Question for knitters
Question for knitters
What was your first project? I've been dying to learn how to knit, with the eventual goal of making socks, but can't decide where or how to start.
I would consider myself an advanced beginner to intermediate crocheter, but when my mom tried to teach me to cast on for knitting I went cross eyed.
Where's a good place to start? What would you recommend needles-wise?
Edit: Thank you so much everyone for the advice!
I ordered size 7 circular knitting needles (bamboo) to start. I'm going to try a hat so that I can get some practice knitting in the round.
My needles don't get here until Tuesday, and I can't walk at the moment, so I'm practicing casting on with chopsticks!
Thanks again
My first project was a dishcloth. Easy, fast, basic square, corner to corner, only one increase or decrease per row. Mostly just practicing the knit stitch over and over again. I did that until I had made so many that they were piling up. Then I moved to scarves, lol. To be fair, I was about 13 at the time. It was long long ago, lol.
There's basically two ways you can go as a beginner:
1) Play it safe. Practise the basic stitches until general holding the yarn and tensioning gets to feel more natural. For this, something like a dishcloth can be a good shout as even with a few beginner mistakes in it, it's still going to result in something usable. A scarf can work too but as Anna says, they do take a long time so they can get boring. Hats etc complicate things because they're in the round, but you'll be used to that from crochet so it's probably fine.
Since you are already a crocheter though going back to cotton cloths probably sounds insufferable which brings us to...
2) Jump in at the deep end. Find a pattern you really like, and just set about learning what you need to learn to get there. I wanted to make a whole jumper as my first thing, so made a sort of sample rectangle with all the stitches I'd need and then just went for it! Didn't quite fit in the end, but hey, the horrible acrylic yarn only cost about a tenner in total 😂
Behold my "first project" sampler rectangle, this must have taken me about a fortnight but it did teach me a lot!
Yarn and needles-wise it's similar to learning crochet. You want a light coloured yarn in something like worsted/aran weight, and generally a 5mm needle is a good place to start to work with it.
I actually started my crochet journey with Christmas stockings for my pets lol.
I'm thinking I might try a hat to start out (after I spend some time actually learning the stitches of course!)
Thank you for sharing your first project. Your socks are partially what inspired me to want to make my own! I just can't picture crochet socks being as comfy as knit
haha, I'm glad I'm not the only dork who crocheted Xmas stockings for my pets
Oh wow, feel like I should apologise for being a terrible influence. But also I'm very flattered!
Each craft definitely has its strengths and weaknesses and as much as I love crochet, socks really do benefit from the smoother, thinner fabric you get with knitting. But then crochet is way more fun for making weird crop tops so you know, swings and roundabouts! 😄
A scarf is probably the best place to start. Easy stitches, straightforward pattern. Socks will probably work as a second project, but I wouldn't start there.
Good call! Socks intimidate me. My first crochet pattern I ever tried was Christmas stockings and then I didn't pick up a hook again (except begrudgingly everytime we adopted a new animal- can't have them without a stocking) for years.
Absolutely! And as far as needle sizes take something relatively large. Not only it’s a bit easier, but you’ll see your progress and finish faster! Great moral boost
Good call. I have some 5-weight yarn hanging around
My first project was a garter stitch scarf. I picked a yarn and bought the needles listed on the band. Pros: super forgiving Cons: I had no concept of gauge so my second project (a hat) was baby sized.
I've become partial to wooden needles. I have metal and wood. Metal needles are so slippery that stitches slide right off (when you don't want them to). For some yarns, sliding right off is a plus but it is a matter of personal preference. I love interchangable needles which I learned about AFTER I built a fairly large straight needle collection. I almost never use my straight needles these days. Circular needles are more versatile and more easy to use when on a crowded commuter ferry.
The best thing about circular needles is you can use them to knit flat anyway, so you only need to buy each size once instead of each size in straight, circular and DPN form! Yes I am cheap, yes I stand by it.
Learning magic loop was a game changer for me! No shame in wanting one needle for all the things! It leaves more money for yarn 😁
+1 from me for circulars for everything! Also, circular needles are easier to manoeuvre, compared to straight needles that seem to be constantly in the way, stabbing yourself or the person sitting next to you.
I’m still new enough I can’t make needle recommendations, but my first project was a garter stitch scarf. 10 stitches on size 13 needles… yeah… that wasn’t much of a scarf.
when my mom tried to teach me to cast on for knitting I went cross eyed.
Similar experience to you with learning how to crochet. Right now all I can do is a chain stitch. And nothing else. No adding any height to the chain, just making a single long chain.
I've heard of people learning how to do really even tension by practicing chains until all the loops are even, so it's probably not a bad place to start!
You'll get there, though. One of the big things it took me a while to learn, is that when you are stitching you pick up both the front and back loops together for a normal stitch.
When you're working on your foundation row (stitching your first row into your chain), it doesn't count of course. Stick it right into the middle of your v.
Personally, I hate going from chain to foundation row, so these days (unless I need to make sure something doesn't have much stretch to it) I foundation single crochet instead. I learned from moogly here: https://www.mooglyblog.com/foundation-single-crochet-fsc/
Good luck with your crochet journey!!!
I learned to knit using this video: https://youtu.be/24lR2IRS57A?si=1oKzp88Kqgt2ZfgT
It's a classic garter stitch scarf, so very basic. But it's good for getting you in the groove and learning to do things like cast on and bind off.
As other people have said, continental knitting is probably the way to go if you're coming from crochet.
Scarves are probably one of the first projects we were taught in school. And other things that only require straight pieces to complete like some traditional socks and tank tops. After that socks and hats are probably some of the easier projects! Hats are super fast to complete too.
Also watch YouTube videos at half the speed and copy their movements to learn the stitches and techniques! Very handy for me at least who learns best but copying and trying.
I mostly use 4mm 20cm needles for my socks. Size 5 for stuff like hats. Circle needles for scarves and blankets. But it depends on the tightness of your knit and your project and yarn strength.
@Timecircleline I'd recommend a hat. It's quicker than a scarf and you learn lots more from it (eg: decreases).
Also, if you come from crochet, take a look at continental knitting! You tension the yarn in your left hand which is more crochet-like.
If a long tail cast on (probably what your mum was trying to teach you) was too much at once, try a knitted cast on: put a slip stitch on your left needle, knit it but don't slide it off, put the new stitch next to it on your left needle, repeat.
I just watched a video on continental knitting and the tensioning seemed so close to what I use for crochet! Thank you!
Also thay cast on method also makes a lot of sense. I'll keep a look out for a pattern for a good beginner beanie.
I learned to crochet before knitting, and continental is pretty similar hand positions, especially with the tensioning. The trick for me was getting used to keeping all the stitches on the needles and not losing them as I worked a row. :)
Very pink knits on YouTube has lots of great tutorial videos. https://youtube.com/@verypinkknits?si=hwc9U1nsZSY40QHO
There are also crocheted cast ons you can try if you want to practice stitches without fighting the cast on process. https://youtu.be/Q45uaQRy8XQ?si=cJNZuQFTlty8JXyn is a good example.