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!

Hahaha excellent advice! 😆

This is great advice - I wouldn't think about things like that! Gold mine!

I’m attempting to knit a cowl just now but think it’s not wide enough! I’m not overly fussed though as I’m just enjoying knitting while watching TV and learning new stitches. I started with seed stitch, then stockinette (the little V’s shape one), then garter… I didn’t know how to go back to stockinette so the V shape was on the same side
so I asked ChatGPT and he told me exactly what to do! Amazing!!! This is it so far 🥰🧶

So...advice on tidying up a skein of wool thats been pulled apart by a 1 year old? 🤦🏻‍♀️
Its all over the place 😂

As in an unwound skein or a ball of wool? If the latter shouldn't be too bad to wind it back up. If the former...🍸a quiet room and just take your time. I find they like to tangle up, no matter how carefully I try and wind them up into a neat ball.

Can I add a suggestion? If you get hold of a baby clothes pattern, the premature baby sizes are often good for dolls/ teddies. That way you don't need to think too carefully about yarn quality but you can practice all the techniques you'll need for other patterns. I found it a v low risk way of getting back into knitting and theres a useful result which may or may not be appreciated by your dc! Good luck.

An unwound skein...

What I wouldn't give for a quiet room and a 🍸 😂

Thats a great suggestion. I looked at toddler patterns but thought at this level by the time I finish she will have grown out of it 🙈

How are you getting on @TheKatzKlaws? I’m checking in to say I’ve now learned how to knit an icord and how to increase stitches!! I bought a massive 400g ball of wool in a charity shop so I’m knitting the Sophie Shawl that someone on Mumsnet suggested. It’s coming along nicely and I am now totally addicted to knitting while
watching the Winter Olympics 🧶🥰

I am not making a huge amount of progress (mainly due to not having a minutes peace from work or my little one!). I am just practicing the basics whenever I get a moment, so knit, purl, stocking stitch etc. I could not for the life of me increase stitches - although the videos I were looking at used continental so maybe thay was confusing me!

I am loving it though and tempted to book a few days annual leave just to do some knitting! 😂

Where did you get the pattern for your hat and scarf @Ilikeyoursleeves ? I would love to give that a go.

@TheKatzKlaws I’ve not even looking at continental as I think I’d get confused going between two different methods. I found a great YouTube video on increasing stitches, there’s loads of them. You can slow the playback to 0.25 and really watch what they are doing.

The hat and scarf pattern were in a gift box but they are v easy!

Scarf:

*I cast on 20 stitches
*Garter stitch (ie knit stitch) the whole scarf on each row. Just choose how many rows you want to do and cast off when the scarf is the length you want.

*I then added tassles by watching a YouTube video for how to do them.