The crafty folks here at the Crafts and Hobbies channel at About.com have declared this "Start a New Hobby Week" because, well, we have that kind of power and occasionally we like to use it. So this week I and other Guides from around the network will be sharing lots of great information about how to get started with our various crafts and hobbies. If you're looking for something new to try (or are sick of the kids complaining about being bored), perhaps you'll find something you want to try.
A Garter Stitch square is great for knitting practice, (c) Sarah E. White.Learning to knit can be a little frustrating at first. It does take practice to be able to form the stitches correctly every time with just the right tension so your rows come out evenly. The key is to consistently practice, even just a few minutes a day for a couple of weeks. You'll be sure to see improvement if you stick with it.
(I renewed my sympathy for beginning knitters when I began learning how to spin. I stuck with it consistently for a few days and was getting better at it, then I put my spindle away for more than a year. Not a good idea. Now it's almost like I never learned the first time!)
For those who are completely new to knitting, the first step is learning how to cast on, or put stitches on the needle so you can knit them. There are many different ways to cast on, with the long-tail cast on probably being the most popular, but it's not the easiest (that would be the wrap cast on). I like to teach the knit cast on to new knitters because if you know how to do it, you basically know how to make a knit stitch as well.
Once the stitches are on the needle, it's time to knit them. More choices! There are two main schools of knitting, English style (in which the yarn is held in the right hand) and Continental (with the yarn in the left hand). You might think the method you choose ought to be based on whether you are right- or left-handed, but that's not really the case. You should try both to ensure you're using the method that feels more comfortable to you.
While you're practicing the knit stitch you can make your first knitting project, a plain square of knit stitches. Remember, yours might not look as good as mine, but you should keep your hole-filled, wobbly effort so that you can see how far you've come when you keep practicing.
The last basic procedure needed to finish a knitting project is called binding off. This is how you get the stitches off the needle, and it's really easy to do, but it's also really easy to bind off more tightly than you knit. Take your time, bind off loosely, and, if you are really having trouble, try using a larger needle for your bind off so it more closely matches the tension of your cast on and your knitting.
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