Welcome to Knitting, A Guide for Beginners
Welcome to Knitting!
Let us help guide you on your journey learning to knit – whether this is a return after many years, or a new journey, we are delighted to help.
Getting Started
My most commonly asked question for new knitters, is “Where to Start?”… so let me share my thoughts. I think learning is best served in a smaller achievable project, get the piece done and do the happy dance so you can build confidence. Learning just the knit stitch first will build a solid foundation, the repetition will move you through the awkward feeling you get holding the needles and moving the wool. Working with slightly bigger needles (ideally 5mm to 6mm) will help you see what you are doing without the needles feeling like big clumsy chopsticks. And last piece of advice, make something you really want as that will help you stick to it when it feels tricky, fiddly or confusing.
Total Beginner Project Suggestions
These projects are all made with just one ball of Sumptuous, using just the knit stitch, both are a great place to start your knitting journey and the patterns are FREE!
Simple Bunny FREE PATTERN
Elle-Gator FREE PATTERN
And you can shop our beginner kits with the wools, tools and pattern – just choose your fav colour 🙂
Supporting Tutorials
Check out our resources for our How to Knit Basics and some info on How to Knit with Circular Needles that we use in our kits; for these patterns you can reference How to Setup your Needles and How to Knit Flat
Coming soon will be some support tutorials to help you with accidental stitch gains and dropped stitches, here is how to Knit Backwards to undo
Building Confidence as a Beginner
Learning anything new will go differently for different people, but it is fair to expect your first piece to grow slowly, have some impromptu holes and gain extra stitches. This is completely normal for new knitters. I like the idea that you will only ever have one FIRST ever piece, and that piece will show your knitting journey from cast on to cast off. You will see your progress in this piece and it will never look like anyone else’s! Embrace the learning marks, plus holes in your knitting and straggles of wool are very on trend 🙂
Right so you’ve made your first thing, now what next?
You could tackle some bigger projects, work with colour changes and even working with two balls of wool at once (known as two strand) to make a big squishy fast growing project. This level is still using just our friend the knit stitch, and really we are looking for you to get super comfortable before bringing in our other good friend; purl stitch.
Bigger Beginner Level Project Suggestions
Working just with knit stitch you can bring in colour changes with our free pattern;
And here are some kit options too;
Simple Baby Blanket Knit Kit
Snuggle Blanket Knit Kit
Scraggle Scarf Knit Kit
Tri-Colour Blanket Knit Kit
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- Simple Baby Blanket
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- Snuggle Blanket
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- Scraggle Scarf
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- Tri- Colour Blanket
Supporting tutorials building on the above are; Changing Colour (working flat), Working Two Strands, Sewing in Your Ends
Building Skills as a Beginner
First stop is adding purl to the mix, but you also might want to try knitting in the round, or take a full adventure with the braided snood!
Add purl in with this free pattern;
Simple Ribbed Cowl FREE PATTERN
Or up your game to knitting in the round, and ribbing with knit and purl with this free pattern;
Basic Beanie FREE PATTERN (coming soon)
And here are some kit options too;
Simple Ribbed Cowl Knit Kit
Braided Snood Knit Kit
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- Simple Ribbed Cowl
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- Briaded Cowl
Supporting tutorials for adding these skills include How to Purl, Knit and Purl Ribbing, Setting up your Circular Needles, Joining in the Round, How to Change Between Knitting and Purling
Did you know that The Woven Co offer beginner learning journeys through Woolly Surprise, these are a group knit along with other learners – find out more here 🙂
Once you’ve got your knitting and purling sorted, and feel comfortable knitting in the round, why not tackle one of these fun patterns?
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- One T Beanie
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- Classic Rib Beanie
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- Jason Snood
The One T Beanie is one of the most adored patterns, and it’s free too!
Next skills on the list will be increases and decreases, following a pattern, picking up stitches, making stitches… feel free to ask for ideas and suggestions – or better yet join the learning journey and get these delivered to your door each month.
You’ll find more supporting tutorials in our library here – including tips for unknitting and fixing mistakes
Please get in touch if I can help
xxx
M
