Getting Started with Knitting: Tips from a fellow beginner.
My Granny taught me to knit over 15 years ago, teaching me the basics and gifting me her duplicate knitting needles. She passed away shortly thereafter, so having this memory of her is still very, very special to me. Also, it’s just so much easier to learn from a person (or a video, but YouTube wasn’t really a thing back then).
I dabbled in knitting for years after that, but never really got beyond the most basic projects and for several years I even decided it just wasn’t for me, I didn’t enjoy it, and I got rid of most of my knitting supplies (dumb!)
HOWEVER, these last couple of years, I’ve come to really enjoy knitting! I’m not sure what happened. I think embracing knitting as a slow art, knowing that it will take a lot of time, but I’ll have a treasure in the end, has something to do with it. It’s definitely a Winter art form for me, since most knit items invoke cozy vibes, so I’ve been much more into it lately.
So, I’m here to share some tips for beginner knitters, from someone just a little further down that road. I’ll also suggest some beginner friendly projects to get you going, along with some supplies you’ll need. And since this is a sewing blog, after all, I’ll show you what fun things I’ve sewn to store my knitting projects in!
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Since I learned from my Granny and sort of picked things up from various books and blogs along the way, I don’t have a sure fire resource for you to learn to knit, although I know there is a TON of instruction on YouTube and I’m also sure Craftsy is a good bet. What I do have are some tips to get you going and keep you from overwhelm.
3 Tips for Beginning Knitters:
Collect supplies one project at a time.
I said above that it was dumb that I got rid of most of my knitting supplies, but thinking about it, I’m not so sure. I had so many knitting needles, but never seemed to have the ones I needed for what I wanted to make, which was usually something small. The needles Granny gave me were mostly very long. My mom bought me a pair of bamboo needles, though, in a size 7, and those are the pair I kept and I still use them today. They’re great for basic beginner projects like dish cloths, so if you have no idea where to start, or if you just have to go out and buy some knitting needles, that basic size is a good bet.
But otherwise, I’ve learned to choose a project, and then purchase the supplies, which is pretty different from how I plan sewing projects. Trying to find a pattern using yarn you already bought with the one size of needles you might have, is less effective. You know me, I don’t keep a stash of much of anything (we move so much, y’all), and this also saves me money and makes me more committed to the project I’ve chosen.
Knitting is a slow art. Embrace it.
Do not expect instant gratification when it comes to knitting. I think this was a huge turn off for me during those years I quit knitting. I’d been crocheting since I was a kid, and crochet is much, much faster, so when I found out how long knitting took comparatively, it was a bummer. But, I think I just needed to get my head around it. Not everything needs to be fast. And knowing how much time will be invested makes me want to take my time even more and make sure I get it right.
Make the swatch.
I avoided this step like the plague for the longest time! Most knitting patterns have a “gauge” and what you’re supposed to do is to use your yarn and needles and knit a small square with the number of stitches and rows the pattern tells you, to make sure that your project is going to turn out the right size. Almost every time I don’t do this, my project turns out too big or too small. I made a baby hat that I had to wait til my child was five for her to wear, lol. My newest project is socks, though, which I’ve never knit before, and you betcha I made a swatch. It’s not wasted time! Now I don’t have to wonder if my yarn is right, or if it’s even going to fit. Of course, some beginner projects don’t require this and I’ll list some good projects to start with in the next section.
Beginner Knitting Projects
Dish cloths.
This is hands down the best way to get started. Gauge doesn’t matter, they don’t take a lot of yarn, and it really doesn’t matter that much if you mess up or if it’s a bit wonky. Plus, there are many, many patterns for these out there too, so you can build skills and learn new things with each dish cloth you knit. This dish cloth pattern is a very popular basic one, or you can buy a book of dish cloth patterns. I hate reading patterns off a screen, so I always print them out or use books or magazines.
Hats.
Hats are a great introduction to learning to knit in the round. I use a circular needle for mine, but have made baby hats with double pointed needles too.
Baby hats are something I made several of when I was starting several years ago. They make the cutest little gifts and are quick (relatively speaking, haha) to knit up. This umbilical cord baby hat style was my favorite, they’re so cute!
Adult hats are fun too! I recently made an easy hat pattern, but silly me, I wasn’t yet convinced of the importance of the swatch, so it’s a bit snug for my head. I have a big head so I should have known and made the man’s size! Next I’m going to try this chunky easy knit hat pattern instead.
Scarves.
This is the project that really re-sparked my knitting fire. I started it in the Fall of 2019 because I was doing a lot of sitting and visiting with other moms during my son’s piano lessons and our homeschool co op. It was something to keep my hands busy and I didn’t need to pay much attention to what I was doing since it was just knitting back and forth. Then we moved, then it was Summer, then I pulled it out again when it go chilly and I finished it!! I chose soft yarn in colors I love and I’ve worn it a lot! I think it’s really pretty and I was so happy to have finished something, even though my kids make fun of me because it was a two year project.
Here is a similar free scarf pattern to the one I just made. I stitched it into a circle once I finished it.
Other simple things I’ve enjoyed making are this simple coffee cozy pattern and a pair of striped fingerless gloves. I no longer know what pattern I used, but while I was looking for it, I came across these that I’m definitely adding to my list! I like these for when we’re taking photos outside and I need my trigger finger free, but my hands to stay warm.
Basic Supplies for Getting Started.
Knitting Needles.
I’m not going to tell you to buy all the needles because I just said that you should buy those as you go, for each new project. I do think that one nice pair of size 7 bamboo knitting needles is a good one to have, though. Otherwise, I wouldn’t invest too much right away, until you know what you’ll need for what you want to knit. Circular needles and double pointed needles (dpns) come in so many sizes, that you should have a pattern in mind before you start your collection.
Yarn.
Same as before. I know the yarn aisle is just so enticing and the soft, pretty yarns so beautiful, but don’t grow too much of a stash too soon! A few worsted weight yarns and a few cotton yarns (for those dish cloths) are ok to have on hand, though, and will work well with those size 7 needles.
A Few Supplies You’ll Definitely Need:
Yarn needles. Sometimes called darning needles. They’re plastic.
Things to Sew for Knitters:
Now for the fun part! I love it when hobbies collide, don’t you? I have sewn some pretty cool things over the years to contain my knitting projects. Since I bring them with me places pretty often, it’s nice to have a tote with plenty of pockets for my necessary supplies and a big section for my project.
For this purpose, I made a Maker’s Tote. This is such a fun pattern to sew!! I made the big version for a friend, but this is the smaller size and it’s perfect.
Since I had to buy two new sizes of double pointed needles for my sock knitting project, I needed a way to store them. I made a case for them based on one I made years ago for my crochet hooks. I whipped it up yesterday and it’s perfect! I have room to grow my collection and the larger pockets hold the few circular needles I have too. I didn’t create a tutorial for this, but I did write down my measurements, so if you’d like me to make a how-to, let me know and I will!
Your turn!
Are you a knitter? Or do you aspire to become one? If so, I hope you’ll jump in and just start. When I picked it back up, I reminded myself that all it takes to “be a knitter” is to knit. It doesn’t really matter if I ever make a cable knit sweater. It’s totally fine if I only enjoy the simple projects.
Chime in in the comments if you feel like I missed anything!
Cheers :)
Nikki
Becoming a knitter can feel so intimidating! From one beginner to another, I have tips for learning to knit, easy beginner project ideas, tools you’ll need (and ones you won’t!) and more beginner knitting inspiration. || Pin, Cut, Sew Studio #knitting #handicrafts #crafts #beginner
Don’t stress, make a plan!