How to Gather the Things You Need to Start Knitting
Restrict yourself to one or two skeins of yarn and one or two pairs of needles., Choose your yarn carefully, because each type of project you make needs a specific type of yarn: super fine (thinnest type of yarn), fine, light, medium, bulky, and...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Restrict yourself to one or two skeins of yarn and one or two pairs of needles.
It's easy to go overboard and buy tons of yarn and needles, but since you're just starting out, better to be on the cautious side. -
Step 2: Choose your yarn carefully
The reason for this is, for example, if you are making a large purse, you would need the yarn to be medium to super bulky.
So to make the rest of the long story short, the size of your yarn depends on the size of the project.
To start out choose basic yarn, nothing frilly or textured.
This will be easiest to knit with for a beginner.
Medium to bulky weights will be easy to see and easy to manipulate as well. , Now, you might be saying, "Oh, I can just use my chopsticks! Why do I have to spend extra money on some sticks?".
Well, you are a bit wrong.
You will soon find that knitting with chopsticks is very frustrating, as your stitches will slip off the end and get stuck in the wood.
For your first needles consider:
Size:
Make sure you match your needles (within one size) to your yarn.
Read the label on the yarn you select and buy the needle size it suggests.
Otherwise you will end up with extremely holy or extremely tight yarn.
It's good to start out with size eight or large needles, because thicker yarn is easier to start with.
Material:
You will only gain a preference after you try lots of needles.
To start out, try plastic or wooden or bamboo needles.
The stitches will tend to stay on these needles, unlike metal which they will slip off easily. (This is a problem for beginning knitters everywhere...) Type:
Mostly likely you are starting out with a two dimensional, flat knitting project as a beginner.
For this you will need straight needles (two sticks).
Steer clear of the circular needles and double pointed needles for now. , "What is a yarn needle?" you may ask.
Well, a yarn needle is a small needle that you use to weave in extra thread that hangs off of your finished project.
They are cheap, and will help finished project to look neater, and more professional.
If you don't buy yarn needles, you can cut them with scissors, but this will leave a small piece of yarn sticking out from where you cut with the scissors.
It's your choice! , This way whenever you want to go somewhere and bring your knitting, it's all in one place.
You may want to include:
A small cloth bag to keep doodads in such as yarn needles. (A plastic bag will get poked to shreds.) A folder for patterns and yarn labels.
Large Ziploc bags for keeping knitting projects separate. -
Step 3: because each type of project you make needs a specific type of yarn: super fine (thinnest type of yarn)
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Step 4: medium
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Step 5: and super bulky (thickest type of yarn).
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Step 6: Get the appropriate knitting needles.
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Step 7: Get a yarn needle (or tapestry needle).
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Step 8: Put all of your new knitting accessories in a serious knitter's tote to keep them all together.
Detailed Guide
It's easy to go overboard and buy tons of yarn and needles, but since you're just starting out, better to be on the cautious side.
The reason for this is, for example, if you are making a large purse, you would need the yarn to be medium to super bulky.
So to make the rest of the long story short, the size of your yarn depends on the size of the project.
To start out choose basic yarn, nothing frilly or textured.
This will be easiest to knit with for a beginner.
Medium to bulky weights will be easy to see and easy to manipulate as well. , Now, you might be saying, "Oh, I can just use my chopsticks! Why do I have to spend extra money on some sticks?".
Well, you are a bit wrong.
You will soon find that knitting with chopsticks is very frustrating, as your stitches will slip off the end and get stuck in the wood.
For your first needles consider:
Size:
Make sure you match your needles (within one size) to your yarn.
Read the label on the yarn you select and buy the needle size it suggests.
Otherwise you will end up with extremely holy or extremely tight yarn.
It's good to start out with size eight or large needles, because thicker yarn is easier to start with.
Material:
You will only gain a preference after you try lots of needles.
To start out, try plastic or wooden or bamboo needles.
The stitches will tend to stay on these needles, unlike metal which they will slip off easily. (This is a problem for beginning knitters everywhere...) Type:
Mostly likely you are starting out with a two dimensional, flat knitting project as a beginner.
For this you will need straight needles (two sticks).
Steer clear of the circular needles and double pointed needles for now. , "What is a yarn needle?" you may ask.
Well, a yarn needle is a small needle that you use to weave in extra thread that hangs off of your finished project.
They are cheap, and will help finished project to look neater, and more professional.
If you don't buy yarn needles, you can cut them with scissors, but this will leave a small piece of yarn sticking out from where you cut with the scissors.
It's your choice! , This way whenever you want to go somewhere and bring your knitting, it's all in one place.
You may want to include:
A small cloth bag to keep doodads in such as yarn needles. (A plastic bag will get poked to shreds.) A folder for patterns and yarn labels.
Large Ziploc bags for keeping knitting projects separate.
About the Author
Amy Bennett
With a background in law, Amy Bennett brings 2 years of hands-on experience to every article. Amy believes in making complex topics accessible to everyone.
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