As important as any pattern, the yarn you choose for a project will often define how well it turns out in conjunction with your abilities as a knitter. Different fibers have different properties and are therefore beneficial in specific projects and are decidedly unwise in others.
Generally, the main types of yarns you will come across are wool, acrylic, cotton, alpaca, cashmere, silk and also blends of two (or more of these fibers). There are of course many, many more fibers you can knit with – bamboo, angora, and I recently came across an article about a group of women knitting plastic bags into mattresses for the homeless!
All of the different fibers behave slightly differently when they are on your needles, and of course, have different properties that may desirable in your final garment. To give two examples; cotton is very absorbent so making it an excellent choice for a dishcloth while wool is a great insulator, so a great choice for that winter sweater.
After the type of fiber, the next decision is always going to be the thickness (or weight) of the yarn. Yarn comes in many different weights from super-fine, suitable for lace items to super bulky (or even heavier) that are best used in rugs or thick blankets. You can find a table explaining the different yarn weights here.
Lastly, color. This one comes down to personal preference. Choose what you think looks good!
Rather than try and give you an exhaustive review of the full range out there (which would take a while). Instead, I am going to break it down for you - if you already have some yarn and needles, great! Practice! If you want a little bit of advice on where to start, then follow my recommendations below.
As a beginner, it is probably easiest to go with a worsted (medium-4), cheap, acrylic or wool blend yarn. This medium weight yarn is easier to handle at first until you become more nimble with your fingers and a master of the various techniques you are going to learn. Acrylic or wool blend, because it tends to be cheap and is relatively manageable unlike, say, cotton which can be tricky to knit with.
The bare essentials of life...
If you are going with a worsted yarn, then you’ll need a size 7-9 needles (4.5-5.5mm in European/7-5 in the UK). Bamboo or wooden needles are best, to begin with as they aren’t as slippery as metal ones, which may prevent a few dropped stitches as you get the hang of it.
Also, you are going to need to pick up some accessories for your first project; a tapestry needle, some measuring tape and a pair of scissors. The others mentioned above can be useful, but there is no sense in overwhelming you (and your shopping basket) on your first go around.
Go to your local store, have a look around, feel the yarn and find something you like and ask questions of the staff if you are not sure. Alternatively, for ease Knit Picks offer four different starters Learn to Knit kits that provide the materials and instructions for knitting a dishcloth, hat, scarf or a jumbo set (there are also several others on Amazon).
You will need a skein of yarn to begin.
1. Take the end of the yarn and draw out about 10-12 inches (25-30cm) of yarn. Fold or twist the yarn in the middle of this stretch to create a loop.
2. Holding the base of the loop together with your left hand, insert your thumb and forefinger of your right hand through the loop.
3. Keeping the loop over your thumb and forefinger, reach and grasp the working yarn (yarn attached to the skein). Then pull the yarn through the original loop. You should now have two loops, the original one and the one you have just pulled through it.
4. Still holding the new loop with your right-hand, grab the ends of the original loop with your left hand and pull. The original loop should now tighten around the second loop, thus creating a slip knot.
5. Holding a needle in your right hand slide the Slip Knot onto the needle and pull the yarn to tighten the knot. The knot should be tight enough that the yarn doesn't slip off the needle...but not so tight that you can't move the knot along the needle with your fingers.
You are now ready to cast-on the remaining stitches!
You will need a skein of yarn to begin.
1. Take the end of the yarn and draw out about 10-12 inches (25-30cm) of yarn, laying it on a table or other flat surface. Fold or twist the yarn in the middle of this stretch to create a loop.
2. Take the loop you have just made and fold it over the top of line of yarn running towards the ball of yarn (the working yarn). The working yarn line should visually divide the loop into two halves.
3. Grasp the working yarn line, and pull it upwards through the loop. Then taking your knitting needle and slide it through, underneath the working yarn line that you have pulled up and over the original loop.
4. You should now see that the working-line has formed a new loop. With this on your needle, pull gentle on the loose end and working yarn ends together. This will tighten the slip-knot on your needle.
You are now ready to cast-on the remaining stitches!
Once you have made a Slip Knot with your yarn you are ready to begin casting on.
1. Holding a needle in your right hand slide the Slip Knot onto the needle and pull the yarn to tighten the knot. The knot should be tight enough that the yarn doesn't slip off the needle...but not so tight that you can't move the knot along the needle with your fingers.
2. Take the working yarn in your left hand and grasp it between your fingers and your palm by making a loose fist. Pull the yarn so it's lightly taught and place your thumb over the top of the yarn.
3. Push down and rotate your thumb around the back of the yarn and then towards you so that the yarn is now looped once around your thumb.
4. Bring your thumb into a upright position, like you are trying to catch a ride hitchhiking. Take the needle in your right hand and slip it between the yarn and the base of your thumb, so the needle moves upwards, relative to your left hand.
5. Pull your thumb down, out of the loop thereby transferring it entirely to the knitting needle. Pull the yarn to tighten the loop on the needle (but not too tight).
6. You should have your slip knot plus a new loop on your right-hand needle. Continue the process until you have the desired number of stitches that your knitting project requires.
You are now ready to begin knitting your first row!
Once you have cast-on the required number of stitches, you are ready to begin your first knit stitch.
1. Holding the needle with your cast-on yarn in your left hand, ensure that the working yarn (connected to the yarn ball) is at the back of the work. Hold the other needle in your right hand.
2. Start your first knit stitch by inserting your right hand needle through the bottom of the first stitch (loop) and push up, so that it is behind the left hand needle.
3. With your right hand take the working yarn (attached to the yarn ball) and wrap it counter-clockwise around the back of the right-hand needle and through the middle of the two needles.
4. Pull the working yarn fairly taught and hold in your right hand along with the right hand needle.
5. Now work the right hand needle downwards and rotate your wrist slightly (relative to the cast on needle) such that the tip of the right needle is resting on top of the working yarn between the two needles.
6. Turn the point of the right-hand needle slightly towards you and push it through the hole created between the working yarn and the stitch (loop) on the left-hand needle. If done correctly, both needles should now be sitting in the same hole.
7. Holding onto the un-knitted stitches on your cast-on needle in your left-hand, use the right hand needle to pull the stitch off your left-hand needle. Your knitted stitch should now be sitting on your right hand needle with the stitch (cast-on) from the previous row hanging below it.
Once you have cast-on the required number of stitches, you are ready begin your first knit stitch.
1. Hold the Cast-On Needle in your left hand. Take the working yarn (the yarn from your cast-on needle) and allow it to sit over your left forefinger and thread it under your middle and index fingers and wind it counter clock-wise once around your pinky.
2. Start your first knit stitch by inserting your right hand needle through the bottom of the first stitch (loop) and push up, so that it is behind the left hand needle.
3. Using the tip of the right hand needle swivel it right and underneath the working yarn strand.
4. Holding the working yarn fairly taut, using the right hand needle, pull the working yarn wrapped around it down and through the stitch you entered.
5. Holding onto the un-knitted stitches on your cast-on needle in your left-hand, use the right hand needle to pull the stitch off your left-hand needle. Your knitted stitch should now be sitting on your right hand needle with the stitch (cast-on) from the previous row hanging below it. .
Once you have cast-on the required number of stitches, you are ready to begin your first purl stitch.
1. Holding the needle with your cast-on yarn in your left hand, ensure that the working yarn (connected to the yarn ball) is at the front of the work. Hold the other needle in your right hand.
2. Start your first purl stitch by inserting your right hand needle through the top of the first stitch (loop) and push it through, so that it is in front of the left hand needle.
3. With your right hand take the working yarn (attached to the yarn ball) and wrap it counter-clockwise around the back of the right-hand needle and through the middle of the two needles. The yarn should be sitting in between the two needles, so that you can see each needle sitting in its own hole.
4. Now work the right hand needle downwards and rotate your wrist slightly (relative to the cast on needle) such that the tip of the right needle is resting on top of the working yarn between the two needles.
Turn the point of the right-hand needle slightly away from you and push it through the hole created between the working yarn and the stitch (loop) on the left-hand needle.
5. Holding onto the un-knitted stitches on your cast-on needle in your left-hand, use the right hand needle to pull the stitch off your left-hand needle. Your purled stitch should now be sitting on your right hand needle with the stitch (cast-on) from the previous row hanging below it.
Once you have cast-on the required number of stitches, you are ready begin your first knit stitch.
1. Hold the Cast-On Needle in your left hand. Take the working yarn (the yarn from your cast-on needle) and allow it to sit over your left forefinger and thread it under your middle and index fingers and wind it counter clock-wise once around your pinky. Your fingers should be in a relaxed position in front of the left-hand needle i.e. closer to you than the needle.
2. Start your first purl stitch by inserting your right hand needle through the top of the first stitch (loop) and push it through, so that it is in front of the left hand needle.
3. Using your left fore-finger wrap the working yarn counter-clockwise around the right-hand needle.
4. Holding the working yarn fairly taut, using the right hand needle, pull the working yarn wrapped around it down and through the stitch you entered.
5. Holding onto the un-knitted stitches on your cast-on needle in your left-hand, use the right hand needle to pull the stitch off your left-hand needle. Your purled stitch should now be sitting on your right hand needle with the stitch (cast-on) from the previous row hanging below it.
So you have come to end of your project, now it's time to Bind-Off.
1. Knit the first two stitches using your preferred method (Continental or English). These should be sitting on your right needle.
2. Take the left hand needle and slip it through the first knit stitch that is on your right-hand needle.
3. Using the left needle, pull the first knit stitch over the second knit stitch and off the right-hand needle. Also, let it slide off the left-hand needle. Ensure the second knit-stitch is still sitting on your right-hand needle.
4. Knit another stitch as normal, this is stitch number three.
5. Again, take your left-hand needle and slip it through the second knit stitch you made. Using your left-hand needle work the second stitch over the third stitch and off your needles.
6. Repeat along the whole row until the last stitch. Once here, use a pair of scissors to cut the working yarn about 5-6 inches (12.5-15cm) from the swatch. Pull the needle off and then pull the yarn to make the final stitch taught.
Congrats on finishing your knitting project!
Time to add in another ball of yarn and you at the start of the row? or you want to change color?
1. Insert the needle through the first stitch (knitwise or purlwise, depending on the pattern).
2. Wrap the new yarn around the working needle (as you would do normally), leaving a tail of at least 4-5 inches.
3. Knit (or purl etc) the stitch as you normally would.
4. Continue working across the row for another five or six stitches.
5. Tie the tails of the old yarn and the new yarn together. Not too tight!
6. Keep going, and when you finish the work you are going to unpick that knot and weave the ends in.
So you are midway through a row and realize you are running out of yarn. No problem.
1. Insert the needle through the next stitch (knitwise or purlwise, depending on the pattern).
2. Wrap the new yarn around the working needle (as you would do normally), leaving a tail of at least 4-5 inches.
3. Continue working across the row for another five or six stitches and tie the tails of the old yarn and the new yarn together. Not too tight!.
4. Keep going, and when you finish the work you are going to unpick that knot and weave the ends in.
So you've finished you project and are now staring at those unsightly yarn ends, what to do?
1. Using a tapestry needle, take the yarn tail and push it away from you and through the nearest purl “bump”.
2. Pull the yarn through and with the needle pulling towards you push it through the first purl “bumps” neighbour. Let’s call this purl bump number two.
3. Turn the needle parallel to the row of purl bumps and push it through underneath the “v” shape below the second purl “bump”.
4. Run the yarn and needle through the second purl “bump” again.
5. Move to the next purl “bump” along and pull the yarn and needle down towards you and through.
6. Keep repeating this until you have passed the needle through five
So you've finished you project and are now staring at those unsightly yarn ends, what to do?
1. With the right side of your fabric facing you, pull the yarn and needle through from the wrong side. Then orientate the needle vertically (away from you) and weave the yarn through every alternate stitch between the “v”s for about 8-10 rows.
2. Turn the needle perpendicular to the row of “vs” and pass it through underneath the adjacent “v” shaped (knit) stitch.
3. We are going to reverse step one, and with the needle pointed towards you, weave it in and out for about 8-10 rows between the knit stitches.
4. Orientate the needle perpendicular and again slip it underneath the adjacent knit stitch.
5. Repeat steps 1-4 a one more time and you should have weaved and tucked your tails in securely!
