Those who are just knitting for beginners may give up on their handmade piece even before they have reached the halfway mark.
That is why it is important to begin with knitting patterns that are easy to follow!
There is no shame in starting a new hobby from the most basic level because easy patterns can actually help you learn the essential knitting methods applied to almost every knitting project. Let's look at how you can begin knitting and simple projects for you to learn how to knit.
How do I choose knitting needles and yarn?
The weight and texture of your yarn greatly affect the outcome of your knitting.
Yarns of lace weight, for instance, are the finest yarns used for delicate projects like making a knitting shawl or creating intricate lace designs. Moving up the yarn weights, you're going to find worsted yarn, mostly used for making warm sweaters but suitable for a variety of knitting patterns.
Towards the heavier end of the yarn weights, you will come across jumbo yarns that are typically used for statement pieces like giant cushions and chunky blankets. You can even make a special knitting bag with jumbo yarns as heavier yarns can hold more weight.
Like yarn weights, yarn texture is also important in knitting and knitters often use ply count to determine their preferred yarn texture. Ply count refers to the number of individual fibre strands in a yarn, so high ply-count yarns tend to be tighter and harder while low ply-count yarns are usually looser and softer to the touch.
How is this linked to needle sizes?
You may have already guessed that yarn weights and their textures will affect how easy it is to work with different yarn types, and this will affect the choice of knitting needles you will use for each project. As an example, straight needles are perfect for big projects like making a knitting sweater, but you may have to buy a pair at a longer length if you want a large sweater.
That is why you can purchase straight needles up to 14 inches in length!
To match your knitting needles to your desired yarn texture and weight, consider these aspects before beginning your project:
- How easy or workable do you want the yarn to be?
- What type of stitches do you want to create?
- What is the size of your project?
- How do you want your knitting project to feel? (e.g. fuzzy, bulky, hairy)
More details here on everything knitting and why you should take it up as a hobby.
What is the easiest project to start knitting?
A beginner knitter should start with something as simple as practising easy patterns on a repurposed piece of fabric, but you can also make a simple knitting throw even if you are new to knitting.
There's no one definition for an easy knitting project, but here are some characteristics you should consider for choosing your project:
- Knitting methods that you should already know before starting the project, like the purl stitch
- The complexity of knitting patterns required for the project
- The duration or projected time it takes to complete the project
- Familiarity with using certain knitting needles
To begin, we highly recommend starting with a knitting project that can be completed with quick and simple knitting patterns: think of a knitting shawl or knitting throw that you can unravel easily even if you drop a stitch or would like to redo at the halfway point. You can apply easy patterns to these knitting projects below that can take you less than a day to complete:
| Type of project | How is it easy? | Easy projects to start with |
|---|---|---|
| Knitting shawl | Straightforward as you just need to know how to cast on, knit and increase a stitch. | Basic triangular shawl and simple garter stitch shawl |
| Knitting bag | Beginner-friendly bags can be knitted flat and will not require too many knitting tools. | Simple knitted tote bag |
| Knitting throw | While it may be time-consuming, you can use straight needles and basic stitches to complete a throw. | Simple garter stitch throw |
| Knitting sweater | You can create easy patterns if you have chunky yarn on hand. | V-neck pullover knitting sweater and simple turtleneck sweater |
Besides the easy patterns and time it will take you to carry out a knitting activity, you should consider which type of project will benefit your daily living most. A knitting bag is great if you'd like to bring a cute grocery shopping bag with you on the weekends, whereas a knitting throw would be lovely to stay warm on rainy days. The choice is yours!
Purchase quality knitting needles and yarn when you check out the best knitting resources online.
Why is knitting so hard for me?
When you are at the stage of knitting for beginners, you may quickly get frustrated with yourself whenever you make a stitching mistake. While it's normal to lose your patience from time to time, you should know that knitting requires a lot of coordination and muscle control. If you think these elements don't require much effort, think of the first time you learned to bike!
Whether it's a knitting sweater or knitting shawl you want to make, the patience it takes to complete your knitting projects is something you can only build over time and consistent practice.
A solid way to build patience and perseverance for knitting is by taking knitting classes, such as with a sewing tutor on Superprof.
You're not only going to become more patient at knitting with a sewing tutor on Superprof, though. Do you want to learn more than just easy patterns for knitting? Interested in challenging knitting patterns but struggling to use your knitting needles?
Learn these and even create the knitting bag of your dreams as your Superprof tutor takes your knitting skills from the basic to the advanced level.
You can even learn knitting patterns from the comfort of your home if you'd like. Superprof offers learners the choice of face-to-face and virtual lessons, as well as the option of having your tutor travel to your area. In addition, you can invite your friends for a group knitting lesson on Superprof! There is also the availability of one-to-one lessons if you want to focus on improving your knitting skills.
Don't forget that signing up on Superprof today gives you access to your first knitting class for free!
If you are still feeling demotivated to knit, below is an easy project for you to try... you don't even need to be an advanced knitter!
What should I start knitting for beginners?
Again, you should make the final choice on which idea you want to take on as your first knitting project. Still, we would like to stress that starting with something small and easy is usually the right way to go as you won't need to create too many knitting patterns to complete your piece.
As one of the projects that offers easy patterns for knitting, a knitting shawl is a fantastic piece to try making for the first time. Follow these steps to create a basic triangular shawl inspired by Ashley Lillis:
What you'll need:
- Knitting needles of any size
- Yarn of any weight and texture
- Scissors
- Tapestry needle
Steps to make your basic triangular shawl:
- Cast on 3 to 5 stitches.
- Knit your first row till the end.
- For the second row, knit one stitch, and then before knitting till the end, make one stitch to increase the stitch.
- Alternate between knitting one row till the end and knitting the next row by increasing the stitch until you reach your desired size.
- Cast off by knitting the last row till the end.
Although you can use knitting needles of any type, it's recommended that you use circular needles for this project. It will also help to use worsted yarn as it is easier to work with but not too thin that you won't be able to see the stitches clearly, and you will still be able to create a textured knitting shawl close to those sold in clothing stores.
Once you've created your basic triangular shawl, up your game by practising popular knitting techniques that will help you improve your knitting skills.
How do you add designs to knitting patterns?
Even if you are just knitting for beginners, it's possible to add your own flair to your handmade knitting sweater and other simple projects!
Almost every knitter dreams of creating their own unique style that will signify to others that a certain project was designed by them: this means customising your knitting projects in a way that you like or adding variations to already-existing projects so that any piece can be made to look like it was your original idea.
Pay attention to the types of needlework ideas being shared online so that you are clear about knitting vs crochet projects.
The next time you're feeling creative, try these tips to add designs to your knitting patterns or customise a knitting bag design you found online:
- Use different yarn colours so that your project looks more attractive - pastel colours or even a simple black-and-white knitting throw goes a long way from just a monotone colour
- Apply various knitting patterns for diversity in your knitted piece, like mixing the Stockinette stitch with lace knitting
- Add simple embellishments to make your piece stand out, such as applying duplicate stitches or stitching on top of existing knitting patterns with yarns of a different colour
Be brave to experiment with different ideas as you are knitting for beginners and building your skills to move on to more difficult projects. When you put your knitting needles down at the end of the day, we promise that you will feel a great sense of accomplishment!
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