Knitting is a timeless hobby. If you learn how to knit, you’ll be able to make clothes, accessories, and home décor for years to come. If you’ve never done a needlecraft before, however, you might not know how to begin. First, you’ll need the essential supplies: yarn, knitting needles (big acrylic or metal needles are great for beginners), scissors, and patterns. Next, one of the best things you can do is seek out a local knitting club or class. You’ll get tips from more advanced knitters and you can make new friends, too. From the comfort of your own home, you can find a variety of knitting tutorials on the internet with videos to show you the basic stitches. Once you learn how to cast-on and do a knit and a purl stitch, you can get started on these knitting projects for beginners.
Practice The Basics
As you get comfortable with knitting basics, there are many Free Beginner Knitting Patterns you can use for practice. Many knitters start with a basic scarf, such as the Textured Blocks Scarf, because scarves do not require any shaping. You just knit back and forth in a straight line. To learn basic shaping, however, you can try out socks or Classy Ankle Warmers.
Rip Out Your Mistakes
In an effort to get the hang of their knits and purls, many knitters just keep knitting when they drop a stitch or make another mistake. One of the best ways you can help yourself master the craft faster is not to overlook those errors. When you make a mistake, go back and fix it. Taking care of your little mistakes as you make them will help you get a feel for how stitches work and how to fix problems at the beginning. Check out these Quick Fixes for Common Problems to learn how.
Practice New Stitches
When you get the hang of the basics, challenge yourself with new stitches. Choose a simple lace chart to test more complicated combinations of stitches or learn how to knit cables. Sock patterns, such as the Leaf Lace Socks, are good for practicing new techniques on small projects. These new skills can help you give simple projects an extra-special touch. You’ll be ready to move on to advanced projects before you know it.
As you knit, keep this Knit Glossary handy, so you can look up any terms and techniques that have you stumped.
