Knitting basics

Knitting is a simple and productive hobby that’s easy for anyone to develop by following a few simple steps.

When it comes to choosing the supplies for knitting, it depends entirely on what’s being made. Simple items like scarves and headbands will require basic 8-10mm needles and thicker yarn, which is great for those new to knitting.

There are many places in Kingston that supply knitting needles and a variety of yarn brands and colours. Michael’s, located at 656 Gardiners Rd., has a great selection and commonly has items on sale. Wal-Mart also sells yarn and knitting needles, although the selection at Michael’s is greater.

Knitting can be a difficult hobby to get the hang of initially, but after a little practice it becomes almost second nature and easy to multitask while doing.

The first step in knitting is casting stiches onto the needle. The amount of stiches depends on what’s being made. Headbands typically have between 12 and 15 stiches while scarves can have 30-40 stiches depending on how thick the scarf is intended to be.

When casting on, the first step is to make a slip knot, which is the first stich on the needle. Once a slipknot has been made, the rest of the stiches can be cast on. This step prepares the needle before knitting.

After tying a slipknot and casting on, knitting the first row is the next step. The first step in knitting a row is to place the needle with the cast-on stitches on the right and the bare needle on the left. Next, place the right needle behind the left and wrap a piece of yarn around the right needle going behind the left one.

Then, using the needle that now has the yarn wrapped around it, pull the needle with the yarn through the loop. After this, pull the yarn remaining on the left needle off ― you should now see that the right needle has one stitch on it while the left has one stitch less. This continues until the row on the left needle has been completely transferred onto the right needle. Once a row is done, the process is simply repeated.

When the desired length is achieved, you’ll need to cast the stitches off, which is done by knitting two stitches from the left needle onto the right, then pulling the bottom stitch on the right over the one above it. This is done until all the stitches on the left have been transferred to the right and pulled off the needle altogether. The second step is to choose a pattern.

Knitting is the most basic pattern, and rotating between knitting and purling each row or each stitch can change the pattern that’s created as a whole. When knitting for the first time, sticking to consistently knitting can prevent knots, which can occur commonly if rotating between knitting and purling. It’s much easier to learn how to knit visually and it’s not difficult to find a how-to guide online.

YouTube has a variety of helpful tutorials for beginners and experienced knitters alike. Vogue Knitting is another site that provides great step-by-step instructions. Keep in mind that the typical ball of yarn comes with a pattern and instructions.

With practice, dedication and time, anyone can become a knitter.

Tags

Crafts, DIY, hobbies, Knitting, Knitwear

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