Help me learn to knit!!

[Napqueen1234]

I’ve tried so many times and I just get frustrated and I’m crap at it. I’m not very creative or good with my hands but I yearn to knit. I want to make blankets and hats for my kids. It looks so relaxing and lovely when people can do it.

Please help me- Tips, books, YouTube recommendations! Good needles and wool to use. Any one who struggled and found a way to get the knack of it? I’d like some little projects for spring to cheer me up.

Have you a parent, granny or aunt that could help ? I know its difficult at the moment. Otherwise 4mm needles and double knitting wool. Google learn to knit and just go for it. It takes practice but its the best thing ever!

Well I don’t have many ground breaking tips because I’ve just started too but I thought I’d say hello I did have a bit of a head start because my mum showed me how to knit as a child but I never really got into it.... til now! No children yet for me but I just love the idea of making bits for them when the time comes (touch wood)

My first project was a scarf / snood (I ran out of wool so it’s very short scarf ) It was just plain knit stitch all the way through so nice and easy to start. My next mission is a hat!

I’ve been watching YouTube videos by Sheep and Stitch. It was just the first one I came across but it’s so simple and there’s a separate video for each part eg casting on. I think the top tips are definitely to use chunky wool and chunky needles!
I definitely recommend her videos and just pausing / rewatching each part til I finally get it! Good luck

Can you give a rough location? Which county or area are you in?
Best advice I can give...
Go to a wool shop. Even hobbycraft will do, as many are shut again.
Look for some double knit or aran weight yarn.
Nothing fluffy, as stitches wont be clear .
Sanitise your hands, and touch some yarn.
(Not loads.... but something you like the look of)
Get needles to match wool size.
4mm for double knit. 5 mm for Aran.
Chose a ball of yarn that feels nice. Nothing worse than cheap, scratchy acrylic (known as kids wool in our house!)
Sirdar is usually nice. Sirdar snuggly comes in pastel/baby colours.
Stylecraft special is great for learning with.
James Brett. There is a lot of choice.
I would suggest spending between £2 and £3 on one ball. Not cheap and scratchy. Not too expensive to worry about ruining.

Consider kids needles to start. Or toy needles. Simply because they are short. And easy to manipulate.

Get a notepad or old envelope to use for counting your rows.

Dd (age 7) has been learning new stitch patterns this week. She has made squares using 20 stitches and 30 rows. (Stitches are not square).

Make a couple of squares, using only knit stitches. Each stitch is made in 4 stages.
Needle goes IN the stitch
Yarn goes ROUND the needle, always toward you
Needle goes THROUGH the "old" stitch
Old stitch goes OFF the needle. (Many mistakes happen here, by not dropping the old stitch off)
Keep reciting in, round, through, off, in round, through, off...
Check each stage, until you are comfortable with this.

The 'very pink knits' YouTube channel is great, she does very clear, short videos which are easy to follow. Just buy some cheap wool and needles as PPs suggested and practise casting on, knitting, purling before attempting a project.

Something like a cowl in a chunky yarn would be an ideal first project as you won't have to worry about exact sizing (like you would with a hat or a jumper) and it will work up quickly.

You can find patterns on Ravelry, it has thousands on that website and many of them are free to download.

Take time to master each step before moving on!
Once you are happy with knitting all the stitches, work on purl stitches. Same method, still in, round, through and off, but the yarn stays on your side of the knitting. Always move yarn from outside to inside to make each stitch. Always towards you.

Once you are happy with purl, try stocking stitch. Knit a row. Then purl a row. This will make a fabric with all the VVVV on one side. It WILL naturally curl up at the edges. This is not a fault with your skills.

Good luck. My daughter is 7. ADHD, ASD hypermobile.... and she loves to knit. Usually with 4mm needles and cheap, bright colours.
Make sure you take breaks while you are learning. 10 mins off every hour. Get a drink and a snack. Walk around. Use the bathroom. Stretch.
Use pale-medium colours to start with. Black is a bit tricky. Use natural light where possible.
And if all else fails, use dd method of design. Cast on some stitches. How many mum? Do 20.
Ok, I did 31.
Knit a few rows. Increasing each row, as you dont do OFF properly.
Then decrease a bit as it's too big now.
Then cast off.
Look at what you have made... fold one corner over and declare it a dress for teddy. With a hole for his tail.

Relax. Have fun. There is no right or wrong way to learn. If you stress and convince yourself that you are rubbish, you will be rubbish!
Relax your hands and wrists.
Enjoy working with the yarn you chose, in that nice colour.
Keep the first square you make. Use it as a coaster.
Experiment a bit. Work out what you find easy or comfortable.
Have fun. And you might end up with enough coasters to make a scarf for a teddy