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
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
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! 😄
haha, I’m glad I’m not the only dork who crocheted Xmas stockings for my pets
I also went route 2!
I made a chunky cardigan, which was basically several rectangles that I’d need to stitch together. I learnt how to knit, purl and do 1x1 rib, which all went fine. I even managed to do knitting maths to adjust for my gauge. But then my mattress stitching was an absolute disaster and I miscalculated my pick up and knit for the button band and it all bunched up.
So no, I didn’t have a nice wearable item. But I learnt a lot of skills and really enjoyed it. I’ve been hooked ever since. All in all, I’d still recommend route two haha
Re needles: I got wooden interchangeable needles in the two sizes I needed for that project (10 and 12 mm I think), then when I realised I was immediately hooked I bought a set.
Ps. My next project was a jumper in the round and it went wayyyyy better.
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.
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.
@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 pick 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.
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.
