The How-Tos and What-Fors of Knitting

Are you looking for a new hobby? Do you yearn to make something with your hands? Do you want to dazzle your friends and family with homemade gifts for birthdays and holidays? I’ve got a suggestion that covers all of these bases, and I promise to share its joys with you as long as you ignore all of the yarn spilling out of my craft closet.

I began knitting in high school, when my grandmother taught me how. Since then, I’ve made some items that I’m proud of and some that will never see the light of day. Along the way I’ve learned which techniques I enjoy the most and which I don’t want to bother with. Since I’m doing it for fun and relaxation, I get to decide which projects to pursue, which don’t interest me, and which I would rather unravel than continue. No matter what, it feels good to have a hobby where I can see my progress in real time as I work on a project.

(For all my attention spanners out there: Knitting has also made sitting down and watching a movie much easier. When my hands are moving, I don’t feel like reaching for my phone!)

Knitting!

Let’s start with the absolute basics. Most of you have heard of knitting. Most of you have heard of crochet. At least one of you is not sure which is which. This is fine - and apparently very common, based on interactions I’ve had while knitting in public. Here’s a little trick that might help:

(Image courtesy of quinceandco.com)

Knitting uses two needles, just like it's spelled with two t's

(Image courtesy of modernmacrame.com)

Crochet uses one hook, just like the hook of the C it begins with

Knitting and crochet both involve using tools to turn yarn into fabric by making one loop at a time. When you knit, you hold one needle in each hand, and the size of the needle determines how big each loop will be. When you crochet, you hold the hook in your dominant hand and use your other hand to guide the yarn and maintain tension, which determines how big each loop will be. Each form uses different hand motions that may be more or less comfortable than the other, which is why many crafters tend to have a strong preference for one over the other. That’s why this post will be about knitting and not crochet. No disrespect, crocheters, but I don’t understand your witchcraft! All the best!

The Basics

When you start out, 99% of each project you work on will consist of one of two stitch types: Knitting and purling. As you branch out into more complex techniques, your projects will probably still consist of at least 50% knit and purl stitches. They are your bread and butter, your sweet cheeses, your good time boys. And fun fact: A purl stitch is just a backwards knit stitch and vice versa. Two sides of the same soft, squishy coin.

(Image courtesy of sheepandstitch.com)

Another component every single project will require is the cast-on. This is the step at the very beginning, where you create stitches one by one in your first row to determine how many stitches you will be knitting in every row thereafter. At the end of your project is the bind-off, where you essentially knit the final row of stitches into each other to lock them in place. There are several different kinds of both cast-on and bind-off depending on the project you’re making. Some create a nice, tight edge, while others are stretchy with a lot of give. Which would you rather use for a pair of socks? Which for a tote bag?

For every type of cast-on, bind-off, or stitch you encounter in a pattern, there’s a YouTube tutorial for it. I like to think I’ve got a handle on things at this point, but I still consult videos on the regular. Eventually there is muscle memory; until then, there’s the internet!

Materials

Once you get comfortable with the mechanics, you could theoretically knit anything you can find in long, thin strands. If you want to show off, I guess. For the rest of us, there’s yarn!

Yarn

All yarns have a few characteristics to pay attention to that will impact how your project turns out. Patterns will typically have requirements (for size and color) and suggestions (for material). You can follow them to the letter, or mix it up for surprising results!

• Size: Yarn ranges in size from laceweight (ultra-thin) to super bulky (so big!). Thin yarn creates more delicate projects, while working with thick yarn will make your project progress faster. If you’re mixing yarns of different colors, you’ll want to be sure they’re the same size so that your fabric doesn’t warp.

• Material: Yarns come in a variety of sources that each have unique properties. Natural sources like wool and alpaca are popular choices. Vegan options exist too, in yarns created from hemp or bamboo. One source that is especially common right now is acrylic; you can find it everywhere and these days it’s softer than it used to be, but it’s an oil byproduct. Like yarn sizes, be careful when choosing to combine materials - think about how the fabrics in your laundry need to be treated differently when you wash them!

• Color: So many! If you’re looking to purchase a large amount of yarn at once (for, say, a sweater or blanket), check the labels of each ball or skein. Each one will show a dye lot number; balls with the same number were dyed together, which will help you avoid slight variations in the result.

• Combinations: Did you know you can knit with more than one strand of yarn at a time? Run a strand of mohair with that solid color you’re working with to make that sweater extra fuzzy!

Needles

Knitting needles also come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and materials, which can impact the process of working on your projects.

• Material: This one is largely up to personal preference. You can find needles made from aluminum, plastic, bamboo, driftwood, and more. Yarn tends to slip off of metal needles more easily than wood or bamboo, but those options also aren’t as durable as metal.

• Size: The larger your needle, the larger your loop! Sizing up your needles is an easy way to make your finished project larger without adjusting how many stitches you actually use. And with any given yarn type, using a larger needle will create a fabric with a looser drape, while a smaller needle will make it tighter and stiffer.

• Shape: You’ve probably seen straight needles before, which are exactly what they sound like. These are best for knitting flat panels of fabric, like scarves or pieces that will be sewn together. Circular needles, however, are a pair of needles that are connected by a long plastic string. These are used for knitting anything that needs to be tube-shaped, like a hat, but they can also be used for flat items that are too big for straight needles, like a blanket. Double-pointed needles, or DPNs, are used in a similar way as circular needles, but for projects that are too small to fit on them (like socks).

Do I Need This Trinket?

Do you love it? Then yes, you need it.

But while you’re figuring out what you love, here are some common doohickeys (also known as “notions”) that you may see in yarn stores or listed in patterns.

• Stitch markers

(Image courtesy of interweave.com)

Like the name suggests, stitch markers are used to mark a specific place in your stitches. If you’re making a hat or other item that requires you to work in-the-round (using circular needles), a stitch marker can help you keep track of where the row begins. If your project uses a repeating pattern (such as eight stitches of this color, three stitches of that color, repeat x times, etc.), stitch markers will keep you on track. I also find them helpful for identifying if I’ve made a mistake; if each section should have 16 stitches but the section I’ve just finished only had 15, I know where to look for my goof-up. So overall they serve an important purpose, but here’s the thing: You can replace stitch markers with all sorts of household objects of the same size. I use paperclips or safety pins. (But you find a cute set, well, don’t let me stop you!)

• Cable needles

Who doesn’t love a nice chunky cable?

(Image courtesy of thetiffymohair.com)

This effect is achieved by taking a handful of stitches off of your main needles, holding them in the front or back of your fabric with one of these special cable needles, and then picking them back up after you’ve knitted a few more.

(Image courtesy of wikipedia.org)

The shape of the cable needle prevents you from accidentally dropping your cable stitches while you work. Cable needles are not expensive, so if you know you’re going to do a lot of them, it’s not a bad investment. But like stitch markers, safety pins will do the job too!

• Tapestry needle

(Image courtesy of amazon.com)

The beginning and end of every project, and every section where you change yarns, will have a yarn tail that needs to be sewn into the fabric for a clean, finished look. Tapestry needles are sewing needles with eyes large enough to run a strand of yarn through, and they're great for weaving in those ends. Could you use paperclips or bobby pins? In a pinch, but a proper needle will really make the job easier.

• Yarn mounts

(Image courtesy of reddit user u/mbrya)

…Look, nobody needs this, but I can’t deny it serves a purpose.

Hot Tips

I know, I know, after all this talk you’re ready and raring to go. You’ve signed up for a Ravelry.com account so you can search for patterns and post your triumphs. You’ve checked out a dozen pattern books from the local library. You’ve got Paintbox Cotton DK 100g balls in every color in your online shopping cart. I understand the urge, but wait! You don’t need those things yet! (Well, the books won’t hurt….)

Every single thrift store available to you has yarn and craft supplies available for dirt cheap. No matter how enthusiastic you are, it will take practice to figure out how to comfortably hold your tools and produce consistent stitches. Load up on someone else’s yarn castoffs to practice on instead of that beautiful yarn you splurged for!

Does your project require 750 yards of yarn, but you can only find it in balls of 200? Leftover scraps are an inevitable part of the process. Plenty of patterns exist for the purpose of using them up - and if you’re making stuffed toys, you can hide scraps inside them to save on stuffing. But if you want to save them for future projects, it helps to know what you’ve got. Save your yarn labels and store them with your scraps for future reference.

One last thing: Tired of weaving in those ends? Google "knitting magic knot". Don't wait several years to discover it like I did. And happy crafting!