Knitters - I want to start knitting again, any advice?

[TunipTheVegemal]

Basically, I knitted when I was a kid/teen (scarves, toys, the odd cable-pattern mitten). I wasn't going to start again but a month ago I bought a spinning wheel at auction and have been producing lovely handspun wool. It's fun sending it off to knitting friends but I'd like to do something with it myself.

Now, I can see that things have moved on in the world of knitting in the last 30 years. I've joined Ravelry but it's MASSIVE and I don't know where to start there.

So I'd like some advice about starting again, if you would be so kind.

1. What would be the best easy small projects to start with?
2. Are there good sources of online free patterns?
3. What are the best places to buy needles etc (but not yarn since I have that covered) cheaply?
4. Anything else I should know about 21st century knitting?

Thanks!

Revelry is great for patterns, use their search facility to narrow down the patterns.

I only started knitting this year, and I've bought needles from hobby craft, Mca direct, blacksheep wools. If you like black sheep on Facebook, you get their special offers too.

You could always do a few squares for the mn blankets as a start, but you wouldn't be aber to use your own wool (I'm quite of that), but squares are simple to do.

My first non square project was this windmill bag which is a lot easier than it looks. You do need double pointed needles though.

You'll get lots of support and advice on this board, but most of all enjoy it!

Hi . I started knitting a couple of years ago and have found Ravelry fab. I know what you mean about it being massive, but it really does have thousands of free patterns (and ones you can pay for too). Just skip all the blogs, groups and forum bits, click on the 'patterns' tab on the home page, then click on 'pattern browser and advanced search' on the left of the screen. You can then browse patterns by whatever criteria you like. You could always just select 'has photo' , 'free' and then 'easy' and see what comes up. I have spent many hours browsing the amazing patterns on there. I made scarves at first, then graduated to simple hats. Am currently making my first jumper. Have fun!

Thank you, Glaikit & Holmessweetholmes.

That windmill bag would look really good in my hairy natural-coloured wool.

Thanks for advice re Ravelry. I'll have a go at searching for patterns there!

I think charity shops are good source of knitting needles as well.

A blanket square is a fantastic first project because it knits so quickly and you don't have to do a whole blanket in order to have finished a project if you see what I mean! Alternatively, and this doesn't work unless you have access to a 100% cotton yarn (can you spin that? I genuinely have no idea) Ravelry abounds with facecloths and dishcloths that again knit up quickly and are instantly useful.

Scarves can be a bit tedious as a first project because they can take a while. If you have a baby to knit for (doesn't need to be your own, any in the vicinity will do) this tunic is gorgeous and very easy to do.

Don't do it! Crochet instead

Err, Bumper, I'm not sure negative advertising is allowed

I therefore amend my previous post to say "there are other yarn-based crafts you may wish to explore". Howzat?

Oh I wish I had a baby to knit for! That tunic is beautiful.

Cotton can be spun but the fibres are very short so it's tricky to learn, so I'm sticking with wool for now, though I may be tempted into mixing in some silk, angora etc.

I don't know why I've never crocheted. It's probably a family thing - my mum taught me to knit and my granny used to make all our sweaters when we were kids. I had an irrational dislike of everything crocheted till recently when I saw some of the amazing squares people have done for the MN blankets. It is clearly a wonderful craft But I don't want to learn a whole other new craft from scratch, it's probably best to build on the one I already know a bit!

ooh I've just found a perfect first project for me coffee cozy

Looks good - although it is knit in the round. Have you done that before? It is by no means impossible but for a starter project I'd do something similar but like a little scarf and then sew the ends together to make a tube, if that makes sense? So some kind of design but sideways on.

I haven't, but someone has done a 2-needle version, luckily.
Is knitting in the round hard? I can see that 4 needles might be, but those circular needles look ok to use....?

Knitting in the round isn't hard so much as it is a mind shift to get into. There are a number of different ways of doing it, particularly for small diameter objects like sleeves and indeed coffee cozies. Multiple double pointed needles (DPNs) is the trad way of doing it, and I like it best not so much for tubular items as for squares (sounds weird I know) knit from the centre out, like this one. (You can see how the needles work on this one).

Circular needles are great - for straight knitting as well as circular. You asked about what was new in the world of knitting and one of the great new things the circulars allow for is seamless knitting, so you will typically knit a cardigan all in one piece and then join the yarn on again for each sleeve, so all knit in one with no seams to sew up.

There are two main ways (that I know of) to do small diameter knitting in the round on circular needles (you can't just knit round and round as there aren't enough stitches). The more commonly used one is magic loop but the one I prefer is the two circulars approach where if you imagine you have a tube of 40 stitches, 20 are on one needle/cable at the back and 20 at the front. Basically the same as magic loop but you don't have to keep pulling the needles round to the front every time you've done half a round.

Just takes a bit of getting used to!

Wow, that square is stunning, I've never seen anything like it!

That stuff about circular needles is really interesting, thanks.

You could make a fortune knitting Nyan cat scarves. My DS wanted one for his birthday. It went on Ebay for about £40 in the end, and I've seen others for £50+. As it's just, you know, a scarf I didn't pay that much for it. But if some enterprising knitter made them at more sensible prices, it seems there's a massive market out there.

I started lace knitting a few years ago thnks to Ravelry - and socks too, things i thought way too complex before. There are loads of online tutorials but joining a group is best IMO.
Knitty is v good - all free patterns and ranked by skills needed

You make socks Bundle? I'd really like to do that eventually, specially bedsocks.

How hard are they? What yarn do you use & don't they wear out fast?

I love knitting scarves. No sewing up. I also taught myself to knit with four needles last year. After failing to do it for years. But you can knit socks with two needles though I've never tried. Also I'd recommend Phoenix Knitting forum which is a small friendly knitting forum. With really helpful people if you get stuck.

I've just hit the charity shops and bought some needles. DH has commissioned me to knit a case for his new digital camera!

Great! An excellent first project.

Am I right in thinking if you use the two circular needles method, it doesn't matter how long the circular needles are? One of the charity shops had lots of sets of circular needles all the same size, but they were 80cm so if the length is important they'll be of limited use unless I make big things like jumpers and I'm not planning to do that any time soon!

lol at Bumperlicious

I crochet but have wondered about trying knitting again. My mum taught us as kids but I have only ever done scarves. I have lots of needles as people keep donating them to me I don't think they realise I can't crochet with them!

I am going to have to do a nyan cat scarf project as dd wants one - have you seen any patterns racingheart?

let us know how your first project progresses Tunip as it might get me motivated to have a go :)

There definitely are patterns online for the cat scarf - I googled when it was mentioned, because I'd never heard of it, & saw some.

Tunip - the two circulars idea works best for smaller circumference stuff I think - although you could use two very long circulars for a jumper. 80cm would be fine for smaller items.

thanks

One of my charity shop finds was a set of 4 double-ended needles, so I might try the 4 needles method for the coffee cup warmer, once I've finished the digital camera case and the windmill bag....

Am loving knitting with my hairy handspun, it's very satisfying. It's not very satisfactory for learning new techniques, though, because it's difficult to see what's going on.

Well unless you can breed some acrylic sheep, you get some cheapy stuff to practice on - you can always pull it down and re-use it at the end?

Let me know if you make one Tunip, you may have a buyer right here!