Knitting is one of the most relaxing crafts you can do with your hands. Once you learn to knit you can easily sit back and knit and listen to the radio or watch your favorite television program while you happily knit away and make a great item, for yourself or someone else, at the same time.
Knitting is great for those of us who like to keep our hands busy but also like to multitask as well. I used to sit and watch my aunt knit at family gathering and was always amazed that by the end of the day she would have participated in all of the conversation and still she had a ton of knitting done.
When you first start knitting, it seems hard to do and it feels awkward in your hands. However, that awkwardness soon leaves and is replaced with the satisfied feeling of knowing you created something with your own two hands. It really is a very satisfying feeling.
While knitting is not difficult to do, it does require a few special supplies and some patience. With these three simple steps you can learn to knit today:
Step #1 – Your Supply List
To begin knitting you will simply need to have a pair of knitting needles and some yarn. If you are going to attempt to make an item from a pattern, you will also need that as well.
Knitting Needles
Knitting needles are not all created equal. By far, the easiest needles to knit on are made from wood. Wooden knitting needles allow you to knit much easier because your yarn will stay in place on them. When you use plastic or metal knitting needles you will soon find that your yarns want to slide off the needles if you are not careful in handling them. When you are new to knitting it really is best to stick to wooden needles.
When you are a beginner at knitting you should create your first project with large needles for a couple different reasons. The first reason is that the large needles are easier to work with and allow you to see your mistakes much easier. If you drop a stitch you will immediately know it and can rip out and start again fairly easily. The second reason is that large knitting needles make your projects much quicker to do. You can very easily finish a scarf on large knitting needles in only a couple days. This sense of accomplishment is great for newbies.
Yarns and Fibers
When you are new to knitting you will want to start out with natural fibers such as cotton or wool. The reason you want to stick to the natural fibers is because they will not slide off of your knitting needles quite as easily as synthetic fibers will. While all those fancy yarns look inviting, they can be a challenge to work with if you are new to knitting. It is best to start off simple and move you way up.
Step #2 – Learn Some Basic Knitting Lingo
Learning to knit means you have to learn the language which goes along with knitting. At first it looks a bit daunting, but here are the basic abbreviations. You can find more in a knitting dictionary in the front or back of most knitting books.
K stands for Knit
KB stands for Knit-in-Back
BO stands for Bind-Off
P stands for Purl
EOR stands for knit every other row
Step #3 – Just Do It
Just like the Nike ads say – Just do it! The only way you will ever learn a new skill, such as knitting, is to try it out and practice.
Learning to knit allows you to make new friends and to create beautiful works of art while relaxing at the same time. By taking care to use the right supplies for beginners, and for looking for groups where you can learn new techniques, you will be on your way to knitting complex sweaters in no time.
