Knitting can be habit-forming—in the best way. It’s blissfully portable and wonderfully relaxing. If you’re already an avid knitter, this isn’t news—and yet you may still have a trunk stashed with half-made cardigans and other projects. If you’re a beginner or due for a refresher course, review the fundamentals and then try your hand at one of the simple projects that follow—all of which rely on the most basic stitches, explained on the following pages.
Any knitter will agree: A big part of the fun of this productive pastime is gathering the essentials, especially the yarn. Take pleasure in buying the provisions. But before buying, consult your pattern: It’s the pattern that tells you the ideal yarn weight and amount, needle sizes, and other notions such as buttons or trim. Other than these items, your knitting stash should include small scissors (embroidery ones work great), a crochet hook (for picking up drop stitches), and a yarn needle (for finishing).
A knitting needle’s size is based on its diameter and is indicated with a number (in the United States), or in millimeters (in Europe). See chart for conversions. In general, needles that are neither too long nor too short—so somewhere in the mid-range for the number of stitches required (as suggested in the pattern)—will be the easiest to handle.
Needle size conversionsU.S. size range to millimeter range |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
000 |
1.5 mm |
7 |
4.5 mm |
00 |
1.75 mm |
8 |
5 mm |
0 |
2 mm |
9 |
5.5 mm |
1 |
2.25 mm |
10 |
6 mm |
2 |
2.75 mm |
10.5 |
6.5 mm |
3 |
3.25 mm |
11 |
8 mm |
4 |
3.5 mm |
13 |
9 mm |
5 |
3.75 mm |
15 |
10 mm |
6 |
4 mm |
17 |
12.75 mm |
Of the three basic types—straight, circular, and double-pointed—straight needles are a wise first pair. These have stoppers at the ends for using in so-called flat knitting, the most fundamental technique (and the one used for the projects here).
You can find needles in metal, wood, bamboo, and plastic. Wood and bamboo needles are good for beginners—they’re more flexible, comfortable to use, and less slippery (so stitches aren’t as likely to slip off).
There’s so much more to yarn than meets the eye. For one, it can be made of either animal-based fibers (sheep’s wool, mohair, angora), plant-based fibers (cotton, hemp, silk), or synthetic fibers (polyester, nylon, rayon). These interlocked fibers (referred to as plies) are spun together into thicker strands. The number of plies (single-ply, two-ply) will affect the drape, stitch definition, and general feel of the yarn.
Finally, each ball of yarn has a ball band (a label) stating the fiber content, weight, amount (in yards and ounces), care instructions, suggested needle size, gauge, and dye-lot number. To ensure that all your yarn for a project is exactly the same color, buy it all at once and check that the dye-lot numbers match.