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Simple winter knits for beginners

Over the past few winters I've been practicing my knitting.  I was taught to knit originally by my granny when I was younger, so I knew the basics, but I had never really practiced until I became interested again a few years ago.  I have been buying wool and needles from markets and op shops and teaching myself using youtube.  I never like to spend time practicing something just for the sake of it, I like to make something that I can use, so I have been trying to find things to make that help me to refine my technique, but are also simple and ultimately useful.  Obviously I can't launch into huge projects while I'm still struggling to knit consistently and neatly, but I managed to find a few small things to knit that have really helped me to gain the confidence to make something larger.


eight acres: learning to knit - some suggestions for beginners
This is what I made this winter to practice before I make something bigger.

Here's what I have come up with as suggestions for beginner knitters to practice:

  1. Headband or ear-warmer - this can be as simple as a strip of 10-15 stitches knitted in either garter stitch or stockinette stitch, keep going until it reaches around your head and then stitch the ends together to form a band.  For something different you can add stripes of colours, or try a fancy knitting stitch.
  2. Button-up snood - this is just a short scarf (you could make a scarf, but that takes longer!), again, you can add stripes or fancy stitches.  I took the opportunity to practice ribbing at each end and added button holes.  I started with 30 stitches and knitted until it was long enough to go around my neck.
  3. Snood in the round - a great way to experiment with needles "in the round" is to knit up a simple snood.  If you get it twisted, its called a helical snood (great for covering mistakes!).
  4. Arm-warmers - this is a great way to practice knitting on double-pointed needles.  Just make a hole for the thumbs using the same technique as for a button-hole.  I like to add stripes to this one too, but could also be done with a fancy stitch.  Ribbing at the top stops the top from folding over.
  5. Tablet or phone cover - we bought a new tablet and I decided to knit a cover for it instead of buying a cover.  I just knitted a long strip in the right size and sewed up the seams.  Again, you can add whatever techniques you need to practice.
  6. Socks - this might seem like an odd one for beginners, but after you've figured out double-pointed needles, you have most of the skills to finish socks as well, you just have to really concentrate on the pattern!

Lately I have been side-tracked with crochet, so I haven't knitted anything bigger yet.  I am wearing my arm-warmers and ear warmer as I type though!

What do you think is a good project for learning to knit?

Comments

  1. How warm and 'cool' do you look?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great work, and great advice. Your pieces look very professional. I started with simple projects like these and moved on to socks, then to no seam cardigans and vests. I make baby knits quite often too. I love knitting, but get side tracked to spinning fairly often. If you want some great free knitting patterns try a site called AllFreeKnitting.com, it has all sorts of projects.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love the striped knits!!
    I have the handwarmers on my list!

    ReplyDelete

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