Knitting for Beginners: Getting Started*

Knitting is a great hobby and is no longer just for Nan’s who are knitting itchy jumpers for the grandkids! If it seems like a venture you’d like to take up, you certainly wouldn’t be alone. We’ve come up with a bit of a guide for getting started for absolute beginners when it comes to knitting so that you’ll soon be making things like a pro in no time!

Getting everything you need to get started
You will need a few things to get started with knitting, and these include:

• Wool

• Knitting needles

• A knitting pattern to follow

You can pick up basic yarn and needles in most good craft stores, or even second hand stores, but if you’d like something that you know will last you and is of a superior standard, there are some great supplies at the George Weil website which are well worth checking out. As soon as you get more confident and able, you can soon try out new and different thicknesses of needles and different types of wool, too.

Learning basic techniques
As most knitting pros will tell you, one of the best ways to learn how to knit is to watch someone else do it, and be taught in person. If you know someone who knows how to knit that’s perfect as they can show you the ropes! If not, you can always head down to independent wool retailers and craft stores as most of them will have someone on hand who will be able to show you basic techniques, such as starting off and developing a basic stitch.

If this isn’t possible, there are loads of resources online that can guide you through the basics (and even more complicated stitches, too). We found a really good step-by-step guide here with some really clear pictures that may come in really handy. Heading to YouTube to look at some video tutorials is a great idea, too.

Useful resources and guides
As you start to get more confident in your basic stitching and skills, you’ll start to want to find patterns so that your skills can be put to use (and to the test!) for actually making something wearable. There are a whole host of free knitting patterns online that are worth checking out. All good libraries should have books on knitting to help give you some tips and inspiration too. And as mentioned above, second hand stores are likely to have lots of knitting supplies that will be really cheap and will include patterns.

Getting a little more adventurous
When you get a little more confident you will no doubt want to try out harder stitches, techniques and patterns. Again, head to the internet to find interesting patterns, and also the library will have more complex resources too. Also, you could look into things like knitting groups who will provide you with a network of knitters to help you get inspired to try new and exciting projects!