Learn to Knit: It is Easier Than You Think
Knitting is one of the oldest and most enjoyable pastimes in the world. If you want to learn to knit you should not be worried, because it is much simpler than you probably think. Maybe you have a friend or relative who sits there and knits at lightning speed and this is intimidating to you, but they had to start somewhere too, and you can learn to knit in no time at all, as long as you follow a few easy steps.
Materials
You are going to need just a couple of materials if you want to learn to knit, and this includes yarn, knitting needles, a yarn needle with a big eye, and some scissors.
That's it, and now you are ready to get started. The first thing you are going to have to do, regardless of what sort of garment you are knitting, is cast on. You need to make a slip know on the shaft of one needle, and this will count as your first stitch. You then want to place this needle in your left hand, holding the other needle in your right hand to control the yarn.
Next you insert the point of the right needle, from front to back, into the slip knot and under the left needle. Hold the left needle still in left hand, and move your left fingers over to brace the right needle.
The next step to learn to knit is to use your right index finger and pick up the yarn from the ball, then release the right hand's grip on the needle and use your index finger to bring the yarn under and over the point of the right needle. Now you want to return all of your right fingers to the right needle and draw yarn through the stitch with the point of the right needle.
To finish off you need to slide the point of the left needle into the back of the new stitch, remove the right needle, pull the ball yarn gently to get the stitch taught, and you have now made one stitch. Then you continue this through the pattern, following the instructions carefully.
If you want to learn to knit, you are going to have to learn much more than just the basic knit stitch however, and purling is particularly common in knitting patterns. Basically a purl stitch is a backwards knit stitch, and is just as easy to learn.
As you progress and start to make improvement, you will find it easier to take on more challenges with your knitting, but make sure that you stick to easier patterns when you are just getting started.
