Life Saving Tips for New Knitters
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It hasn’t been all that long since I was a new knitter. I actually learned to knit at age 40! So, I still remember so many frustrations I experienced while trying to learn. In this post, I’ll break down 5 of the most common frustrations I hear from beginning knitters & give tips & tricks of how to overcome them.
1-My biggest frustration as a new knitter was learning how to comfortably hold needles.
At the very beginning, I constantly felt like I was going to drop a needle, or my yarn, or both. And sometimes I did! Part of this one is just the learning curve. Your hands have to get used to holding sticks & using them to manipulate yarn. But I’ve got a few suggestions that might help:
· Realize that every knitter is different! There’s no one “right way” to knit. Any way your hands have to work to make a stitch is OK. Some ways might look funnier than others, but who cares?
· Watch & learn from lots of knitters. I personally watched to see who was most efficient, but you might also look at things like posture, and who seems most relaxed. How does she tension the yarn with her other fingers?
· Check out different techniques. I’m a Continental, or German style knitter, which means we pick up the yarn from the left hand. I chose this, because to me, it was more efficient. But the other most popular style is English knitting, meaning the knitter “throws” the working yarn from the right hand. I would like to learn to knit English style one day, so I can use both hands for my color work. Look into “armpit knitters” and “around the neck” knitters. There are so many techniques to choose from.
· Try out different types of needles. I almost exclusively use either circular needles or double pointed ones. My circular needles are great for anything with a larger circumference, but also for flat projects. I just use them back and forth. It’s way easier to hang on to needles & not lose them between car seats or hear them rolling down the movie theatre aisle, if they are attached to one another!
· Try different materials of needles. If you began your knitting life with acrylic, metal, or some other slippery material needles, try some nice wooden ones. Or, my favorite non-slippery ones, Karbonz, which have slippery tips with a grippy material in the center.
2-Newbies often struggle to learn the lingo of knitting.
Sometimes, it’s like learning a whole new language! We use so many different terms for stitches, techniques, sheep breeds, yarn content, and more. It can really be overwhelming. I’d recommend getting the printable download from the Craft Yarn Council. This is a master list that I use as a pattern designer, to make sure I’m wording my patterns correctly. You can download your own copy here.
3-Choosing good yarn is still an obstacle for me sometimes.
I’ve been fortunate to learn to knit later in life, because I started with good quality materials. I learned to sew when I was 15 and it took many years to understand how important this is. As a young sewist, I usually went for the cheapest materials I could find. I knew better than to go for the slippery stuff, but I often dug into the clearance bin, and not with good results. My sewing never really lived up to my ideals, even as my skills grew, because I wasn’t working with good materials. Now that my main passion is knitting, I ALWAYS use yarn that makes me happy. Here’s a few tips I’ve picked up along the way:
· Look for yarn with some percentage of wool. Even if you’re sensitive to wool, try out some different yarns by holding them close to your skin a while. My mom is really sensitive to wool, but she can usually stand a pretty high percentage of Merino & a few other breeds. The wool will give a wonderful elasticity to your knitting that just isn’t there with 100% man-made fibers.
· Don’t go for the cheapest yarn you can find. Often that yarn is 100% acrylic. I can tell you from experience, that acrylic doesn’t feel so nice in the finished product. It can hold moisture against your skin, which feels icky. Also, when you’re knitting, it doesn’t have that elastic nature I talked about with the wool. I knit my dad a pair of 100% acrylic socks and I’ll never do that again. My hands ached long before the socks were finished. He still wears them occasionally, but doesn’t love them like the wool ones I made.
4-Reading patterns can be so challenging when you first start. Here’s a couple ideas to make it easier:
· Choose your pattern carefully. Make sure it’s a simple pattern that a beginner can do. I really recommend the Simple series from Tin Can Knits, when you’re just starting out. Each pattern has you build on your skills.
· Get the hang of regular patterns before you try a chart. I’ll write another post soon, all about using charts, and tips to make it easier.
5-Gauge. Even the most experience knitters may groan at the thought of figuring out gauge!
I have LOTS to say on the topic, but if you’re a new knitter, please choose a pattern where gauge is less important. You’ll learn all the things above, and save yourself a lot of wasted time if you’ll start with a shawl, scarf, cowl, dishcloth, etc.
If you’re a newer knitter, hang in there. All the frustrations of beginning are WORTH it!
Much love,
Jennifer