I remember the sweaters that my mom used to knit when I was a kid – they were awful. But a lot has changed since then. Not only are the patterns beautiful, but also the different types of yarns that are available are incredible! Now anyone can create that great boutique look for a fraction of the cost – it's no wonder why so many people are learning how to knit. So, before you start learning how, here are some basic facts and tips to help you out.
All patterns have a rating, which tells you how easy or difficult the pattern will be to complete. There are 4 possible ratings: beginner, easy, intermediate and advanced. Only you know what your skill level is, so look for patterns that are appropriate for that level. Start with beginner patterns and as you learn new stitches and knitting skills, you can work your way up to the most advanced patterns out there.
Beginner: These patterns are the simplest ones out there. They use only a few simple stitches in each pattern, with little or no shaping required, and they are easy to finish.
Easy: These patterns build on the stitches and skills you learned in the beginner patterns. They introduce a few more stitches and easy colour changes in the patterns, with simple shaping and finishes to complete the project.
Intermediate: These patterns start to get more complicated and intricate, so you really do need to follow them closely. Some patterns even require the use of special needles, such as cable needles. As well, colour changes are now used as a way to create patterns or even simple designs. Finally, more complex shaping and finishing techniques are introduced.
Advanced or Experienced: These patterns produce some of the most amazing finished items that I have ever seen. The patterns are more detailed to reflect this new level of skill. Here, advanced stitches are used, along with intricate shaping and finishing techniques.
There are really only two items that you will need to get you started: knitting needles and yarn. There are a large variety of both needles and yarn to choose from, so follow the recommendations listed on the pattern.
You will quickly find out that knitting needles come in a variety of sizes, which will influence the finished size of your project. As well, needles are made from a variety of materials. These materials influence the cost of the needle, the durability and ease of use.
Yarn comes in all shapes, sizes and colours. It is made from a variety of materials, which will influence the texture, thickness and durability of the yarn. Be sure to experiment with all the different types available to find out which ones you like the best.
You can substitute the size of the knitting needle and the yarn suggested in the pattern for others. However, if you do that, be sure to test the gauge. The gauge will tell you how many stitches and rows you will have to knit to create an inch. Once you know the gauge, you can adjust the pattern so that the finished project will be size the pattern intended it to be. If you don't adjust the pattern, than your finished project will turn out smaller or larger than it should be.
The pattern will tell you how many rows and stitches to knit to create your gauge swatch. Use the knitting needles and yarn you would like to use for your project and knit the required rows and stitches. Once you have finished knitting the gauge swatch, use a ruler to count the number of stitches needed in one row to cover an inch and the number of rows needed to cover an inch. See if this matches the gauge given in the pattern.
If your gauge swatch does not match the pattern gauge, you will either have to adjust the pattern or change your knitting needles until you reach the desired gauge. If you decide to change the size of your needles, first determine if you have more or less stitches per inch than the pattern requires. Change to larger needles if your gauge has more stitches than the pattern requires and change to smaller needles if your gauge has fewer stitches than required.
I hope you have found this introduction to knitting useful. Please visit our Knitting Yarns webpage to see a large selection of the different types of wool that you can use in knitting.
