How to Start Knitting for Total Beginners: The Ultimate Guide
- anouskaiap
- Feb 25
- 8 min read
Updated: Sep 11
So, you want to start knitting? How amazing! Whether you’re here because you dream of knitting your a new wardrobe, making cozy gifts for friends, or simply need a relaxing hobby, welcome to the fold! I have no doubts that you’ll come to find how knitting is more than just stitches—it's creativity, mindfulness, and a little bit of magic. But I won’t lie—getting started can feel a little overwhelming. There are so many techniques, tools, and terms that seem like a secret code (knit and purl stitch, cast-on and cast off, what do they all mean?!).
I’ve decided to write the how-to guide I wish I had when I started! This guide is designed to take you from total beginner to confident beginner by breaking down the essentials in a clear and practical way.
We'll cover:
By the end of this post, you’ll have a roadmap to starting your knitting journey with confidence—without wasting time, money, or energy on things you don’t need yet. Let’s get those needles clacking! 💛
What to Expect When Learning to Knit
Before we get into stitches and supplies, let’s set some realistic expectations. Knitting is so rewarding, but like any new skill, it takes practice! Here’s what you need to know going in:
Those first stitches are going to feel awkward
and it’s totally normal! Your hands need time to get a hang of the movement. It’s a motor skill just like riding a bike, so the good thing is that you’ll never forget how to knit.
Mistakes will happen
Dropped stitches, uneven tension, accidental increases? We’ve all been there! Learning how to fix mistakes is part of the process and adopting a growth-mindset, or rather a learning mindset, will help you improve project-by-project. Get ready for those positive dopamine kicks!
You don’t need to memorise everything at once
Terms like knit stitch, purl stitch, cast-on, and cast off will all make sense soon enough. They’ll become unforgettable once you put meaning to the words by learning the movements. Do the multitude of other terms scare you? No worries, most knitting patterns have a glossary of tricky terms included for you to refer back to.
It gets easier, promise!
After a few projects, muscle memory kicks in, and you’ll be wondering why you ever felt intimidated by such silly stitches.
So keeping those expectations in mind, let’s get started with the basic knit kit you’re gonna need… It’s like getting ready to go to Hogwarts, right?!
Must-Have Knitting Tools (And What You Can Skip for Now)
Walking into a yarn store or a haberdashery can be overwhelming. Do you really need all those gadgets? Nope… Find you’re shopping list below!
✔️ The essentials:
Knitting Needles, You have two options here:
Number 1: Start with straight, 30cm needles. You can choose between metal,
wood, or bamboo (these last two have a bit more grip).
Number 2: Invest in high-quality, interchangeable knitting needles. This way, you'll be able to knit flat while you start, but already have circular needles for when you start knitting in the round.
In both cases, it’s best to get them in a set of multiple needle sizes, with 3.0mm-8.0mm being the most widely available format. Why? Well singular pairs cost more and this way you’ve got the needles you’ll need for future projects.
Yarn: A smooth, light coloured, ‘thick’ yarn. You should choose your yarn after you’ve decided on the pattern you want to knit, most patterns will have yarn specifications.
A couple of tips:
Starting with bulky weight yarn is ideal because it’s good on 6mm and above needles. Look for the words ‘chunky’ or ‘craft’ when selecting your yarn
Avoid dark colours because you’ll need to be able to see your stitches to check on how it’s going.
No fuzzy yarns at first! You’ll get there, but for now the simpler, the better (trust me!)
Scissors + a tape measure: Maybe someone in your family has a spare one lying around somewhere, be sure to ask before you buy!
Tapestry Needle for weaving in ends. These usually come in little sets, or if you buy a knitting starter kit, there might be a singular one included along with a tape measure and the next item on your list.
Stitch Markers: These are essential to keep track of stitches as you knit and remember what you’ve knit already.
I’d recommend starting with clip-closed markers so you can easily remove them if you forget and knit them into your work!
A notebook to scribble down what you’ve done in each knitting session. That way you don’t lose your place in the pattern and you can make notes of techniques or reminders that will come in useful later in the pattern.
I use my knitting notebook to write specific things I’ve had to study up on, learn, or mistakes I’ve had to fix so that I know for the next time when I knit the same pattern again. It’s also useful to keep note of the yarn you’re using, just in case you lose the label on the ball of yarn (skein), run out and need to re-purchase.
❌ What you can wait to buy:
Needle gauge, row counters, fancy project bags. Of course, they’re all nice to have but not essential for your first project! Take your time and invest in decent ones further down the line.
Expensive specialty yarns—learn the basics first… you most likely won’t wear or use your first projects long-term so why invest on the yarn now?
Though, if you’re set on luxury yarn, you could always unravel (frog) the projects at a later date to re-use the yarn!
Quirky/decorative stitch markers. Yes, they’re cute but basic stitch markers will do the trick for now.
The Basic Knitting Techniques Every Beginner Should Know
To start knitting, you only need a handful of techniques. Here’s what to focus on first:
1. Casting On (How to Get Stitches on the Needle)
Every knitting project starts with casting on, meaning to place loops onto your knitting needle. There are different methods, but beginners should start with:
A Long-tail cast-on - This is a stretchy cast-on that’s versatile and easy to learn.
A Knitted cast-on - This is great for beginners, but less stretchy than the long-tail method.
2. Knit and Purl Stitch (The Foundation of Knitting!)
ALL knitted fabrics are made from just two stitches (how cool is that?!)
The Knit Stitch - These are those smooth ‘V’ shapes that you see in columns on the fabric.
The Purl Stitch - Purl stitches create a bumpy texture. This is actually the ‘reverse’ or the back side of a knit stitch.
Knitting vs. purling: The main difference? When you knit, the working yarn is held and worked from the back of your work. When you purl, the yarn is held at and worked from the front.
Mastering these two stitches will unlock basically every beginner pattern, your first knit will most likely combine them to create the Stockinette stitch pattern, the foundation of all knitting in my opinion.
3. Fixing Mistakes (It Happens to Everyone!)
Don’t panic if you drop a stitch. In doing so, you will learn how to fix the mistakes that inevitably happen when knitting. And that will save you from restarting all over again.
P.s. A crochet hook is handy for picking up dropped stitches easily, but if you don’t have one you can just as well do it with your two knitting needles.
4. Joining In A New Skein Of Yarn
There are quite a few methods to join in a new skein of yarn, by far the most straight forward is the magic knot method. If using the magic knot method, you’ll need to weave in the ends of the knot after you’ve finished knitting (point number 6).
A warning - Do not tie in a new skein with a regular knot, it will come undone and you’ll end up with a hole in your finished knit!
5. Casting Off (Finishing Your Project)
When your project is done, you’ll need to cast off (also called binding off in American knitting terminology). This secures your stitches so your fabric doesn’t unravel backwards from the end.
The standard cast-off is the easiest to start with, but learning some stretchy cast offs is necessary too… wondering why? Well I’ll just say that the first sweater I knit didn’t fit over my head!
6. Weaving in the ends (Tidying up Your Finished Project)
As mentioned in technique number 5 if you ‘tie in’ new skeins of yarn, you’ll have to come back and weave in the ends, which is when you use your tapestry needle to thread the ends of yarn through the stitches, those that you made while knitting, so that the ends are no longer noticeable.
Learning how to do this the right way with the duplicate stitch method will come in useful in the future if you decide that you want to create decorative, coloured stitching on a finished knit (see the pictures!)
7. How to ‘read’ your knitting
Learning how to recognise and count rows, distinguish stitch columns and see where a mistake has happened are non-negotiable skills to ensure you know what’s going on with your knit and if need be, you can fix it (re:point number 3!).
How to Choose the Perfect Beginner-Friendly Pattern
Your first project matters! Choose wisely, and it will keep you motivated and keep you stitching!
You can find patterns every where on the internet, a quick Google search will find some for you, however, I recommend using Ravelry’s search feature—it lets you set specific search paradigms to find exactly what you’re looking for.
When choosing, look for:
✔️ Beginner-friendly - search for patterns labeled ‘easy’ or ‘beginner’!
✔️ On needle sizes 5mm and above - that way it’s easier to see and read the stitches you’re making, as well as pick them up if (when) you drop them.
✔️ Consider whether yarn weight matches the needle size - Simply put if you want to use an aran or worsted weight yarn, you’re going to be using 4.5mm-6mm needles. If you are drawn to chunky or craft yarn, you’ll be using 5.5mm-8mm needles!
✔️ Knit flat - Look for something that is knit on straight needles. Avoid knitting in the round for the moment to keep it simple to begin with and ensure that you can focus on those basic techniques!
✔️ Comes with video tutorials - Lots of beginner patterns are available on YouTube in a knit-along format. You’ll find the KAL (knit along format) is ideal because you can rewind, rewatch and re-do, or pause and easily come back to where you were another day!
Want a few ideas? A basic garter stitch scarf or a simple wooly hat, or for those more ambitious beginners a knitted vest are all great beginner projects to start with.
Or prefer to take a look for yourself? Here is a pre-set Ravelry search for you with both paid and free patterns!
Final Thoughts to Start Your Knitting Journey with Confidence!
Starting your knitting journey might feel like stepping into a whole new world, but trust me—it’s worth it. Knitting is more than just a craft; it’s a skill that connects creativity, relaxation, and self-expression in the most rewarding way. You’ll have moments of frustration, sure, but you’ll also experience the absolute joy of creating something with your own hands.
So, if you’ve been waiting for a sign to pick up those needles—this is it! Start small, be patient with yourself, and remember: every knitter was once a beginner. You’ve got this! 💛
What’s next? If you found this guide helpful, let me know in the comments! And if you’re looking for more beginner-friendly tips, follow along for more knitting tutorials, inspiration, lifestyle and knitwear design both here and over on Instagram @AnouskaKnits.
Happy knitting! 🧶✨
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