The Knitting Supplies Every Beginner Needs

As a beginner in the knitting world, you might be tempted to pick about just anything at the knitting store. There are just so many eye-catching needles and fancy yarns that are waiting for you to purchase. However, if you are still new, it makes sense to buy only a few knitting supplies because you don’t want to spend a lot of money on things you might not use. You don’t need a lot of expensive materials for your first projects. As a matter of fact, you will find most if not all of the things you need at a discount store. There are also high-quality items at most of the craft stores.

Here are some things you need to get started

Yarn
A pair of scissors
Needles
A crochet hook

Yarn as One of the Main Knitting Supplies

All the colorful yarns available make people more attracted to knitting. There is no need to spend so much when buying yarn. On the other hand, cheaper yarns can also become starchy and uncomfortable to work with. The final product will also not feel good on the skin.

The project you want to work on will depend on the yarn you will choose. You might consider how much yarn you need, the weight of the yarn needed, if there is a particular fiber you want to use, and if you need novelty or basic yarn.

After you have a clear picture of what you need for your project, visit a local craft shop that sells knitting supplies and let your fingers work. Touch the different yarns and pick the one that fits your needs. Select something that both looks and feels good. You will also feel good when wearing it.

Needles for Newbies

It is ok to want to save money in your first project when buying a set of needles. There are many kinds of needle materials used from aluminum to rosewood. If you know you will knit for a long time, these are beautiful needles, to begin with. But you can also get aluminum or plastic needles. A store will have all the sizes you need. You will first need to check the pattern instruction for the suggested needle size to use.

You might have to buy new needles each time you are working on a different project. This is the reality of the craft because different projects will need different types and sizes of needles.

You can try to try various types of needles and see if you like them. For instance, a pair of the bamboo needle in size 11 would work well in making a chunky scarf, while a metal pair in size 7 can be used to make a simple washcloth. Try out different materials and figure out which one you want more than the other.

Why You Should Keep a Knitting Journal

Record keeping is vital although most knitters do not do it. You will be better off if you start your knitting project with a knitting journal. It does not have to be complicated. You can use a spiral notebook to note down the following information:

What the project was
What needles you used and where you bought them
Where you got the pattern
The brand, type, color and material of the yarn you used
Any problems you had with the pattern
Lessons you learned from the project
A picture of the completed project
Any notes on how you like the patterns or yarns

Other Necessary Tools

Yarn and needles are the main tools you will need for your knitting project. But there are also a couple more things you will need to make your project successful .you need a pair of scissors to cut the excess yarn from your project. If you want to keep it simple you can buy a pair of school scissors. But there are crafting scissors available at knitting stores. Whatever you choose, the pair of scissors will be able to snip out a piece of yarn.

Sewing needles will be helpful when you want to weave in the ends of your knitting project and for joining together different pieces of a garment such as joining the arm to a sweater. Needles are available that can work with yarn in plastic and also metal. Although both are fine to use if there are children around you better work with plastic to avoid accidents. Ensure your needles have large eyes to enable the yarn to easily pass through them. These are labeled tapestry needles or yarn needles. Yarn needles are often large than the normal sewing needles and so you will not worry so much about them getting lost. But it is still possible to lose them. This might happen when you are just about to complete your project. That is why it is advisable to pick a two or three pack.

Crochet Hooks

Perhaps you might wonder if crochet hooks are important after all. A crocheted border might look nice but crochet hooks are helpful even if you don’t know how to crochet yet. If the ends of your yarn are too short, you will find a crochet hook to be an invaluable tool. Select a hook that is size G or H as these works with most yarn weights and a novice knitter can still find it easy to use.

Your hook will also be a practical tool if you mistakenly rip a piece of knitwear. In such an instance, you will need to stick the hook through the back of the garment, grasp the torn yarn and slowly pull it through the back. No one will even notice the accident happened.

These simple tools can make it easy for you to complete your first knitting project. Of course, as you advance you will need more tools but these basics will be just enough to finish any simple projects with ease.