Knitting 101 - Knitting for Beginners

A Beginning Knitter's Resource Guide

Alright, you’ve made your decision to learn how to knit, so where do we start?

First, a few necessary items...

We recommend worsted weight yarn for most beginners as it is easier to see and control your stitches. We carry a variety of options to fit your price range, which can be found here. Most worsted weight yarn recommends a US size 6, 7, or 8 needle. Since most beginner knitters knit tightly, a size 8 is probably best. We carry several knitting needles in this size, which can be found here. At the end of your project, you will need to sew in the ends with a yarn needle, which we also carry here. A basic pair of small scissors such as these will also be helpful. We have a list of supplies you will need below, along with other helpful links, and how to choose the correct needles for your project.

For many people, it is easiest to start a simple project in garter stitch. This alleviates the pressure of having to learn both the knit and purl stitch at the same time. A simple dishcloth or a scarf are excellent first projects. A scarf may take longer, but has the added advantage of building more muscle memory. An excellent resource for patterns is the website Ravelry https://www.ravelry.com/account/login which does require a free account to use, but has hundreds of thousands of patterns in both crochet and knit varieties for a wide range of skill levels. We have a group that includes a forum, called The Real Paradise Fibers https://www.ravelry.com/groups/the-real-paradise-fiberswhere you can share your projects, ask questions, and find out about our current sales.

Now, onto the knitting! First, let us explore how to cast on. This is also explained in the video at the end.

Getting Started: How to Cast-on

Step 1: Slip Knot

Make a slipknot and leave a tail. The length of this tail varies depending on the number of stitches you will need to cast-on. To figure out where to tie the slip knot, measure three and a half times the width the pattern calls for. 

Step 2: Put Slip Knot on Needle

Put the needle through the slipknot and pull snug with the short tail end of the yarn closest to you.

Step 3: Make Sure the Slip Knot is Facing the Right Way

The string that is attached to your ball of yarn should be in the back and the string that is free in the front. Then hold this needle in your right hand with the 2 strings of yarn hanging down. 

Step 4: Pinch Thumb and Index Finger Together

Make the okay sign with your left hand by pinching the thumb and index finger together.

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Step 5: Push Fingers between the 2 Yarn Strands

Put these 2 fingers between the 2 strands of yarn, make sure the short tail end of the yarn is in front of your thumb and the long working yarn is behind your index finger.

Step 6: Grab the Yarn

With your free middle, ring, and pinky fingers on your left hand, grab around the 2 dangling strands of yarn, like you are making a fist, and hold the strands out of the way.

Step 7: Push Yarn Apart

Separate your thumb and index finger- like you are making a sling-shot with your fingers. This will push the strands of yarn apart.

Step 8: Notice the 2 Loops:

Look at your hand that is holding the yarn. Notice the loops around your thumb and index fingers.

Step 9: Put Needle Through 1st Loop

Insert your needle behind the strand of yarn closest to you on your thumb.

Step 10: Put Needle Through 2nd Loop

Insert your needle behind the strand of yarn closest to you on the loop around your index finger.

Step 11: Pull Yarn from Loop 2 Through Loop 1

Pull your needle back through the loop on your thumb.

Step 12: Take Thumb out of Loop 1

Release your thumb from the loop.

Step 13: Pull Tail of Yarn With Thumb Creating a New Loop

Pull the tail end of the yarn with your thumb, tightening the stitch you just made and creating another loop on your thumb. (You should have 2 stitches on your needle now, your slip knot counts as one of these stitches.)

Step 14: Repeat

Repeat steps 9-13 until you have the desired number of stitches cast-on. This type of cast-on is called the Long Tail Cast-on.

Starting to Knit: The Knit Stitch

Next, we will explore how to do the knit stitch.

Step 1: Switch Hands

Hold the needle with the cast on stitches in your left hand, and the empty needle in your right hand.

Step 2: Wind Working Yarn Around Fingers For Tension

Wind the working yarn through your fingers to help you keep an even tension. How you do this is not important; just find whatever is most comfortable for you.

Step 3: Hold the empty Needle in front of everything in your right hand

Hold the empty needle in front of the working yarn.

Step 4: Insert the Empty Needle into the First Stitch

Insert the new (empty) needle into the first stitch, going upwards into the stitch and creating an “X” with your needles. The old needle (with stitches on it) is on top of the new needle.

Step 5: Wrap the Yarn Around the Needle

Wrap the working yarn around the new needle only in a counter clockwise direction.

Step 6: Use the Right Needle to pull the Working yarn under the left needle through the stitch on that needle

Sliding the new needle down, carefully catch this loop of yarn and pull it under the cast on stitch. You should now have one loop on the new needle and one on the old needle.

Step 7: Pull the original stitch off of the left needle with the new stitch you just made

Pull the remaining loop off the old needle, leaving the new loop on the needle that was previously empty.

Step 8: Repeat Until End of Row

Repeat with all remaining stitches.

Step 9: Switch hands after the last stitch

Once the row is finished, switch which hand each needle is in so that the needle with the stitches on it is once again in your left hand. The old needle becomes the new needle and vice versa.

Step 10: Knit this row just like the last one.

When knitting a row that will be all knit stitches, make sure that your working yarn is beneath both needles at all times. It is especially important to double check this at the beginning of rows, which is where most new knitters accidentally add extra stitches.

 

To make a simple scarf, repeat this row until your work is as long as you want, then bind off.

 

How to Choose a Needle: 

To get started, check out our video on how to choose a needle, or simply browse through the collection of resources below!

Popular Brands of Knitting Needles

There are many types of knitting needles and many various manufacturers all over the world.  The most popular manufacturer of quality circular needles is Chiaogoo knitting needles, who make both metal and bamboo needles. The red cords on the metal needles are super flexible and are a favorite among the staff here at Paradise Fibers. We highly recommend investing in a set of Chiaogoo's interchangeable sets once you become an established knitter, this way you are not constantly buying new needles for every project. Interchangeable sets also make for great gifts!

Our other favorites are the HiyaHiya needles. Produced in North America, their metal needles come in both steel and sharp steel- perfect for lace-y projects. HiyaHiya also has a bamboo line of needles that make knitting with cotton a breeze. HiyaHiya also has great interchangeable sets!

Another popular brand of knitting needle is Louet. Louet knitting needles are precision crafted and are a superior quality needle, produced in North America and backed by a lifetime warranty! Their new line - Squares - are square needles that are great for customers who have trouble holding circular needles and those with arthritis. The cables for these come in firm and soft options. 

The Addi Turbo Circular needles are made of nickel plated aluminum with a very smooth join where the needle meets the cable.  Addi also makes a bamboo circular needle as well as lace circulars which have a sharper point for smaller yarn.  They come with a lifetime warranty. 

Other Needle Resources

• Knitting Needles – Learn how to choose the most appropriate type of knitting needles for your skill level and project.
• Choosing Needles – Have a look at the different types of needles and the results they produce.
• Circular Knitting Needles - browse our huge selection of circular knitting needles from Chiaogoo, Louet, Addi Turbo and Hiya Hiya.
  
• Double Point Knitting Needles - DPNs are perfect for smaller projects. Here we have a selection to choose from rosewood and ebonywood in 5 and 7 inch lengths to American birch, bamboo, and metal.
• Single Point or Straight Knitting Needles - Single Points knitting needles are the most common traditional style of needle browse our huge selection.

Knitting Resources: 

Knitting Basics

• Tools and Yarn – Find out how to pick the right tools and yarn for your knitting needs.
• Before Knitting (PDF) – See visual examples of the types of products available for knitters, with information about which are best to start with.
• Knitting Patterns – Access a series of patterns and instructions for different types of knitting projects.
• A Beginner’s Guide to Knitting (PDF) – This guide covers everything from selecting yarn, to basic techniques, stitches, and more.
• Knitting Resources – Find a variety of patterns and video tutorials for knitting inspiration.
• Beginning Knitting (PPT) – Watch a slideshow on how to get prepared and start knitting your first piece.
• Knitting Techniques – The resources on this page offer help with knitting techniques as well as troubleshooting.
• Knitting Thesaurus – Look up abbreviations and meanings of terms used in knitting tutorials and patterns.
• Knit and Purl (PDF) – Follow this guide for detailed notes and instructions on how to knit and purl.
• Warp and Weft – Learn all about warp and weft and how it can be applied in different ways.

Other Types of Knitting

• Circular Knitting – In this tutorial, beginner knitters learn about circular knitting and how to try it themselves.
• How to Felt – A tutorial on how to felt your projects.
• Lace Knitting – Use this checklist of materials required for lace knitting projects.

History and Culture

• Why Knit? – Read some common reasons on why people have knitted in the past as well as in the present.
• Origins of Knitting – This brief history introduces some early instances of knitting in previous centuries.
• Norse Knitting – See how people knitted in ancient Norse cultures.
• Red Cross Knitting – Trace the history of the Red Cross’ knitting campaigns from World War I on-wards.

Knitting Checklists and Knitting Supplies

• Knitting  Checklist – This list provides an overview of the main materials needed for knitting.
• Essential Knitting Checklist - This list provides an overview of the main materials needed for knitting.
• Wool Knitting Yarn - browse one of the largest selections of wool knitting yarn in the craft industry from domestic farms to exotic cashmere wool blends.
• Soap for hand washing hand knits -The best way to care for hand knit garments is with wool wash products that require no rinsing.
• Needle Felting – Tools used for needle felting.

And finally, a few glossary terms for reference. In parenthesis we have listed the common abbreviations for each term that you will find in knitting patterns.

Knitting Terms: 

Cast-on (CO) - Creating the stitches on the needle. This creates a foundation row upon which you build the rest of your project.

Bind off (BO) - Finishing an item by weaving the stitches together and pulling them off the needles.

Knit stitch (k) - This is the most basic stitch in all of knitting. We will go into how to do this stitch below.

Purl stitch (p) - This is the companion of the knit stitch, and it’s the total opposite. We’ll explain that in a minute as well.

Garter stitch - Created by knitting every stitch of each row when knitting a flat piece. The resulting fabric is “bumpy” and stretchier than stockinette stitch.

[photo of garter stitch]

Stockinette stitch (st st) - A combination of stitches in which one row is knit, and the next row is purled when working back and forth. This is the traditional knitted fabric you are used to seeing on your ready-to-wear clothing, it is recognizable by consisting of many little “V’s.”
[photo of stockinette stitch]

Working yarn - The yarn coming from the ball.

Yarn weight - This is a way of describing how thick yarn is. It is often written in yards per ounce or meters per gram. For example, a yarn that is 2 meters per gram is going to be thicker than a yarn that is 4 meters per gram. The more meters per gram, the thinner the yarn. Yarn weights in US terms are (from thinnest to thickest) cobweb, lace, fingering/sock, sport, double knit (or DK), worsted, aran, bulky (or chunky), and super bulky.

Fiber content - This is simply what fibers were used to make the yarn. Common fibers are wool, acrylic, cotton, alpaca, etc. This includes both natural (proteinaceous) and man-made (synthetic) materials.

Gauge - Gauge is how tight or loose you knit. This is typically measured in stitches per inch. Some patterns, such as sweaters, require a certain number of stitches per inch for them to fit correctly. In other patterns, such as some scarves, gauge is less important.

If you're interested in learning more about knitting, spinning, felting or dyeing don't forget to follow our Youtube & Instagram for new tips, tricks and terrific work!