What You Need to Know Before Knitting
Your guide to getting the first stitches started
Knitting. A word that resurrects horror into those who have tried and failed. Also, a word that leaves others dreaming about the exciting project they have planned. Many give it a shot but put the needles down after a few clicks, so how can you stop this from being you? As an ardent knitter for over 10 years, let me share some useful tips on making sure this doesn’t happen when you start.
Getting started
Recently, crafting has become more important to us than ever. Forbes reported that “since the coronavirus hit, global sales for We Are Knitters, a beloved brand known for its bagged kits and vibrant community, have been increasing more than 75% weekly” (Alter Mark), suggesting a significant uptake in the pastime whilst we stayed at home last year. So, with so many of us having a go at it now, it’s the time for lifelong knitters like myself to share some wisdom with new knitters on the scene.
Starting off it’s best to think first about yarn. Kristi Kittelson, editor of AllFreeKnitting.com, advises “it’s easy to be tempted by all the pretty, unique, soft yarns out there, but the truth is that the first couple of things you knit are not going to be worth the nice yarn” (Kittelson) and to avoid becoming disappointed, start with an affordable, simple yarn (no frills or unique textures) and practise first. It can be disheartening to invest in your new bags of yarn and not do it justice on round one, so get some to practise with, watch some videos on how to get started and keep trying until you get the hang of it before tackling the first planned project.
Craft mindfully
With homemade crafts growing in popularity with the next generation, we are reaching away from our phones and towards more mindful activities to benefit our wellbeing. Knitting magazines are still going strong, where free gifts in each issue can’t be replicated by digital versions of the publications. This means it might just be the next generation’s new hobby.
Knitting helps us to focus and be more present, but to avoid physical detriments “you also need to take notice of the smaller muscles in your hands, fingers and thumbs” (The Knitter’s Yarn) so you do not strain yourself. Not only is there a level of detail in your crafting that takes up your focus, but also your awareness of the body. This is useful if you want to knit to be more mindful. Finding a rhythm where you pay attention to the movement of your hands, and practising with the right size needles and yarn, you will soon find this easier to achieve.
Join the community
Knitting can be a social or solo activity, making it so versatile. Knowing some of the vast numbers of other knitters out there can be another benefit to the hobby which is initially overlooked. With “Let’s Knit” magazine launching “Let’s Knit Together” as an online community for knitters, there’s growing evidence that crafting is becoming an increasingly social space in more ways than a traditional knitting circle. Any age, any walk of life, you can join in. Knowing this when you start can help you feel a part of something bigger when your motivation to next pick up the needles fades slightly.
The beginning…
So, knitting isn’t just about screaming at dropping a stitch or making scarfs and jumpers, is it? There’s a community out there, benefits to the mind to be found, and lots of pluses to using your time to make things. My question to you is, what’s your first project going to be?
Works cited:
Alter Mark, Lois. “Knitting has Become The Cool Activity During The Coronavirus Crisis” Forbes. March 27th 2020. https://www.forbes.com/sites/loisaltermark/2020/03/27/knitting-has-become-the-cool-activity-during-the-coronavirus-crisis/?sh=6694f280921c Accessed 11th October 2021.
Kittelson, Kristi. “12 Knitting Tips for Beginners + Free Knitting Classes Online” AllFreeKnitting July 9th 2021. https://www.allfreeknitting.com/Tips-for-Knitting/Knitting-Tips-For-Beginners Accessed 11th October 2021.
The Knitter’s Yarn. “8 Ways to Minimise the Risk of Repetitive Strain Injury Whilst Knitting” The Knitter’s Yarn. March 7th 2018 https://theknittersyarn.com/blogs/news/avoid-rsi-when-knitting Accessed 11th October 2021.
Images:
1) Foundry Co from Pixabay
2) Anastasia Gepp from Pixabay
3) Anastasia Gepp from Pixabay
