Just starting! :)

#1

So I have watched all the videos and I am ready to get started. But I just had a few Q’s that I wasn’t sure I heard.

  1. Obviously some projects call for a large number of cast ons (I’m guessing because the project is wide) like a blanket! so all of this will not fit on the needle. Is it okay for them to slide off.

2.Also I am having trouble with reading patterns. Is there a sopt here to learn how to do that?

  1. Also I need to know what type of needles I should buy. Something general for many projects. and the best yarn to buy!

I think thats it for now! :slight_smile: thanks

knittin mamma

#2

Welcome to Knitting Help!

  1. Obviously some projects call for a large number of cast ons (I’m guessing because the project is wide) like a blanket! so all of this will not fit on the needle. Is it okay for them to slide off.

NO, you don’t want your stitches sliding off. If you’re making something large then you use circular needles with a cable attached and the work rests on the cable. I never use straight needles anymore since you can use circulars for both flat knitting and circular.

2.Also I am having trouble with reading patterns. Is there a sopt here to learn how to do that?

There might be a site to learn, but really it just comes from practice and learn as you go.

You can learn about patterns by looking at the glossary and and asking questions here as they come up.

  1. Also I need to know what type of needles I should buy. Something general for many projects. and the best yarn to buy!

To start with you can learn with straight needles or circular and in wood, plastic, or metal. It’s sometimes easier to work with wood or plastic at first so they aren’t as slippery, but it doesn’t matter. Start with size 8 or 9 needles. Use a smooth, light colored yarn in worsted weight.

First learn the basics of knitting and purling by just casting on about 25 stitches and just do garter stitch (knit on both sides) for awhile. Then practice knitting a row, turning and purling on the other side for several inches. That makes stockinette. In other words get comfortable with the needles and yarn.

#3

You do not want the sts coming off the needles, so you need to use circulars for enough sts to make a blanket or other item with a larger number of sts. Use them like straights, turn at the end of the row instead of knitting in the round.

I don’t advise doing a blanket for your first project, it’s very large. Even a scarf can get boring after the first couple feet. Practice with some inexpensive yarn on just a sampler first. Cast on, do some rows of all knit, then alternate a knit row with a purl row for a while. Try some ribbing where you knit and purl sts on the same row, do some increases and decreases. That can help keep it from getting boring while learning sts and if you do it long enough, could be a scarf. I’d suggest using a size 10 needle instead of an 8 or 9; the sts are a little larger so you can see them better, and it’ll make a nice soft item.

#4

I recommend having circular needles even if you’re working flat. The nice thing about circulars is that when you’re not working you can move the sts down to the cable between the needles. I am constantly around kids and it has saved many a project from being torn out when babies have gotten into it. Also my other recommendation for when you are first learning is to use variegated yarn. It helps to pick out what your doing when your learning to either knit or purl.