We all know it’s smart to start with easy knitting patterns when you’re a beginner. But frankly, how excited can you be about knitting acrylic pot holders? This article will give you some tips to start knitting happily in no time. You don’t have to get frustrated with a complicated pattern to make something you’re excited about.
USE GREAT MATERIALS
Even a very simple garment can be wonderful if it is woven from excellent materials. Wool is by far the most satisfying fiber to knit with for the beginner. It is resistant, has natural elasticity and forgives the variable tension of a beginner. And of course, it comes in a wonderful variety of colors and styles. The worsted weight is good for beginners, anything smaller than that and you’ll lose patience waiting for results. A good basic yarn that you can find in many stores is Lamb’s Pride, which is a blend of wool and mohair that is strong and bright, and comes in fabulous colors. Wool and silk blends are also good for beginners, but can be expensive.
If you live in a very hot climate and prefer to start with cotton, that’s fine, but not nearly as satisfying for knitting. Cotton should knit a little tighter than wool, so as a general rule of thumb, use a slightly smaller needle. Your knitting shop will be happy to recommend a good size needle for your chosen yarn.
I strongly recommend against using acrylic yarn – it is hard on the hands and just does not satisfy, even if it feels good in the store.
(By the way, in the beginning, don’t get too hung up on gauge, which is how many stitches per inch you get. Her first few projects are all about developing her rhythm as a knitter and making the two basic stitches come naturally. )
START WITH A “NO PATTERN” PATTERN
Once you have your tools and have chosen a great yarn, assuming you know the two basic stitches (knit and purl), you are ready to go.
(If you don’t know how to knit at all and don’t have someone around who can show you the basics, don’t despair. This is a good ebook that will guide you through all of AZ so you can get started right away.)
For your first few projects, knit simple pieces that don’t rely on much measurement or precision. You could knit a nice pashmina-style stole: just cast on about 200-250 stitches and knit in garter stitch (that means knit every row, no rows) until it’s 24″ wide or so. You can keep this from getting boring either working with a yarn you love or working in stripes of various wonderful colors (if you’re using multiple colors, make sure they’re all the same brand and type of yarn. In other words, you’ll want 3-5 skeins of Lamb’s Pride or any another specific thread that you choose, in different colors).
With circular needles, you can make a large tubular scarf that pulls up to cover your head in cold weather. (Like an oversized turtleneck, minus the sweater part.) Again, cast on about 200-250 stitches, but this time join them in a circle (your knitting store can help), then knit until you have about 24″ and bind off. Remember you want a nice, smooth yarn if you’re creating something for wear on your face. You also knit every row in this one, but because it’s a circular knit, you end up with a plain knit (called a jersey) instead. unlike stockinette stitch which lays flat. Jersey knit also falls a bit better.
If you’re ready to branch out beyond simple rectangles and tubes, check out my Squidoo lens at http://www.squidoo.com/hipsterknitting/” target=”_new”>easy knitting patterns for hipsters which includes resources for everything from yarn shops online to an amazing new book with a pattern for a knitted Mohawk.
Happy knitting!
