simply Soft or Vanna’s Choice as they are easy to work with.

• The most basic needles would then be US7-US9 (4.5-5.5mm).

  

  How To Start Knitting

• A great set of Finishing Needles is also great to have to tidy up the ends of your project.

• A good pair of craft scissors too

Secret tip: Here is a handy Knitting Needle Conversion Table, as other countries use different size measurements for their knitting needles

2. Follow these steps to start knitting today:

•  The next step is to learn the basic stitches. The two most common stitches are the knit stitch and the purl stitch. We have online tutorials and videos that can show you how to do these stitches, but first, you must put your base stitches into your needle. This is called cast-on.

The first one is a video short of the Long-Tail Method, which is more complicated but totally worth learning. The second is a much older video we have but it shows you the classic Basic Cast-On.

After learning to cast on, you can then start to knit the Basic Knit Stitch. If you do this on every row, you end up with a piece of knitted fabric called a ‘garter pattern’. Which is made up of only knits.

Then, after mastering the Knit Stitch, you may want to try the Purl Stitch. If you knit one row but purl on the next row and alternate one whole knitted row and one whole purl row, you will end up with a knitted fabric called ‘stockinette’.

So, at this point, you’ll be very happy to have some kind of knitted piece. Most go for a scarf and I would truly encourage you to make one.

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes Everyone makes mistakes when they are learning something new. It’s normal, so don’t worry about it. The best thing to do is to relax and have fun. If you make a mistake, you can always unravel (in the knitting geek we call it ‘tink’, which is the word ‘knit’ written backward).

To do so, you can follow our handy playlist of COMMON KNITTING MISTAKES HERE.

 It is important to have patience and not get too frustrated. Remember, the finished project will be worth the wait!

Join a knitting group If you are finding it difficult to motivate yourself to knit.

There are many groups that meet up regularly to knit and chat. It can be a great way to make new friends and learn more about knitting.

3. Enjoy your new hobby!

How To Start Knitting

One of the great things about taking up knitting is that it can be both relaxing and satisfying.

The key to enjoying your new hobby is to find the right balance of challenge and ease: if you’re constantly struggling with complex patterns and techniques, you’re likely to get frustrated and give up.

On the other hand, if you’re only knitting simple scarves and dishcloths, you may get bored quickly.

The key is to find patterns and projects that are interesting enough to hold your attention, but not so difficult that they cause anxiety. In addition to finding the right level of difficulty, it’s also important to set realistic expectations.

It’s unlikely that you’ll be able to create a complicated piece of clothing or an intricate color-changing pattern on your very first try.

It’s important to give yourself time to learn the basic stitches and techniques before moving on to more complex projects.

Start with simple projects and work your way up. With time and practice, you’ll be able to tackle anything you set your mind to.

Finally, the best way to enjoy your new hobby is to knit with others. Joining a knitting group or taking a class can help you meet other like-minded people and learn from experienced knitters. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and share your own tips and tricks with others. Knitting is a social activity, so the more the merrier.

Happy Knitting!

We also have ALL KINDS of Knitting and Crochet Tutorials on our YouTube channel: From Lace Stitches, and complete project tutorials to awesome hacks.