How to Knit: The Basics

Illustrations by Caitlin Keegan. Photo by Maxwell Tielman. If you haven’t attempted knitting, it can seem pretty terrifying. You might have watched friends or family members do it — their pointy needles swinging at lightning speed through a tangled mass of yarn — and worried deeply for their eyes and internal organs. You might be a crafting commitment-phobe, horrified at the idea of a task taking over a day (or a week! or a month!) While I still haven’t quite mastered the art of knitting in its entirety, I can say with some sense of self-assurance that I can knit. January, with its post-holidays chill, has always seemed the perfect time to start a knitting project. More on the basics of knitting after the jump . . . Once you’ve purchased your yarn and the needle size that matches it, the absolute first step of any knitting project is making a slipknot. 1. 2. Casting on is the next step in setting up your knitting project. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 1. 2. 3. 4. 1. 2. 3. 4.

DIY Crafts, Projects And Handmade Gift Ideas - Craftbits.com Learn to Knit - Knitting for Beginners - Learn How to Knit Learning to knit is a lot of fun, and it's not actually as difficult as you might think. This guide to the basics and beyond has everything you need to get started whether you've never picked up needles before or just need a refresher. Knitting Skills: There are several basic skills involved in knitting, such as: making a slip knot and casting on forming the knit stitch forming the purl stitch binding off, sometimes also referred to as casting off You'll also need a few basic knitting tools to get started. Picking a Pattern: Once you've got the basics down, it's time to pick your first project. Many patterns, even those for beginners, seem to be written in code. Finishing Projects: Once you've reached the end of your knitting, all is not quite finished. Learning New Skills: Once you're comfortable with the basics and have successfully finished a project or two, there are many more skills to try. Troubleshooting:

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