Easy knitting question

[PrincessWellington]

I want to knit squares and make a blanket. What wool and needles would you recommend. I can barely knit, it's to stop me eating in the evenings

Either double knitting (DK) and 4mm needles or aran weight and 5mm needles. There is a lot more choice in DK yarn - you can spend as much or as little as you like on a ball. On the other hand, the Aran will knit up quicker. You could use needles that even bigger and yarn that is even heavier but it would cost a bit more. It knits up quicker but if you aren't experienced at knitting and you want it as a practice piece a thicker yarn will magnify all the stitches with dodgy tensions. They don't show so much on a finer knit.

Who is the blanket for and what type of colour scheme are you looking at? Are you knitting a baby blanket for example? Give us an idea and we might be able to recommend some nice yarn by brand.

Thanks, it is for a baby blanket. I would like it soft.

If you are a beginner I would go for something like Sirdar Snuggly or Patons Fairytale which are both acrylic baby yarns. Neither of them is expensive and you won't have to worry about spoiling it whilst you are getting up to speed knitting. They are very soft and ime they wear quite well although some people get a bit sniffy about them. I am not sure why - because the aren't natural fibres I suppose but it doesn't really matter imo. DS1 had a baby blanket my mum made him nearly 12 year ago (before the explosion in the number of different types of yarn). I used it on his pushchair so it got washed quite a bit because it used to fall off and get mucky and it is still lovely even now.

Failing that, Patons do something called Fairytale Dreamtime which is a bit more expensive (about £3 a 50g ball) but is 100% wool yarn for children and it comes in a nice range of colours including variagated ones which is a good camoflage for mistakes, should you make any. That is also soft and machine washable.

Or another one which is not a baby yarn but which comes in about 50 different colours is Stylecraft Special DK which is dirt cheap [http://109.228.20.162/zcart/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=65_102_293_295&zenid=vv1d3cdv5n3run7u2emsqakok1 You can't get cheaper than £1.50 for a 100g ball] and it really isn't all squeaky and cheap feeling. I am crocheting a blanket from it at the moment and it is soft, not as soft as the baby wool but lovely all the same.

If you want to push the boat out you can't go far wrong with the stuff we have used for the MN blankets - Rowan or Debbie Bliss Cashmerino. It is more expensive (£4 to £5 per ball) but it is very nice too.

Or if you have a local wool shop just go and have a look, see what catches your eye and go from there.

www.sirdar.co.uk/yarns/babyYarns/aranbaby/Supersoft_Toddler_Aran_F022/shades

This is a good Aran weight one for blankets, washes well and good value.

I love Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino wool-perfect for baby clothes/blankets. Super soft and easy to knit with. You'd need 3.25 needles.

Have you tried crochet? I find for a beginner it is more satisfying as you get results quicker and it is, in my opinion, a lot easer to learn.

Jools I can already crochet, fancied a change tbh but I have put the knitting on hold while I crochet a baby blanket for someone I'm visiting soon cos I can't learn fast enough!