Beginers Knitting Part 1 : Basic Materials

So you've decided you want to learn to knit. What now?
This is the first in a series of posts designed the help new knitters get started.
All you need is a set of needles and inexpensive yarn and a beginner’s guide and pattern.

Needles:
Straight needles, the ones that actually look like two individual “sticks,” and are the tools most of us associate with knitting. Sold in pairs in varying lengths (the most common being 10"/25.5cm and 14"/35.5cm), they sport a point on one end and a knob at the other that keeps stitches from sliding off as you knit.

Circular needles are made up of shorter pointed “sticks” attached to one another by a smooth nylon cord, these can be used to knit both tubular and flat pieces and are ideal for knitting in tight spaces. They’ve also solved the problem of the missing needle; you’ll never lose one in the setee cushions or have it roll away from you.

The third and final variation on knitting needles are the double-pointed style (dpn). These have points on both ends and are used to knit small items in the round, turn sock heels and the like. They’re a bit trickier to use than straights and circulars, so most knitters wait until later when a bit more experienced to use them.

All needles—straight, circular or double pointed—come in a wide range of standardized sizes. They are marked in numeric U.S. sizes (0-50) or millimeters (2.00-25.50) which indicate the diameter of the needle. As a general rule, the lower the number, the thinner the needle. See the needle size conversion chart page for a full listing of sizes.

Yarn:

Now we get to the best part —yarn. Take your pick from natural fibers like wool, alpaca, angora, cashmere, cotton, linen, silk and mohair or sleek synthetics that range from inexpensive acrylic to pricey, glitzy rayon novelties and even new age materials like microfiber and paper. Thick, thin, smooth or textured, you’ll find them in solid colors as well as striped, variegated and multicolored patterns. Though acrylic yarn is often harder than natural fibers, acrylic is less expensive. Use smoother and thicker (at least double knitting or Aran weight) yarn at first so that you can see your stitches. Cotton is also a good material for beginners.  All yarn is grouped into basic categories to help you choose the right type for your project. Organized by weight (thickness of the yarn) they range from super fine all the way to super bulky.

Okay, so now you’re on your way to grasping the basics of yarn and needle size. But how do they work together? With rare exceptions (like some kinds of lace knitting), thinner yarns work best on thinner needles, while thicker yarns require a needle with a little more heft, each yarn weight has a corresponding range of recommended needle sizes. The chart in blog post 'What is yarn weight' will help you familiarize yourself with how it all fits together.

HOLDING YOUR YARN AND NEEDLES TOGETHER

One of the biggest frustrations for a new knitter is finding the most comfortable way of holding the yarn and needles, so if you’re reading this and thinking you’ll never figure it out, don’t despair. With just a little time and patience your hands will fall into a comfortable rhythm.

Perhaps what makes learning to hold the yarn and needles a bit confusing is that no two people do it the same way. The two main styles of knitting are the English and the Continental. Though both create the same end product, most knitters have very specific opinions about which way is superior (their way, of course!). If someone has already taught you how to knit, chances are you have inadvertently chosen one way over the other. If not, or if you’d like to see how the other side knits, here’s the major difference: English knitters hold and “throw” the yarn with their right hand,

 while Continental knitters manipulate the yarn with their left hand.

Once you’ve decided which hand will hold the working yarn, there’s still one more decision to make—how to hold the needles. Some knitters like to grasp their needles over the top, while others would rather hold them like pencils, resting the majority of the needle between the thumb and index finger. There is honestly no right or wrong way to accomplish this, so experiment with the different choices and pretty soon you will have developed your own unique style.

There are various videos on you tube showing you the two methods and Crafty have a beginers class that begins with essential lessons for new knitters: choosing supplies, casting on, knitting, purling and binding off. Learn how to increase, decrease, make a buttonhole, knit lace, block, seam and read patterns. These basic skills put you on your way to create anything you want!

Tomorrow- Beginers Knitting part 2. Cast on and first stitches.

Weekly Knitting Questions & Answers

All beginning knitters have questions about the best way to do things, why different things happen while they are knitting, how to fix knitting mistakes and more. Here are some of the most common questions posed by new knitters, along with their answers. 










Question: How Do I Pick the Right Needle?






Answer:

First, go needle shopping with a project in mind. When you’re a more experienced knitter just looking to build up your supplies, you can buy needles with no particular project in mind, but when you’re first starting out, it’s best to buy only the needles you need. The pattern you choose will say what sized needle was used to complete the project. That’s the size needle you should go looking for. At your local yarn shop or craft store, there will be a limited number of materials for each type of needle, probably plastic, metal and bamboo or wood.

Different knitters like different needles for different reasons. Many knitters love bamboo or wooden needles because of their warmth, the natural feel in the hands, and the comforting but quiet clicking sound they make. They’re also good for knitting slick yarns because the needles have a bit of friction, which can help keep the stitches from sliding off the needles. Wooden needles are a great choice for beginners for the same reason. Metal needles are heavy, sturdy and hard to break. Their slickness makes for quick knitting, but can also make it easy to slide your work right off the needles. Metal needles are also cold, so they’re not great for knitting in the winter. The metallic clicking of these needles is also annoying to some.

Plastic needles are similar to wooden or bamboo needles in terms of lightness and smoothness, but they lack warmth. They’re also very smooth like metal needles so they allow you to knit quickly. They are more flexible than other needles.

Try out different needles to see which kind you like. Odds are you'll have a favorite in no time!

If you have a knitting question for Knitting Galore, please email it to : dbjones5559@hotmail.co.uk  or  Please  post it as a comment here.  All questions will be answered, and many are selected and answered each wednesday here on the Blog. 

Size Matters!

I'm talking about Knitting Needles!! :-)

The size of the needle affects how big your stitches are, and therefore the size your finished product, will be. The gauge, or how many stitches fit into an inch of knitting, relies heavily on the size of the needles. In fact, if your gauge doesn't match what the pattern calls for, the way to fix it is to change the size of your needle. Most knitting patterns are pretty clear when it comes to telling you what size knitting needles you will need and that makes sense, because the designer wants you to be able to recreate the project successfully. It would be a lot simpler, if knitting needles were a standard size, but in fact there are three (British, American and Metric). The American system starts with low numbers for needles with smaller diameters working up to larger numbers for larger diameters, the British system starts with high numbers for low diameters and low numbers for high diameters, and the metric measurements indicate the diameter of the needle in millimeters. The only place the American and British numbering systems agree is at 4.5 mm; both countries call that a size 7. One way of seeing that size matters, is to try knitting a swatch on a size 10 American set of needles and a size 10 British set. You'll get two very different results! As seen in the picture below both were knitted on 20st over 20 rows, the top is the British size 10 and the bottom American size 10

For knitting needle conversion chart see tab on the blog main page.

Don’t fall into the trap of choosing projects with thicker needles because they’re initially easier to hold. Take into account that they’ll be heavier, need thicker yarn and ultimately result in a heavier project. Similarly very thin needles can be difficult to hold and the fine grip can be tiring. 4mm,4.5mm and 5mm are a good size to start with. If you love sock or lace knitting with fine yarns then intersperse these projects with ones that use thicker needles to give your hands a break from the fine grip needed for these.

So in knitting Yes! size does matter.

Does Size Matter?

I'm talking about Knitting Needles!!

YES!

The size of the needle affects how big your stitches are, and therefore  the size  your finished product, will be. The gauge, or how many stitches fit into an inch of knitting, relies heavily on the size of the needles. In fact, if your gauge doesn't match what the pattern calls for, the way to fix it is to change the size of your needle. Most knitting patterns are pretty clear when it comes to telling you what size knitting needles you will need and that makes sense, because the designer wants you to be able to  recreate the project successfully. It would be a lot simpler, if knitting needles were a standard size, but in fact there are three (British, American and Metric). The American system starts with low numbers for needles with smaller diameters working up to larger numbers for larger diameters, the British system starts with high numbers for low diameters and low numbers for high diameters, and the metric measurements indicate the diameter of the needle in millimeters. The only place the American and British numbering systems agree is at 4.5 mm; both countries call that a size 7. One way of seeing that size matters, is to  try knitting a swatch on a size 10 American set of needles and a size 10 British set. You'll get two very different results! As seen in the picture below both were knitted on 20st over 20 rows, the top is the British size 10 and the bottom American size 10

Don’t fall into the trap of choosing projects with thicker needles because they’re initially easier to hold. Take into account that they’ll be heavier, need thicker yarn and ultimately result in a heavier project. Similarly very thin needles can be difficult to hold and the fine grip can be tiring. 4mm,4.5mm and 5mm are a good size to start with. If you love sock or lace knitting with fine yarns then intersperse these projects with ones that use thicker needles to give your hands a break from the fine grip needed for these.