Best websites for a beginner knitter?

[PinkPeanuts]

Hi All

I'm pretty much a novice knitter- I know the most basic stitch (I think it's called garter?) but I haven't actually knitted since I was a kid and never in my life have I completed even a scarf!

Anyway, my first baby is due in March and I love the idea of knitting her a blanket so I've practiced a little bit and went and bought some lovely new wool but I wondered if anyone could recommend a few websites that could guide me along the way with some tips or tutorials? I have no idea how to read a knitting pattern unfortunately and as much as I'd love to, I don't think I should try to attempt anything too complicated just yet.

Any help would be very much appreciated!

Thanks in advance :)

www.ravelry.com - loads of patterns, facilities for your own diary of projects and forum a bit like MN but ALL knitters and crocheters, so will answer pretty much all of your questions.

www.yarnharlot.ca
www.grumperina.com/knitblog

www.knitty.com - patterns, tutorials etc on a quarterly basis.

You tube is great for videos of how to do stuff from different types of cast on increasing/decreasing, everything really. And most knitting magazines have a how to section at the back.
For a basic blanket though, there is a lovely garter stitch one in the first Sirdar Sublime baby book.
And ravelry rocks! As does knitty, I look dorward to it coming out and wished they e-published it more frequently.

There's a mumsnet group on ravelry called mumsknitters; haven't been on there in ages though.

And another thought. A lot of local yarn shop regularly run classes, from beginners to much more advanced stuff. Might be worth checking what's available to you locally. And if it floats your boat, there are knitting groups all over who meet on a regular basis, where you can draw on the experience of others as well as meet new friends...and they're not all populated by the over 60s either!

Knittinghelp.com is really good

Thank you do much for your responses! I will be checking these links out when the Christmas hols kick in

Not sure if you're still checking in, OP, but I've just discovered this brilliant site, run by someone called Staci (a 'Certified Master Knitter', apparently). Great tutorials which are very clear and easy to follow (she actually does demonstrate them), and unlike some American sites, she knits in the English style so us lot can follow it easily! Also some nice free patterns and a lot of tips.

Watching her tutorial on brioche stitch was the only way I was able to grasp it - until then I'd been flailing around in existential knitting despair

Thank you Terpsichore! I'm on my phone at the moment but when I log on to my laptop tomorrow I will check it out. I got a book from my schools library today but it's not entirely helpful. I need to set aside some time at the weekend to check out all of these resources and get practicing!

That's a lovely site tepsichore :)