How Do I pick up knitting as a hobby?

#1

I want to start knitting and I was wondering what kind of supplies I need to start knitting as a hobby. I am new to this so, any information would be great!!

#2

Welcome to KH. No better place to start you new addiction…er, uh, I mean hobby. :slight_smile: You need some needles, US size 9 or so would be a good size to start with, and some worsted weight yarn. Slick metal needles probably aren’t the best choice; plastic, acrylic, or bamboo would be good. You can pick both up at lots of stores, you should look for a yarn that’s not too rough (many Red Heart Super Saver yarns) but not too soft (like Caron Simply Soft) to start with. Acrylic yarn is great for starting and doesn’t have to cost a lot. There are lots of videos on this site and on youtube. You can ask all the questions you want here and expect help, usually pretty quickly.

#3

Welcome to the forum!
I second GG’s advice. A light colored yarn is good because it’s easier to see what’s happening, too. There’s a section under the Free Videos tab here that will help:
http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/learn-to-knit

And welcome to knitting. It’s such a wonderful, absorbing use of time.

#4

Size 8 or 9 needles and a smooth light solid colored yarn in worsted weight (#4). By smooth I mean a plain yarn… No novelty or fuzzy yarns. Light solid colors make it easier to see your stitches which is important when you’re learning. Wood needles have a little grippiness to them which can make it easier when you’re learning, but if you find your stitches are tight you may prefer metal.

That’s really all you [I]need[/I] to start knitting. Well that and instructions. There are videos linked at the top of the page. There are also YouTube of course and here’s another link. Sometimes it helps to view multiple sources because each person explains a little differently.
http://tutorials.knitpicks.com/wptutorials/category/getting-started/

Also… Don’t start with the backward loop cast on. It’s easy, but always causes problems. I’d recommend long tail or knitted cast on.

#5

Welcome to the world of wool! :knitting:

Where I live there are several “Knit and Natter” groups who meet to knit and share help and advice. If there’s something near you that could be a good way in as well.

#6

I’m a fairly new knitter, and I started with a ‘kit’ that I’d hoped would help me learn, but it didn’t. It came with some bulky acrylic yarn, size 10 1/2 bamboo needles, a cable needle, and a book of patterns (no instructions).

I used the videos on this site and a few others. I’ve since expanded my collection of needles in a major way (I have a set of interchangeables, a few sets of dpns, and a bunch of straight needles in various sizes). I love my interchangeable needle set because I now have the needles to create almost any project that I want to try.

But all you really need to get started is some needles, yarn, and some good videos. It’s really amazing. Over the years I had tried to learn from books but quickly became frustrated. Being able to learn through videos is awesome because you can go at your own pace. There is so much to learn.

#7

Welcome SLPeaJr and thanks for your comments. Yes, there are all sorts of ways to learn so if books don’t do it, trying the videos or classes are alternatives.

#8

May I add that when you get stuck or make a mistake, we’re all here. If there’s a knitting mistake that can be made, I think I’ve made it, so nothing’s going to shock, surprise or stump us :slight_smile: