A Comprehensive Guide: How to Knit for Beginners
Knitting is a craft that has served as a vehicle of creativity, relaxation, and productivity for many generations. Using hands, needles, and a thread of yarn, anyone can craft beautiful pieces that are practical and long-lasting. This article aims to help beginners learn knitting 101, with a focus on knitting yarn Australia online as an essential resource.
The Supplies
Before you begin, you must gather the essential knitting supplies. The basics include knitting needles, a pair of scissors, a tapestry needle, and of course, yarn. For beginners, it’s recommended to opt for medium-weight, smooth-textured yarn and standard size knitting needles (size 7 or 8). You can browse through a vast range of knitting yarn Australia online and pick the one that suits your project requirements.
Making a Slipknot
The first step to knitting is making a slipknot on one of the knitting needles. To make a slipknot, make a loop, leaving a tail of the yarn. Fold the loop over the main yarn, reach through the folded loop, and pull off a loop of the main yarn. Tighten it, but make sure the knot can still slide along the needle smoothly.
Knitting Styles
There are essentially two popular knitting styles – English and Continental. In English style, the yarn is held in the right hand, while in the Continental style, it goes in the left. Both styles use the same basic knit stitch; it’s up to personal preference. Try both and see what feels natural to you.
The Basic Knit Stitch
Here’s how you can do a basic knit stitch:
- Insert the right needle from left to right into the first loop on the left needle.
- Wrap the yarn over the right needle from left to right.
- Pull this new loop through the old loop with the right needle.
- Slide the old loop off the left needle, leaving the new loop on the right needle.
Repeat until you have knitted all the stitches from the left needle onto the right, swapping needles between hands.
The Purl Stitch
The second most popular stitch is the purl stitch. Here’s how:
- Insert the right needle from right to left into the first loop on the left needle.
- Wrap the yarn over the right needle from right to left.
- Pull this new loop through the old loop with the right needle.
- Slide the old loop off the left needle, leaving the new loop on the right needle.
Ensure you’re moving the yarn to the front before initiating a purl stitch and to the back before a knit stitch.
Patterns
The beauty of knitting lies in the variety of patterns you can create using just the knit and purl stitches. Some of the beginners-friendly patterns are Garter stitch, Stockinette stitch, and Ribbed stitch. Once you feel comfortable with these, you can move on to more complex patterns.
Voila! With these simple steps, you’re off to a great start in your knitting journey. When choosing your knitting yarn, consider ordering from the wide range of knitting yarn Australia online. Happy knitting!