Where do you begin when you are ready to start the journey as a new knitter? What tools are essential? Which yarn should you choose?
These are all questions that I had when I first started. The information is out there, but sometimes it can be overwhelming to figure out where to start. Below is a list of some of the most common questions:
- Knitting technique (English vs. Continental)
- Types of knitting needles
- Basic Skills to learn first
One of the first questions to answer is what style of knitting should you learn – English or Continental?
Oftentimes continental style knitting is considered faster. That may be the case for many who prefer it, but I have never been able to master it. My hands simply do not want to hold the yarn in my left hand and I find it impossible to maintain tension on the yarn. This leads to cramps in my hands and a lot of frustration. Why put myself through that? I tend to knit for hours on end and doing so while feeling uncomfortable completely negates the relaxing part of knitting for me. So English style it is!
It may be tempting to dive right in and knit your first project such as a scarf, hat or even a sweater. However, I would suggest trying out the two main techniques on an extremely simple project such as a square washcloth. Check out the tutorial for this free washcloth pattern where I demonstrate step-by-step how to cast on, knit, purl, read the pattern, and finish it up by casting off. For this project all you would need is a small ball of worsted weight cotton yarn (might as well make it a functional washcloth that is absorbent, so cotton is a good choice) and a set of knitting needles – 4.5-5mm. They can be straight needles or circular needles. I use circular needles for almost every project but it can be intimidating to start out using circular needles. However, if you buy a very basic pair of straight needles for your first couple of projects it can be pretty cost effective. I don’t recommend going out and buying a whole bunch of needles – regardless of type – until you know what you like.
The basic skill you should learn first are how to cast on (typically start with the long-tail cast on), knit stitch, purl stitch, and how to cast off (aka bind off). Reading knitting patterns is a skill all in itself. It is like learning a new language, but it will certainly not take long for you to become fluent once you learn the most common abbreviations and techniques.
Starting a new hobby can be daunting when there is so much to learn. Thankfully, there are a lot more resources out there now then there used to be. I am old enough that when I was starting out, bookstores and libraries were my only places to go – besides asking another knitter in person of course. Today we have so many resources to choose from that it tends to present the opposite problem – information overload! Check out the washcloth step-by-step tutorial so that you can get started with confidence.