Best yarn for beginners just learning to knit? - suggestions here please

[caffeinequeen]

I've been giving a "teach yourself knitting" kit with instructional DVD which isn't bad (apart from the very smug girl with overmanicured fingers). However the wool that came with the kit seems to be completely RUBBISH. I've done three odd rows of plain knit stitch (beginner's preen)
BUT the yarn/wool (which is it?) keeps splitting and is very fuzzy/fluffy so hard to get needles into it. PLEASE can you advise me where I can get some better wool so I can do more than three rows (have restarted about 4 times, which is all good practice I know but v frustrating).

If there is a good craft shop near you that sells wool, go in and ask for advice - my local shop is great. I've just started knitting, too.

Fuzzy/fluffy is annoying.

I'd buy a ball of cotton, and a ball of wool. Alternatively, if I get my act together, I can mail you some bits from my stash if you like.

Cotton is good because it doesn't split. But if you tend to knit with too high a tension, cotton gets squeaky. Wool splits and goes fuzzy a bit, but has more 'give' so is easier to knit with, imo.

NQC, I'm knitting with cotton (sirdar luxury soft cotton) at the moment, and it splits like mad! Can you suggest any cottons that don't split?

I don't find Rowan splits.

I suspect some of the "splitting" issue is a question of getting used to knitting, and getting used to the yarn. The more you "reknit" a particular bit of yarn, the more it will split, I think, too ...