Tips for taking up knitting

[TheKatzKlaws]

I don't have a huge amount of spare time (a 1 year old...), but I would like to take up a hobby that is relaxing and creative for when I do have a few minutes. I remember my nan and mum knitting a lot when I was young and they did show me how but it was far too long ago to remember!

Are there any knitters here that could give some tips on where to start? What needles and materials are good to start with? I have a wool shop in my local market so will pop in there to have a look around and ask but would love to have a rough idea of what I'm looking for.

Thanks all!

@TheKatzKlaws thank you! I really enjoyed doing it, you should def try it!

That is so lovely, well done!

The sky really is the limit now you have the basics down. I don't know if they were included in the hat pattern but once you have the knit and purl stitches down, the next thing I would suggest is learning increases and decreases. Where you add stitches to make a row longer, or knit stitches together to make a row shorter. That way you can shape your knitting, and adjust it to fit your needs.

Something like a corner to corner dishcloth is good because you will do both increases and decreases, and it doesn't really matter what weight your yarn is, because it doesn't really matter what size the cloth comes out.

@katmarie thank you! I learned knit stitch and purl stitch and also one that involved knit 1 purl 1 (is it called rib stitch??) which took me ages to figure out but I got there in the end! I’m itching to try something else now but I don’t have any materials. I have a pair of bamboo 12mm needles that I got with the scarf and hat kit, a tapestry needle and that’s it!

What sort of wool would folk recommend for knitting blanket squares / a beginners jumper etc? And do I just buy some needles or are the size of them dictated by particular patterns? I’m clueless! Thanks

On the band around the wool you will see an image usually with crossed needles, it will tell you the most suitable size needles for that kind of wool. If you choose bigger needles you will get a looser knit, more 'holey' and a bigger overall item, smaller needles will give you a tighter knit, and a smaller overall finished item.

For a blanket I would probably choose aran weight wool, which would usually go with a 5mm needle. Charity shops are a very good place to get knitting needles, as well as your local wool shop, amazon etc.

Most patterns will tell you what wool and needles you need to make the pattern in the right size.

For blankets, the size of the final piece doesn't matter so much, you can just knit it until it gets to the size you want, but for clothing its a good idea to stick to the advice on the pattern.

If you can't get the exact wool, which happens with older patterns, you can check yarnsub.com which allows you to compare the wool on your pattern with suitable substitutions.

And I'm off! Picked up my needles and some wool that was on offer (£1!), got my tutorial video, cup of tea and a sleeping 1 year old next to me. 😊

A few stitches in and so far so good. 👍

Good luck @TheKatzKlaws ! Are you just trying out a few stitches, or aiming to make something in particular? What colour are you using, and has your LO unravelled it all yet? (Because, you know, unravelling knitting is FASCINATING).

I have done something that I should not do... I put down a half-finished project (plain sleeves are a bit boring!) to start something more like an explosion in a cable knit factory!

I’m now knitting a cowl with a ball of wool I picked up for a few £. I’ve unravelled it twice so far as I made a mistake plus then decided I wanted to learn a new stitch. So I’m knitting it all in seed stitch which is knit 1 purl 1 for the whole thing. Takes far more concentration but good practice I reckon!

I also bought a pattern for a ‘beginners jumper’ on Etsy but the pattern is like Russian 🙈 Are there any good guides to learn how to read a pattern?? Thanks

Loads of tips on here for beginners ! I will add my two penny worth . I agree with looking around for a knit and natter group (who also allow Crochet by the way ) at a library or yarn shop . I picked up so much going to one . Zoom ones too if going out is tricky .

Join Ravelry ! The site is free and huge . So many features to get your head around eventually, it’s a fantastic resource.

Finally if like me you are very left handed, don’t despair . Sit opposite a right handed to learn ( or along side a fellow leftie) and do the reverse image of the right hander . with mirror knitting as it’s called you can make as complicated as you like items with very little adjustment ( it gets very slightly different for lace and cable knitting when you tackle it . ) If you prefer you can just knit as right handed do ( I am not ambidextrous enough) or try continental ( a nope for me too )

@TheeNotoriousPIG thank you! I'm just practicing at the moment, and slowly improving... just casting on and doing knit stich and casting off (which is about as much as my brain can handle atm) using a cheap multi coloured acrylic I picked up for £1. My little one hasn't discovered my knitting stash just yet, and she would take great pleasure in unravelling everything!

Not sure what to do as a first project... something not too complicated but will actually get used.

I came across some vintage 60s jumper patterns on vinted and bought loads 🤦🏻‍♀️ think it will be quite a while before I'll be at that level but couldn't resist!!

I have found a local knitting group but I've been busy on all the dates they've met so far ☹️. Didn't think about online groups!

I'm a righty, but I have found my hand (particularly little finger) is getting a bit achey after a while... Wonder if its my technique or just because my hands are getting used to doing something different? (I'm doing English knitting as that is what I learnt way back when - haven't given continental a proper go yet)

£1 is a bargain! I haven't seen acrylic at that price since my favourite book and wool shop closed down, and the demise of Marriner Yarns. Now I make do with Wool Warehouse.

There is no shame in hoarding patterns, as they WILL come in useful one day! I have a vast selection of impressive Arans that I'm yet to get around to. Ravelry has a fantastic selection, though you might want to go on there as soon as your LO falls asleep, because there is so much to look at!

Erm, maybe blanket squares or a little hat, if you get the hang of purling for the ribbing?

@TheKatzKlaws i did a scarf as my first thing, casted on 20 stitches and did the whole thing in knit stitch. Then added some tassles from watching a YouTube video, it was really quite easy! A great first project as I’ve been wearing it too

I don't know how I came to click on this thread, but something or someone was at my shoulder! I am in tears, at 68 years of age this thread has brought back lovely memories of my mum who knitted lots of things for her three girls. All colours, all patterns, beautiful stuff. I can hear the needles clacking right now, as every night she would take out the knitting, and soon another item was born! I actually still have the cardigan she knit for me for my First Holy Communion. No longer white, but just so delicate and gorgeous. Must dig it out for another cry!

Mum taught me to knit. I was a cracker when younger, every sort of garment, circular needles, raglan sleeves, I even knitted a couple of REAL Aran jumpers with all the diamonds and patterns. I was so proud of that.

I haven't picked up a knitting needle in over 40 years. Life seemed to get in the way. I am not confident that I will remember how to do it, but I'm sure I'll remember bits and pieces and can re learn the rest.

Thank you @TheKatzKlaws A very nostalgic day for me. And next week off to buy wool and needles - again. Wish me luck!!

@oscilla knitting has the same memories for me of both my nans and them teaching me when I was young. Its so lovely to do it again.

So glad you have decided to pick it up again! Make sure you update us once you get started again! X

This is a great thread, so full of positive energy!
good luck to everyone starting out or returning from a long break.
I started back about 10 years ago after learning the basics as a child way back, also with acrylic on straight metal needles. I quickly switched to interchangeable circulars and they can be used like straights.

I’ve been slowly building up skills but I’m quite slow and quite often frog things. I like knitting in finer yarns and would love to knit colour work.
this autumn I made a DK sleeveless waistcoat with pockets, I cord and buttons.

Keep posting all your progress and ask any questions you will get lots if support 😁

Its so lovely to have a positive thread and such lovely chat 😊

The world needs more knitting 😂

So advice on fixing mistakes please!

Just a test patch so could just unravel but would be good to practice trying to repair - not sure what I've done here, still got same number of stitches. I un-knitted it back a few rows but still cant figure out how to fix it 🤦🏻‍♀️

Any ideas?

good tip!

my German friends keep trying to teach me to knit this way but after 50 odd years of knitting it just doesn't work. (although there are easy ways to do colour change in the regular way we knit over here)

Loads of great advice and inspiration on here. So as a life long knitter my only bit of advice to add is that charity shops often have pots or boxes full of knitting needles but don't display them as they can be a "stabbing risk". You just have to ask, they'll be in the back room or under the counter. Then you can rummage and get all sorts of sizes and types, as well as extra goodies like needle gauges and stitch counters. I got a bundle of long stitch holders for £1 recently.

OP a simple project might be a teddy for your little one. There are very easy patterns as well as more complicated ones. Have fun and enjoy such a harmless addiction.

@TheKatzKlaws Your knitting is very neat and your tension is nice and even. I can only see the error on the row actually on the needle. Is that the one you mean?

With the stitches you have on the needle, what you have done is you have knitted along, but then for the last three stitches, you have slipped the two stitches from one needle to the next without actually knitting them. You have then knitted the last stitch as normal. So to fix it, unknit the last stitch, slip the next 2 stitches back on to the needle with the stitch you have just unknitted, and then knit all three as normal.

This page has a good video on unknitting single stitches: https://knitwithhenni.com/2020/01/14/tink/

It's really useful to be able to do, I am now almost as quick at unknitting as I am at knitting. 😂

Another thing worth thinking about is using lifelines in knitting, they help you avoid unravelling your knitting completely if you make a mistake.

sheepandstitch.com/library/how-to-use-lifelines-in-knitting-and-why-you-need-them/

Slipping stitches and then knitting the one after is a nice technique for creating patterns and it's often used in colour work as well. So what you did isn't necessarily a mistake!
This page has got some tips and patterns for slip stitch techniques:
www.gathered.how/knitting-and-crochet/knitting/slip-stitch-knitting

@katmarie thank you for this!! So helpful! Managed to fix it, found using a crochet hook(?) made it much easier.

And thanks for the comment on my stitches, good to get some feedback 😊. My tension is definitely getting more uniform (the first few knitting attempts were all over the place!).

That lifeline tip is genius! I’ve been knitting around 11 years and unpicking for me is okish if using thicker yarn but is a nightmare with thin ones - particularly as I have an especially tight tension! I’m currently working with a thing one and I’m sure I will make use of this!

Good decision, Op! Knitting is good for the soul!

My advice for what it’s worth:

Don’t start with black wool. Makes it harder to see the stitches when you are still figuring things out.

Some of the fancier wools - mohair, fine tweed can also be difficult for a beginner as they can be thin and fragile - they don’t tolerate being unravelled and re-knitted well.

As well as knitting and purling, watch a YouTube video on how to do mattress stitch - it’s a joining stitch which means you can neatly sew knitted pieces together. Once you can manage that, you can make all sorts of things - jumpers, soft toys, hats, patchwork blankets etc.

Avoid going craft shopping with fellow knitters. (We are all ‘enablers’!) 😁

My advice when putting in a lifeline is to use a fineish yarn in a contrasting colour, that doesn't shed fibers. I tend to use a cotton yarn, DK weight, or even a long embroidery silk, if I'm working with fine yarns or small needles. Nothing worse than putting a red lifeline into a light coloured garment, pulling it out, and leaving bits of red fluff all the way through it. Ask me how I know 😂

Much truth in here - especially the part about going shopping with fellow knitters. My SIL and I like to go to yarn and craft events. She crochets and I knit, and we definitely enable each other!