Have you ever seen a sweater in a store and thought, I could totally make that?
Despite having never knit a piece of clothing before, this has been me every time I go shopping lately. This winter, I finally caved and bought my first knitting pattern and decided to wing it.
If you want to take up knitting but aren’t sure where to start, this is your beginner’s guide to knitting from another beginner. Even if you feel like you have no idea what you’re doing, you’ll never find out unless you try!
Why Knit?
Now is the perfect time to pick up a traditional craft like knitting to keep its practice alive. Without young people learning and our dependency on technology, there will be no one to pass on the skills in the future.
Many people hold themselves back from learning how to knit out of fear that it will be too difficult. But that’s the thing — it isn’t meant to be easy. Contrary to what our culture of fast fashion and instant gratification has us believe, creating a garment from scratch takes time, effort, and learning.
Although it might feel difficult (or even impossible) at first, knitting can be an incredibly rewarding experience. Watching a garment come to life in your hands is gratifying, and you’ll continue to feel that gratification each time you wear your finished piece.
What You’ll Need
To start any knitting project, you’ll need to find a pattern to follow. Knitting patterns are equivalent to an instruction manual for whatever you choose to make. Many pattern designers will create for a wide range of skill levels, so it’s a good idea to start with something labelled “beginner” or “novice.” If you’re not sure where to look, Ravelry is a popular knitting website where you can find loads of patterns to choose from!
Once you’ve found a pattern you’d like to follow, it’s time for the fun part: yarn! Most patterns will link recommended yarns that work with the project. Regardless of what you’re making, I always recommend choosing a natural fibre like wool or cotton, depending on the season.
If you’re shopping in Canada, Galt House of Yarn has a great selection of high-quality yarns and is based in Cambridge, Ontario. When choosing between brands, Nordic companies like Sadnes Garn are always a reliable choice.
Next, you can’t knit without needles! The pattern you choose will indicate what size and type of needles you’ll need to create the correct size garment.
Most knitting needles come in many sizes measured by their diameter in millimetres. However, they also come in straight, double-pointed, and circular forms. Depending on what you’re making, you might need a combination of each, so be sure to consult your pattern before purchasing.
Aside from the basics of yarn and needles, there are a few other tools that might make your life easier and are highly recommended. Sewing scissors, tapestry needles, and stitch markers will be your best friends throughout the knitting process!
My Experience
For my first-ever knitted garment, I chose to make the Novice Cardigan – Mohair Edition by Petite Knit, a popular Danish knitwear designer whose patterns are famous in the knitting community for being incredibly straightforward and beginner-friendly.
Before this project, I had only ever knitted simple squares and rectangles for practice. Jumping straight into a cardigan was certainly ambitious… but it turned out great!
Throughout the knitting process, I learned a lot on the go. Luckily, Petite Knit offers video tutorials for many of the steps in her patterns that you may be unfamiliar with. I learn best visually, so I lean heavily on tutorials either provided by the designer or others found on YouTube.
I knitted my cardigan in Sandnes Garn Tynn Silk Mohair in shade 6552 Ice Blue. This is a lace-weight yarn, meaning it has a thin and wispy quality. Despite this, it’s deceivingly warm! If you’re looking for a lightweight winter cardigan, this is the design for you.
In total, I knit this cardigan over two months. As a university student, however, I only have so much free time to dedicate to knitting. It’s possible to finish it much faster, but if you’re working in little spurts at a time, it will realistically take a while.
To learn more about the pattern I tried, you can check out Petite Knit’s Ravelry page!
If you’ve been considering getting into knitting but are worried you don’t have the skills, this is your sign to just go for it. You will undoubtedly make mistakes, but that’s the beauty of knitting: you can always unravel it and try again.