Basic Knitting Tips for Beginners

Knitting, it's said, is a very relaxing and satisfying craft. Knitting is a hobby that you can learn and then do while enjoying other past-times like watching television and at the same time create wonderful knitted items for yourself and others.

Multi-taskers will find that knitting works well for them. Throughout time, groups of women have been known to sit and knit while chatting with friends and family. You can watch your kids and knit at the same time as well, making knitting a great hobby for busy moms and dads.

Many people find the idea of learning to knit to be daunting. When you're just starting out the needles feel foreign in your hands, making the process awkward and frustrating at times. Keep in mind though, that the initial awkwardness goes away and you're left with a great sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. Creating something with your own hands is one of the best feelings to have. Knitting can leave you with this feeling. Having the patience and correct supplies will help you achieve your goal of learning to knit.

If you're ready to learn the simple basics of knitting, the following easy steps can help you get going.

Getting the Right Knitting Supplies

Although it may seem complicated, all that you need to start knitting are a pair of knitting needles and some yarn. Some folks start out with a pattern, so if that's your plan you'll need an easy knitting pattern to follow too.

Your Knitting Needles

There are many different types of knitting needles to choose from, and not all are created equal. Most knitters will agree that the easiest needles to start out with are wooden needles. The yarn seems to stay on wooden needles better, allowing you to knit easier. Plastic or metal knitting needles cause the yarn to slip off easily if you're not advanced and know how to handle them properly. So, newbie knitters should stick with wooden knitting needles.

Start out with large wooden needles so that you can easily see your mistakes and complete your project quicker. If you drop a stitch you want to be able to see it quickly and fix the mistake easily.

Getting Your Yarn

Beginner knitters should start their first project using natural yarn such as cotton or wool. Natural fiber yarn will stay on the knitting needles better than a synthetic yarn will. Do not be lured by the fancy yarn you see in the stores. You will find working with them to be far too challenging and cause frustration at first. Start out with simple natural yarns and then go from there.

Learning Knitting Jargon

Just like almost any craft, knitting too has its own language or jargon. When you're starting out, you'll need to learn the jargon that goes along with knitting. Yes, at first it can seem overwhelming, but you'll get the hang of the lingo quickly. Crafting books, knitting dictionaries and online sources will help you learn what you need to know to get started. Here are a few basics to help you out.

K = Knit, KB = Knit-in-Back, BO = Bind-Off, P = Purl, EOR = knit every other row

Knitting - Get Going!

With anything that's worth doing, the first step is to just do it. Get your supplies, patterns, instruction books and start learning to knit. Don't go overboard with buying supplies, because you may find that once you've given it a go, knitting may not be your cup of tea after all.

You'll find once you've learned to knit that you may start seeking out others who share your passion and enthusiasm for the craft. You'll be able to make new friends as well as wonderful pieces of art and family heirlooms from your knitting skills. As a beginning knitter, you'll soon become advanced if you take care to buy the right supplies for your skill level and look for proper knitting instruction. These basic tips will help you reach your goal of learning to knit with ease. Have fun and happy knittin'!