A Beginner’s Guide to Knitting
Is knitting trendy again or am I just spending too much time with my grandma?
by CHARLIE WENIG ★ JANUARY 20, 2022
Hear me out, knitting is cool again. With the eerie feeling of another lockdown looming over us, I’ve decided to distract myself by picking up a new hobby: knitting. While this new found hobby may seem outdated, there is something so peaceful about watching Netflix and casually knitting a scarf in the Winter. Not to mention how protected I feel walking around with a pair of knitting needles in my bag. *Cue the scene from Hulu’s ‘Only Murders in the Building’ when Mabel, played by Selena Gomez, stabs a threatening passerby with her stainless steel knitting needles.* I probably would not take knitting as far as using it for violence, but it’s time for us all to admit that knitting is making a comeback. What a time to be alive!
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The best place to start is with the basics. First, it’s important to find a good pair of knitting needles and a ball of yarn that fits your project's desire. For the needles, using bamboo or metal needles is all based on preference. I prefer bamboo needles as I find it grips the yarn better. Knitting needles also come in various sizes. The different sizes determine how big or small the stitch is. For example, if you are knitting using thick and bulky yarn, you want bigger size needles. If you are knitting using a delicate yarn, opt for smaller size needles.
Next, the yarn. Determining what color and thickness of yarn are again, based on preference. If you are knitting a sweater or scarf, you probably want a thicker yarn that will keep you warm. If you are knitting something more lightweight and thin, opt for a more delicate yarn.
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Determining what you actually want to create is all based on experience. The most basic project to get started with is a scarf. Knitting a scarf is repetitive but helps beginners get a feel for how more advanced projects will go. Knitting a scarf also doesn’t require a complicated pattern and is completely customizable in terms of thickness, color, and style. However, if you want to dive right in, mittens or a basic sweater are always a good bet. More complicated projects like these do require patterns that can be found online.
Once you have all your equipment and have selected your project of choice, it’s time to cast on. Casting on is the process of looping your yarn onto the needles before you actually start creating your project. The number of stitches you cast on is determined by how wide you want your project to be. Many knitting patterns online will also indicate how many stitches to cast onto your needles. Casting on can be considered the most difficult part of knitting so make sure to refer to an in-depth tutorial and follow the steps closely.
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After you have cast your yarn onto your needles, the knitting power is in your hands and you are ready to begin your project. Like I said before, for first-timers I recommend starting with knitting a scarf to get a hang of the knitting process. However, it may also be a good idea just to test run a few stitches and just create a patch of yarn.
Wherever you may be in your knitting experience, the creativeness of this newfound hobby is endless. Once you start, it may be hard to stop and before you know it, you will be a knitting pro. Next Stop: Paris Olympics 2024!
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