Knitting - Where in wool do I begin?

Elizabeth Zimmerman - the Godmother of  modern knitting*

"Really, all you need to become a good knitter are wool, needles, hands, 

and slightly below-average intelligence. Of course superior intelligence, 

such as yours and mine, is an advantage." 

~Elizabeth Zimmerman in Knitting Without Tears

I have had quite a few friends ask me lately about how to start and the best places to learn. So here are a few pointers to help you get started:

I've never even held a needle...

* Ideally, you should take a class with live instruction.  If you are local, check out WEB's.  They have tons of classes and their Knitting I course is superb.  Its also not cheap and you have to be able to get there when the classes are held. (I'm always fascinated by knitters' reactions when I tell them I live near WEB's.  It really is America's favorite yarn store!)

* YouTube!  This is a great introduction video.

* Start with a small project - NO SCARVES!!! Seriously, knitting a scarf is like saying "I"m going to start jogging! The Boston is marathon is next week, so I'll start with that."  Scarves take a long time, they are tedious and if you screw up and don't notice until 3/4 of the way done? Ugh.  You will never knit again. 


* So, what should I start with?  Hats or dishcloths knitted in worsted weight yarn.  Hats are knit in the round and if you choose a simple pattern, you don't even have to purl.  Just knit, knit, knit around and around until you are done.  Dishclothes are super easy and a new knitter can finish one in a couple of days. 

* Where do I find these patterns?  Go to Ravelry and sign up for a free account.  Use the advanced pattern search to really narrow down the results.  Here are two patterns perfect for a beginner:


           - Simple hat                    - Dishcloth

Soon to be a Phoncible hat knitted in Noro Kureyon

 * Needles? If you can borrow a pair of needles, go for it. If you are purchasing a pair, go for sizes 6, 7, or 8.  These are the most frequently used with the most common yarns (worsted weight).  Personally, I hate bamboo needles.  I find they stick to the yarn and things go slowly.  This might be good for starting, but I found it horrible.  A simple aluminum pair of straights is fine for a first dishcloth.

If you are going to start with a hat, you need a pair of circular needles.  I only knit with these.  I find them to be lighter, easier to hold and carry and completely useful for flat or circular knitting.  I prefer Addi Turbo, but the new Knitter's Pride line at WEB's is pretty awesome too.  Not to mention a lot cheaper.  When you've done a few starter projects and you're ready to investigate, go to WEB's and ask a sales person where you can try out a few different needles.  Everyone has their own preference. 

* Remember, every single one of those knitted projects on Ravelry are all done with two stitches: knit and purl.  That's it.  If you can birth and raise children, drive a car, type, or write your name... you can knit.  

* Check out YarnHarlot's blog.  She is amazing and very funny.  Her mantra is "There are no knitting police!"  And there really aren't.  What's awesome about knitting is that you can rip out mistakes and have do-over a hundred times and no one cares.  Its pretty refreshing. 

Matt never did learn to knit.

* Wool.  Yes, its a couple of dollars more but its entirely worth it!!  Why?  Because wool can be blocked and stretched and it is forgiving and warm.  Here's the thing - knitting isn't fast and sometimes it isn't easy (knitted lace for example).  Why would anyone spend hours on something only to use cheap, plastic yarn? 

There are some better quality acrylics out there, but Red Heart isn't one of them.  Lion Brand has some decent stuff - check out their Woolease line.  Its a blend of wool and acrylic and can be machine washed.  I actually use this stuff when I knit for anyone under the age of 30.

My first sweater knitted in Lion Brand's Woolease.  Perfect first sweater pattern - very easy!

* Some useful links:

• Knitty  - how to's, articles, awesome patterns
• Knitting Help - best place for learning, tons of tutorials and videos

* And my very last suggestions -

• Find a few friends to knit with.  I miss my old stitch-n-bitch crew.  Its fun, supportive and you get to hang out with people who "get it."
• Knit projects for yourself at first.  Its pretty neat to pick up a ball of string, a couple of sticks and in a few days have a bad ass hat on your head!
• Seriously, go to WEB's. 

1855 - A Shepherd knits while watching over his flock

*I say modern knitting up there because knitting was actually invented and done solely by men for centuries.