How to Knit for the Beginner

How to Knit     by Janice Jones     

Knitting could very well become your next best hobby but before that happens, you will need a few basic lessons.  That is where this site comes into play.  We will walk you through all the basics and before you are finished here, you will be knitting just like the best of them.  

How to knit for the beginner

But, where do you start?

When you learn how to knit, don't try to figure out "everything at once". Knitting techniques is so diversified, that even having 20-30 years of experience in knitting, you will still find something you have never head before about your favorite hobby.

Basic Stitches

Knit Stitch

Colorful blanket made in the garter stitchBasic Knitting Stitches

Purl Stitch

Purl stitch swatch also known as reverse stockinette worked in white yarnPurl Stitch (Reverse Stockinette)

Knitting Instructions and Patterns

Knitting Charts

Simple-lace-knitting-chart.png

Understanding Knitting Charts

Learning Basic Knitting Stitches

You will be happy to know that there are only a few basic stiches and everything else you will learn builds on these basic techniques.

Learn how to make the stockinette stitch

Basic Knit Stitches for Beginners

Knit and Purl Stitches for Beginners

Learn about Rib Patterns Knitting

Reversilble Knit Stitches

Slip Stitch Patterns

Knit a cable: with or without the aid of a cable needle.

Learn Some Basic Knitting Techniques

  1. How to Begin a knitting project (called casting on)
  2. How to End a knitting project (called binding off)
  3. How to Increase in Knitting
  4. How to Decrease in knitting
  5. Testing your Tension, Learning about Gauge
  6. Joining yarns
  7. How to Block Your Knitted Articles
  8. How to Fix Knitting Mistakes
  9. How to fix Tension Problems (Uneven stitches)
  10. How to Make Knitted Edge Stitches Neatly (more tension problems)
  11. Knit KFB:  How to

Moving On

Knitting is such a versatile hobby.  Knitted projects can be seen in so many different areas.  You might think that clothing, sweaters, hats, scarves, socks and mittens are the only thing to make, but there is so much more.

Circular Knitting: Large and small diameter circular knitting.

Twisted Stitch isn't always an error.

Where Can You learn All of This (And Then More)?

Where to find all this information? Since the majority of people are the visual learners, it is better for learning if you CAN SEE what you are going to do. There are a few options.

  1. Find yourself a teacher (a friend, neighbor, and etc.) who can show you how to do it.
  2. Buy a book which has good pictures and comprehensive explanations. Here is the knitting book I consult from time to time.
  3. Take a ball of yarn, knitting needles, sit in a chair, relax and watch videos. Then try to repeat what they demonstrated to you. Here is a set of knitting videos for your the very first step of the "How to Knit" journey.
  4. Follow this Site.  You knew I was going to say that, now didn't you.  This site was originally started by a very experienced knitter and has pages devoted entirely to advanced techniques.  But once I took it over, I found that may of the basics were just not addressed.  I am going back and filling in the gaps, so you'll find many of the "how to" pages are for the very beginner.

Advanced Knitting Techniques.

This Step will teach you how to read and knit patterns, to use different knitting stitches and techniques, to join parts of garments to each other, and so on.

I'll update this Step all the time. There are so many interesting things to learn and to discuss. Let's begin from the links below.

Raglan Sleeves: "Trivia" which make a difference.

Mosaic Knitting: An Easy Alternative of Fair Isle.

Illusian Knitting:  Also Shadow Knitting:  Something Very Interesting

Pin for Future Reference

A woman is knitting near the seaside