intro to knitting

Knitting can be a daunting craft. When I was growing up, I only had two thoughts when it came to knitting - first, that it looked really hard, and second, that it’s for old people. But I’m here to tell you that knitting is for all ages, and it’s a lot easier than you might think.

Learning the basics

If you are looking for an absolute beginner’s guide to knitting, I recommend starting with this Youtube tutorial and making a basic scarf - practicing going back and forth in rows, making knit and purl stitches.

If you are comfortable making knit and purl stitches, but you aren’t sure what to do next - I’m your girl.

Our next steps are going to be choosing a pattern, yarn, and needles, so you can launch into making an awesome sweater (or hat or whatever else you fancy!).

Choosing a pattern

Choosing a pattern is definitely the easiest part of knitting. Start with deciding what kind of project you want to make (hat, scarf, shawl, sweater, etc). One helpful rule of thumb is the thicker your yarn and larger your needles, the faster your project will come together. The thinner your yarn and needles, the longer it will take you.

For example, I’ve made this hat from Wool and the Gang, which has chunky yarn and large needles, and it took me just a few days to make. But this sweater vest, using fingering weight yarn and size 6 needles, took me almost a year to knit.

Some of my favorite pattern designers include Petite Knit, New Wave Knitting, ArtsyPharts, and Wool and the Gang.

For free knitting patterns, I’ve heard great things about the Hermione Socks, this beanie looks really cozy, and this sweater looks fun and customizable.

Once you’ve chosen your knitting pattern, you’re ready to move onto the fun part - picking out yarn!

Choosing yarn

I could spend hours discussing the different types of yarn, but we’re trying to keep this simple and approachable. The primary decision you need to make is whether you want to go for a natural or synthetic fiber.

Natural fibers include wool, linen, and cotton, and can be really great to knit with, but do get very pricy. Synthetic fibers are made of some sort of polyester, but can be just as soft as natural fibers.

Since this is your first project, I recommend going with a nicer quality synthetic yarn because it is a lot less expensive than wool yarn. Your local big box craft store (like Michaels or Joanne) should have a good variety to choose from.

Your knitting pattern will have a page that looks something like this. This will be your guide to what kind of yarn and what size needles to buy. Make sure you know the yarn weight and how many yards you will need before going to the store. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve gone to the craft store without my pattern handy, and ended up buying too much or too little yarn.

This particular pattern is knit with fingering weight yarn. Other common types are worsted weight and bulky weight, but your pattern will specify what kind of yarn you will need.

Another thing to keep in mind - there is no standard yardage for a skein of yarn. Make sure you are paying attention to how many yards come in your skein before purchasing.

Choosing needles

There are three main types of needle - straight knitting needles, double-pointed needles, and circular knitting needles.

For your first project, you don’t need anything fancy - just go with the cheapest pair of needles you can find that are appropriate for your project. Your knitting pattern will specify what type and what size needles you will need to complete your project.

For the pattern above, it calls for two different sizes of needle - both size 6 and size 4 circular needles.

Getting started

Once you have your pattern, your yarn, and your needles, you’re ready to go!

Remember that knitting is not a fast craft - it’s a slow burn. You are literally creating a textile from nothing. I love to put on an episode of TV or a podcast, and settle into the couch for a few hours while I knit my rows.

I recommend working on it a bit every day. It’s ok to stop working on it for a while and come back to it - there is no competition for how fast you can finish your project. The only winning is being proud of yourself when you’re done. If you do plan on leaving your project for a couple weeks or months - make sure you leave a little note with where you are in the knitting pattern, for when you come back. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve had to re-start a knitting project, because I completely lost track of where I was in the pattern.

I find knitting to be incredibly soothing, and I hope you do too! I think it’s so fun to see the textiles come to life.