Knitting is a very healthy and rewarding hobby to pursue. Not only do you end up creating wonderful items, knitting has shown to have beneficial effects on the brain and the body. The repetitive action of knitting brings about a state of calm and focus that takes your mind off of everyday worries. Knitting also alleviates stress, anxiety, and depression (more on benefits of knitting here).
Starting a knitting project can be a challenging task. What to buy, where to buy from, how to learn knitting, and what easy knitting projects to start with are some of the standard questions aspiring knitters have. In this blog I will share shopping lists and tips to get you ready for your knitting journey.
Knitting needles
To start any knitting project, you will need a pair of knitting needles. Needles come in various sizes and materials. As a beginner, bamboo needles are great to start knitting with as they are not slippery and can hold the stitches together easily. In terms of size, you can start with medium width needles, a size of 5mm or 6mm will be easy to manage and will allow you to use the right kind of beginner yarn.
Needles also come in circular shape. These are used to create projects requiring a lot of length or circular shape such as hats. To learn, straight needles can do the job well.
You can buy just a pair or a kit to see what size works best for you.
Yarn
You will also need yarn for your project. There are way more choices in the yarn world than in the needle world so the best way is to start simple. As a beginner, you will need some throwaway yarn for learning. So start with an inexpensive yarn like acrylic. Yarn comes in various weights or thickness. For beginners weight 4 or 5 yarn works best. Also, take care that the yarn is not loosely plied. Most yarns are a twisted combination of multiple strands. When you buy yarn, un-twist it to make sure the strands do not come apart very easily otherwise they will keep getting stuck in your needles when you make stitches.
Lots of yarn options are available in the market. You can start with something simple and inexpensive. Lighter color yarns work better for beginners as you can see the stitches more clearly.
Tapestry needle
Once you finish your project, you will need to weave in some of the yarn with a tapestry needle to keep the knitted fabric more secure. A tapestry needle is like a sewing needle but it is bigger and thicker to get your yarn through the knitted loops. For beginners, the tapestry needle can be anywhere between 2-3in in length. Both bent or straight needles can do the job but bent tips are generally preferred as they get into the knitted loops more easily.
These needles come in metal or plastic and either should be ok to get you started. Still confused? You can buy an assorted set.
Scissors
A good pair of scissors matters when you knit. Neatly cut yarn is easy to weave in and close your project. Try picking up a pair of sewing scissors. These are small and sharp and do the job perfectly. Metal ones will last you many years.
Measuring tape
This will come in handy once you start knitting an item. Knitting is nothing but creating fabric. And you will end up knitting a wearable item or something of household use. So you will need measurements to see if you are on the right track. A sewing tape is a good choice as it is flexible and long enough to allow you to measure even long items like blankets and scarves.
Stitch markers
Not an absolute must but a good to have if your project needs you to count stitches as you go. These come in various shapes but these are my favorite ones as they are easy to open and close. They come in different colors so you can pick the color that is complementary to your yarn color.
After you have done your shopping, it is time to start learning. Check out the next blog on where to learn knitting. If shopping looks like an intimidating task and you do not want to buy everything before you have tested the waters, consider buying a starter kit to help you see if knitting is for you.
