
Simple master class on knitting for beginners, practice and create your own masterpieces with knitting needles
So, you have decided to learn how to knit!Congratulations! I think you have made a great choice. Knitting is a centuries-old craft that was previously practiced mainly out of necessity: if you want socks or a sweater, you have to knit it yourself. Today, knitting has become a popular hobby, although some call it a special form of art, and for some it has already become the meaning of life! When a beginner looks at all this abundance of yarn and complex patterns, knitting may seem too complicated. But do not let this feeling affect you and remember that even the most skilled craftsman was once a beginner. It may surprise you, but at the heart of any, even the most exquisite knitted item, there are only two types of loops: the front loop and the back loop. The front loop is universal, it is the basic building block for all knitwear. By knitting each row with knit stitches, you are actually knitting a pattern called "garter stitch". This knitting got its name from the longitudinal elasticity of the fabric, which was often used for garter belts. By adding a purl stitch, the number of patterns will increase even more! For example, knitting one row with knit stitches and the next with purl stitches, we get another universal type of knitting - "stocking stitch", which is also widely used in different models. We will look at the process of knitting with knit and purl stitches step by step, stitch by stitch, and pay attention to those things you need to know before you start knitting, as well as several important basic techniques (such as how to start knitting and how to finish it). At the end of this book, you will find ready-made patterns for knitting garter stitch kitchen napkins and a scarf, as well as a pattern for knitting a scarf in 2x2 rib. You will be able to knit all three of these patterns easily with a little practice! So, let's get started! CONTENTS
- Beginning of work
- Set of loops
- Face loop
- Wrong loop
- Closure of the series
- The tying of a new yarn
- Fix typical errors
- Your first projects
- Additional reading
- Thanks
As with any craftsman, before starting work youyou will need to prepare the tools that should always be at hand. These include: Yarn, rolled into a ball (if it is not sold ready-made) Knitting needles that match the size of the yarn A tailor's tape measure A crochet hook for correcting mistakes A pen and paper for notes And a bag or chest where you will keep all this! Yarn Yarn is the material from which we will create our masterpieces. Later, you will learn more about yarns and the types of threads that are used in the production of yarn. This includes horse wool, soft llama wool, and much, much more! There are seven basic types of yarn by weight, which will essentially tell you how thin or thick your yarn is. The table below shows the types of yarn, what they mean, and what size of knitting needles these weights correspond to and what they mean. Symbol and category name
openwork
ultra-thin
thin
easy
average
volumetric
very voluminous Yarn type Thin stockingSocks, hosiery, children's Sports, children's Knitwear, for hand knitting For hand knitting, garter stitch, patterned Dense, for needlework, for knitting interior items For bulky and cable knitting Knitting density (front surface) in 10 cm 33-40 27-32 23-26 21-24 16-20 12-15 6-11 Recommended knitting needle thickness in mm 1.5-2.25 2.25-3.25 3.2-3.75 3.75-4.5 4.5-5.5 5.5-8 8 or more Recommended knitting needle thickness by number 000-1 1-3 3-5 5-7 7-9 9-11 11 or more * AS A RECOMMENDATION ONLY: the table above reflects The most commonly used yarn types and needle sizes for specific yarn categories. **Lace yarns often use larger needle sizes to create a lacier pattern. For these types of yarn, always give priority to the needle size specified in the pattern.
For beginners it is recommended to useMedium (#4) yarn and size 8 or 9 needles, depending on how thick the yarn is. It’s also a good idea to use a light-colored yarn so you can see the stitches clearly. Yarn Labels There’s a wealth of information available about yarn. Look closely at the label and you’ll see information about the grain, recommended needle size, care instructions, and stitch patterns (see the “Knitting” section below for more information). As you gain experience, you’ll learn how to interpret the information on the label and be able to decide for yourself what to use the yarn for. To learn how to knit the patterns in this book, choose a yarn with a gauge of 6-11 stitches per 4 inches (10 cm) and size 8 or 9 needles. Needles If you’ve been to a yarn or hobby store, you’ll notice that there are now a huge variety of different types of needles available. There are wooden knitting needles and metal knitting needles, made from different types of wood and different types of metal! You may have also noticed that there are straight knitting needles (two separate needles) and circular knitting needles, which are made from two needles connected by a cord. Circular knitting needles are used for knitting patterns in the round or very wide patterns, such as knitted wool scarves and baby blankets. As you learn, you will try different types of knitting needles, you will find out which type you like best and which needles are best for different types of yarn. A set of straight bamboo needles is recommended for beginners. Bamboo does not slip, so stitches will not slip off the needles. Knitting density In knitting, knitting density is a very
an important indicator that ensures accuratecorrespondence to the model sizes. All knitting patterns are based on a certain number of stitches and rows per 10 cm of knitting. If your knitting does not correspond to these measurements, most likely, your product will correspond to the original dimensions. You "determine the knitting gauge" by making a swatch - a 10x10 cm square piece of knitting. The pattern will tell you how many stitches you need to cast on and how many rows to knit to get a 10x10 cm square. If necessary, you can change the knitting needle size if you do not get the corresponding knitting pattern. To measure the knitting gauge, lay the finished swatch on a flat surface, place the measuring tape parallel to the row of stitches and count the number of stitches in 10 cm. This will be the knitting gauge per stitch per 10 cm. Compare this figure with the one indicated on the care label. If your swatch is too loose (fewer stitches than stated), you should take knitting needles one size smaller. If your pattern is too dense (more stitches than
(indicated) you need to increase the size of the needles.For beginner patterns, the knitting density is not yet critical, but is still provided as a guide. This picture shows how the knitting needle size affects the knitting density. This sample is knitted from one type of yarn, with the needle size increasing with each color change. Cast on - Cast on is the process of making the first row of stitches on the knitting needles. There are several variations of cast on stitches, but here we will focus on the classic method. This is a versatile and reliable method that you can safely use for most of your projects. Drawn Knot This cast on variation begins with a drawstring knot, which is easily tightened as soon as you put it on the knitting needle. 1) Place the end of the yarn in the palm of your hand, pass the working thread around the index and middle fingers and cross the working thread and the end of the yarn, forming an X-shaped intersection. 2) Spread your fingers slightly and pull the working thread through your fingers from the back of your palm. 3) Pull the loop, holding the end of the yarn lightly, to form a knot. 4) Place the loop on the knitting needle and pull the working yarn to adjust the tension. For practice Make several tight knots. Practice until you get it! Classic cast-on stitch
1) Leave a fairly long end of yarn(about 5-7.5 cm for each loop, make a knot and put it on the appropriate knitting needle. 2) Place the ends of the yarn between the thumb and index finger of your left hand so that the working yarn passes around the index finger and the end - around the thumb. 3) With the remaining fingers, hold the ends of the yarn a few centimeters below the knitting needle. Raise your palm up, forming a V with the yarn strands (Figure 1).
4) Pass the knitting needle from the bottom up through
loop on the thumb (Figure 2), grabthread on your index finger and pass it back through the loop on your thumb (Figure 3). 5) Slip the loop off your finger and, returning your thumb to its original position, carefully tighten the resulting loop on the knitting needle (Figure 4).
Do not tighten the loops too tightly or tooloose – the stitches should slide back and forth on the needle easily, but not hang too loosely. To practice Cast on 20 stitches. Remove all stitches from the needle and cast on 20 stitches again. Repeat this process until it feels automatic. This will take some time, but soon you will develop muscle memory and you will get it! Front Stitch The actual knitting involves transferring stitches from the left needle to the right, creating new rows of stitches in the process. Let's get started! 1) Cast on 20 stitches. 2) Take the needle with the cast-on stitches in your left hand and the empty needle – in your right hand. Hold the needle a few centimeters from the tips, between your thumb, index and middle fingers.
3) With the working yarn behind the needles, insert the right needle from the front into the first stitch (needle closest to the tip) from left to right (Figure 1). 4) Now with your index finger
with the finger of your right hand, pass the working thread between the knitting needles from back to front. (Figure 2). 5) With your right hand, pull the right knitting needle – with the resulting
loop of yarn - onto itself and through the originalstitch (Figure 3). Now you have a stitch on the right needle. All you need to do to finish the stitch is drop the original stitch off the left needle. Gently tug on the working yarn to tighten the new stitch slightly. Repeat this process to the end of the row! Once you have knitted every stitch in the row, you will have an empty needle in your left hand. Switch needles so that the full needle is in your left hand and the empty needle is in your right hand, and repeat over and over! Continental Method There are several ways to knit a stockinette stitch; two of the most popular are called the English Method (also called “throwing”) and the Continental Method (or “casting on”). The English Method, which is held in the right hand, has been described above. The Continental method is carried in the left hand. Try both methods to see which works best for you. There is no right or wrong way to knit, just the one that feels most comfortable to you! The Continental method is described below. 1) The working yarn is underneath and behind the needle. Insert the right needle into the first stitch on the left needle (Figure 1). The tip of the needle should be pointing away from you.
2) Wrap the yarn counterclockwise aroundright needle (around the one you just inserted into the loop) (Figure 2). 3) Pull the right needle back just enough to pass it under the left needle and pull the yarn through the loop (Figure 3).
4) Drop the loop from the left knitting needle (Figure 4).You just made a new stitch! For practice For practice, knit a swatch: just keep knitting rows! If you make a mistake, keep knitting. You're just practicing, so you can ignore mistakes for now. Right-Foot Rule Every stitch has a front "leg" and a back "leg." Each stitch should sit on the needle "right foot first." If you knit stitches with your left foot first, the stitches will be crossed.
Purl stitch
Step 1:As with knitting stitches, hold the knitting needle with the stitches in your left hand and the empty needle in your right. Step 2: Bring the working yarn to the front of the needles. Insert the tip of the right knitting needle into the front of the first stitch on the left knitting needle, from right to left (Figure 1). Step 3: With the yarn in front of the needles, draw the working yarn around the tip of the right knitting needle counterclockwise, between the needles from right to left and back to the front (Figure 2). Step 4: Pull the right knitting needle with the loop of working yarn down and back (away from you) through the stitch on the left knitting needle (Figure 3). Slip the original stitch off the left knitting needle and tighten the new stitch on the right knitting needle. You now have your first purl stitch. Repeat this process to the end of the row. When you have knitted all the stitches in the row, you will have an empty knitting needle in your left hand. Switch needles so that the full needle is in your left hand and the empty needle is in your right, and you are ready to begin the next row. Note: If you knit only purl stitches across each row, you will have garter stitch! How to Determine the Working Yarn The working yarn is the yarn that runs from the needles to the ball and was used to knit the last stitch. That last stitch is the last working stitch on the tip of the right needle. Inevitably, you will get distracted while knitting. When you come back, simply find the working yarn, make sure you are holding the needle with the last working stitch in your right hand, and off you go!
Thread tension - Yarn tensionrefers to how you hold your working yarn. You need to find a way to hold the yarn so that your stitches are even but not too tight, so that they slide easily along the needle and look more or less uniform (without the stitches being too loose or too tight). Figures 1 and 2 show two ways to hold the yarn; Figure 1 shows the English style yarn tension, while Figure 2 shows the continental style yarn tension. When you tension the yarn, you are doing two things at once: slowing down the unwinding of the yarn from the ball, and guiding the yarn around the needle. It sounds complicated, but it isn't. Why? Because there is no wrong way to tension the yarn. Once your hand gets the muscle memory, you will do it without thinking.
Closing (finishing) a row This knitting completes the last row of knitting so that the loops do not come apart.
First knit two stitches together, then*, withtwo loops on the right needle, pass the right loop over the left and drop it off the end of the needle. Knit the next loop. Repeat step * until all the loops have been knitted. After you have closed the last loop on the needle, cut the working yarn and pull it through the last loop to close it. For practice Finish the row on your swatch
Tying in a new thread What to do if the ballRun out of yarn? Need to knit a new ball. There are several ways to knit a new yarn, but here we will focus on the most common one. Tie the new yarn to the working yarn on the side with a regular knot. Then slide the knot as far as it will go so that it is behind the first loop and continue knitting with the new yarn. It is recommended to knit the new yarn from the edge, as this method allows you to avoid visible connections and knots in the middle of the fabric. Correcting typical mistakes Untying: one loop at a time When untying, you move in the opposite direction, unraveling loop by loop from the right knitting needle and transferring the old loop to the left knitting needle side. If you have already finished the row, leave the full right knitting needle in your right hand. If you are in the middle of the row, find the working yarn (the end that goes to the ball) and take the knitting needle with the working loop in your right hand. The working yarn comes out behind the loops. 1) To unravel the stitch, insert the tip of the left needle into the stitch just below the working stitch, next to the tip of the right needle. To do this, pull the working yarn; the taut stitch will show you exactly where to insert the left needle. 2) Insert the left needle into the taut stitch from front to back (Figures 1 and 2). This will catch the stitch from the previous row without twisting it. 3) Transfer this stitch to the left needle. Pull the working yarn to unravel the stitch. The old stitch is now on the left needle – we have unraveled one stitch (Figures 3 and 4). 4) Repeat steps 2 and 3 until you reach the place where the mistake was made.
How to avoid extra loops
When you are just starting to knit, it would be goodrecount the stitches at the end of each row. If you end up with more stitches than you started with, you've probably added extra stitches. Look for stitches on your needles that are different (see Figure 1). You may have accidentally made what's called a "yarn over." This can happen if you accidentally place your working yarn in front of the needles when knitting a front stitch, causing the working yarn to pass over the right needle in what appears to be a separate stitch. To fix an accidental yarn over, undo the row before the yarn over - to the point where the working yarn was on the wrong side of the work. The yarn over will come off the needle. Place the working yarn behind the knitting, then finish the row without an extra stitch! Accidentally knitting the first stitch as two
This common problem is a variant of randomyarn over: the working yarn ends up over the needle at the end of the row, from front to back, instead of under the needle. It pulls the first stitch tight so that it looks like two loops (Figure 1). To fix this mistake, simply unravel the knitting to this point and remove it. Your First Projects Project 1: Garter Stitch Scarf
This scarf will also be good practice forbeginners and a stylish accessory! Finished size: 10 cm wide and 100 cm long Yarn: SUSA # 6, super thick. The yarn shown in the picture is Misty Alpaca, Super Thick, melange (50% cotton, 50% wool, 50 m / 100 g) SCH04, Oberon, 2 skeins. Needles: Size 11 Swatch: 10x10 square - 10 loops for 18 rows in garter stitch
Level: Easy Scarf Cast on 12 stitches.Row 1: Knit stitches. Knit to end until ~1 m of yarn remains. Bind off all stitches and sew at ends. Wear with pleasure! Project 2: Garter Stitch Kitchen Towel
You will enjoy knitting these napkins for yourself andas a gift. This is a fun project to practice increasing and decreasing stitches. Finished size: 25cm square Yarn: SusA #3, worsted. Yarn in picture is Lily Sugar Cream Solid (100% cotton, 110m/70g) 01 222, green Needles: Size 7 Swatch: 10x10 square 16 x 18 stitches Level: Easy Yarn over Bring the working yarn to the front and pass it around the needle from front to back.
Knit two stitches together Insert the right needle into two stitches at the same time and knit them as one stitch.
Kitchen towel Cast on 4 stitches.1) Knit 4 stitches. 2) Knit 2 stitches, yarn over, and knit to the end of the row. Repeat until you have 44 stitches on the needle. 3) Knit 1 stitch, then 2 together, yarn over, knit 2 together again, and knit to the end of the row. Repeat until you have 4 stitches left on the needle. Bind off all stitches. Project 3: Scarf - Ribbed
This scarf is great for practicing knitting.knit and purl stitches, and the finished product is a wonderful gift that will suit both men and women. Finished dimensions: 12x200 cm Yarn: SusA # 5, thick. The yarn in the picture is Bonbori (94% wool, 6% nylon, 80 m / 50 g) Color 5; 3 balls. Needles: Size 10 Swatch: 20 loops in 10 cm with 1x1 ribbing Level: Easy Scarf Cast on 30 loops. 1) knit 2 front, 2 purl loops to the end of the row. 2) knit 2 purl, 2 front loops to the end of the row. Repeat 1) and 2) until you have ~ 1 m of yarn left. Close all loops and sew up the ends. Tip: After completing Row 1, simply knit as per the pattern: all purl stitches are purl stitches, knit stitches are knit stitches. It's that easy!