Want to learn a traditional craft, discover a new relaxation technique or even make your own clothes? Knitting might be the answer you’re looking for, and it’s not as complicated as it may seem. 

With just a few basic tools and a straightforward tutorial, you can become a bona fide knitter in less than a day. 

Round Up the Right Materials

Knitting supplies, including yarn, needles, scissors, a measuring tape, stitch markers and more, laying on a black tabletop.
In the Skillshare class “Knitting 101: The Basics for Beginners,” teacher Melissa Warren displays some of the most widely-used types of knitting supplies. 

As with any other craft, you’ll need to gather a couple basic supplies before you can start knitting. Namely, those are yarn and knitting needles. But with so many options available, you’d be smart to learn a little more about each before heading to the craft store. 

Yarn 

Multiple skeins of yarn in a myriad of colors, including blue, white, gray, orange, purple and green.
In the Skillshare class “Hand Dyeing Wool Yarn: Speckles, Space Dyed and Ombre,” teacher Alexander Reynoso takes his creativity a step further by creating custom yarn colorways. 

At its core, yarn is simply a scaled-up version of thread. Made from strands of fiber twisted together, yarn can be made from natural fibers, synthetic fibers or a blend of the two. 

For example, browse any yarn site and you’ll find skeins (that’s yarn-speak for “oblong bundles”) made of: 

  • plain ol’ sheep’s wool; 
  • wool from specific breeds of sheep, such as Merino; 
  • cashmere wool;
  • alpaca fleece; 
  • angora rabbit fur; 
  • angora goat hair (i.e. mohair); 
  • cotton;
  • linen; and 
  • silk. 

And that’s just the natural fibers—synthetic options include acrylic, nylon, polyester, polyamide and more, with acrylic yarn being the cheapest and most readily available. 

So which type of yarn should you choose? It all depends on your personal preference and budget. In general, natural fibers are more expensive than synthetic ones, with specialty options such as cashmere and mohair being the priciest of all. But while synthetic fibers are cheaper, some knitters don’t like how synthetic yarn feels while knitting. 

If you’re not sure which type of fiber you want to go with, we recommend choosing a basic wool yarn. And if you’re trying to cut costs, you can always choose a yarn made of wool and a synthetic fiber. 

When shopping for yarn, you’ll also notice there are a variety of thicknesses and sizes available. These are referred to as “weights,” with lace weight yarn being the thinnest and jumbo being the thickest. 

As a beginner knitter, you might want to avoid very thin yarns for the time being, since those can be more difficult to work with, require a greater degree of dexterity and take longer to knit into fabrics. So for your first skein of yarn, consider purchasing one that’s medium (a.k.a. “worsted”) weight or thicker. 

And once you have your first skein in hand, you can make the knitting process easier for yourself by winding it into a ball. 

Needles 

A pair of wooden knitting needles sits on the surface of a dark wood end table.
In the Skillshare class “Knitting I: Learn the Basics with a Simple Scarf,” teacher Davina Choy shows which knitting needles she’ll use to knit a scarf. 

To transform your beautiful new yarn into a piece of hand-knit fabric, you’ll first need to acquire some knitting needles. 

Luckily, choosing which size of needles to use should be relatively straightforward: Most yarns have a recommended needle size included on their label (or online product description), so you can simply make your choice accordingly. 

In the world of knitting needles, smaller numbers indicate thinner needles, while larger numbers indicate thicker ones. So the thicker your yarn, the bigger needle size you’ll need. For example, super bulky yarns typically perform best when knit with needles ranging from size 11 (eight millimeters thick) to size 17 (12.75 millimeters thick). 

Also be sure to purchase needles in a material you’ll enjoy touching and holding. For beginner knitters, we recommend going with bamboo or wood. Intermediate and advanced knitters may prefer steel needles, but beginners may find that their yarn slips off such needles too easily. 

Finally, you’ll also notice that some knitting needles come as a pair of two individual needles (these are called straight needles), while others are attached by a flexible cord (these are known as circular needles). Both types of needles function in the same way, but straight needles are ideal for making small projects such as scarves, while circular needles can be used to make a wider range of projects. Rest assured that neither type requires more skill to use, so just choose whichever option best suits the projects you’d like to make. 

Miscellaneous Supplies

You don’t technically need any supplies other than needles and yarn, but there are several tools and gadgets to help make your knitting projects go more smoothly. 

Some of the most commonly used examples include: 

  • stitch markers for marking specific spots in your project; 
  • point protectors for preventing your knitting from falling off your needles when not in use; 
  • a tapestry needle for weaving in loose ends; 
  • a measuring tape to ensure your project meets your preferred dimensions; 
  • a row counter to help you keep track of how many rows you’ve knitted; and 
  • so much more. 

Just know that all those accessories are optional, and if you end up sticking with knitting as a hobby then you can always pick up more tools later. 

Cast On 

You have your yarn and you have your needles, which means you’re ready to lay the foundation of your first knitting project by casting on. That simply means looping the yarn around one of your needles in such a way that it creates a row of stitches ready to be knit. 

To cast on, first create a slip knot, then cast on using the method of your choice. There are various cast on methods, including the long tail, backward loop, knit and German twisted. Each yields slightly different results, and each requires a different technique to use: 

A woman’s hands holding a green styrofoam board, on which four knitting samples have been pinned. Each is labeled with the cast on method used to create it.
In the Skillshare class “Four Knitting Cast On Methods - From Beginner to Advanced,” teacher KnittingHouseSquare demonstrates the effects of four cast on methods. 

The backward loop method is arguably the easiest, but don’t hesitate to try several methods to see which one you prefer. 

Whichever method you choose, we strongly recommend watching a video (or taking the class shown above) to learn how to do it. You’ll likely learn much faster than you would by looking at photos, and you’ll also see how to move your fingers for the best results. 

Practice Your Stitches 

After casting on, you’re finally ready to start knitting. 

Every knitting pattern, whether it’s for a simple scarf or an intricate cabled sweater, is based on two core stitches: the knit stitch and the purl stitch. What’s more, the purl stitch is simply the knit stitch backwards. 

So when you’re learning how to knit for the first time, it’s best to start by practicing the knit stitch. 

How to Knit Stitch

To start, hold the needle with the cast on stitches in your left hand. The working yarn (i.e. the yarn attached to your yarn ball) should be on the end of the needle that’s pointing right, and it should also be behind your needles. Hold the remaining empty needle in your right hand and insert its tip into the first stitch on the left needle, front to back:

A woman’s hands holding two knitting needles. She’s inserting the right needle into the first stitch on the left needle.
Davina Choy demonstrates the first step of the knit stitch. 

Once it’s inserted, take the working yarn and wrap it around the right needle from back to front: 

A woman’s hand holding two knitting needles. With her right hand, she’s wrapping the yarn around the tip of the right needle.
Davina completes the second step of a knit stitch. 

Pull the working yarn down taut around the right needle, then use the right needle to bring it down through the first stitch on the left needle (the one you originally inserted the right needle through):

A woman’s hands holding two knitting needles. With her right hand, she’s using the right needle to bring a loop of yarn through the first stitch on the left needle.
Davina bringing the working yarn through the first stitch. 

Finally, use the right needle to lift the original stitch you inserted it through up and off of the left needle. Now, the stitch should be completely transferred to the right needle: 

A woman’s hands holding two knitting needles. There’s one stitch on the right needle, which she’s just lifted off the left needle.
Davina shows students how to execute the last step of a knit stitch. 

Congratulations, you’ve just completed your first knit stitch! To finish knitting your first row, just repeat those steps with every stitch on the last needle until all stitches have been knit and transferred to the right needle. 

How to Purl Stitch 

As previously mentioned, the purl stitch is simply the knit stitch backwards. So instead of the working yarn being behind your needles, ensure it’s in front. And instead of inserting the right needle into the first stitch of the left needle from front to back, you’ll insert it from back to front: 

A woman’s hands holding two knitting needles. She’s inserting the tip of the right needle into the first stitch on the left needle, this time from back to front.
Davina completes the first step of a purl stitch. 

Next, wrap the working yarn all the way around the needle from front to back: 

A woman’s hands holding two knitting needles. With the right hand, she wraps the working yarn around the tip of the right needle from back to front and all the way around.
Davina shows us how to wrap yarn for a purl stitch. 

Pull the working yarn down and taut, then use the right needle to push the loop you’ve created back through the first stitch on the left needle. This movement will be from front to back: 

A woman’s hands holding two knitting needles. With her right hand, she’s using the right needle to push a loop of yarn through the first stitch on the left needle.
Davina performs the third step of a purl stitch like a pro (probably because she is one). 

Once your new stitch is on your right needle, use the right needle to lift the first stitch up and off of the left needle. 

It will take some practice, but once you’ve mastered both the knit stitch and the purl stitch, you’ll know the basic techniques needed to tackle any knitting project big or small. 

Cast Off 

Last but not least, you’ll also need to know how to finish a knitting project—after all, you can’t leave it on the needles forever. 

This can be accomplished by casting off. To do so, simply knit two stitches as normal. Then, use the left needle to lift the first of the two stitches you just knit up and over both the second stitch and the tip of the right needle. Drop it from the tip of the left needle as soon as it’s cleared the tip of the right. 

Knit another stitch as normal, and repeat the process until you only have one stitch remaining on your right needle. Cut the working yarn, leaving a tail of at least six inches. Insert the tail through the remaining stitch on your right needle, and gently pull it taut. 

To take care of your loose ends, all you’ll need to do is either knot them or weave them in for a more seamless look. 

Just Keep Knitting 

As you’re learning to knit, remember that knitting doesn’t feel quick or natural for anyone at first. Sure, your hands and fingers will feel awkward and confused at first, but if you persist—even for just a few rows a day—knitting will soon be second nature to you. 
And with its ability to make gift-giving a breeze, spruce up your closet with beautiful hand-knit items, offer a source of relaxation and even provide a variety of health benefits, knitting is one hobby worth sticking with.

Written By
Carrie Buchholz

Carrie Buchholz

Carrie Buchholz is a freelance writer who lives in Northern Colorado with her husband and dog.

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