Knitting is a creative way to enjoy something that you’ve made by yourself and express your fashion sense. It also has a lot of health benefits because it can help you cope with stress and acts as a mental exercise to protect your brain from the cognitive deterioration that naturally occurs with age. 

Despite all these fantastic benefits, some people get overwhelmed by the idea of knitting and eventually give up. But if you want to learn how to start knitting like a pro, keep on reading. In this article, we’ll share the best tips and tricks that can help you master the art of knitting.

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Working on your first knitting project can be both an exciting and overwhelming experience. This is why it’s recommended to start working on a small square piece of knitting instead of a big statement piece of clothing. Although your square piece of knitting might not look perfect, you can use it as a coaster or for decoration. 

1 pair of size 8,9 or 10 knitting needles or circular needles

Casting on is the first step in every knitting project and refers to the loops that you make on the needle. There are several methods for casting on, but the easiest ones are the wrap cast on and the knit cast on. The knit cast is easier and firmer. However, as you cast on, you need to make sure that the tension is consistent.  

Make a slipknot for your first cast on stitch by looping the yarn around your middle and index finger twice. 

Slip the loop on the needle and pull the tail to secure the knot. 

Hold the needle in your right hand and loop the yarn on the left-hand needle.  Drape the yarn over it to form an open loop. 

Insert the right-handle needle and push it into the loop from the front to the back. 

After casting on the stitches, you should be able to start knitting. 

Put the needle with the stitches in your left hand and place the tip of the empty right needle into the top stitch from the front to back. Keep the yarn behind your work. 

Wrap the yarn around the right needle in an anticlockwise direction and pull the loop of yarn through to slide off the left needle. 

Repeat until all the stitches have been worked in the same fashion. 

Transfer your needles, so the left-hand needle always has all the stitches while the right-hand needle stays empty. 

Use a row counter or counting app to keep track of the rows you’ve finished. 

After you’ve knitted enough rows, it’s time to finish your project. Keep on knitting until you’ve completed a square-shaped piece of knitting. You can always make your knitting longer or shorter, but a square-shaped piece will give you enough practice. 

When you’re done, you need to bind off your project by removing the stitches from the needle. This is also called casting off. 

Start by knitting two stitches in a traditional way and use your left-hand needle to pick up the first stitch. Then, slide it over the second one and the tip of the right-hand needle, so there’s only one stitch left on the right-hand needle. 

Keep on repeating the same process until there are no stitches left on the left-hand needle and only one left on the right-hand needle. 

Cut the yarn off the ball, leaving about six inches. 

Slide the last loop off the needle and thread the remaining yarn through it and pull it tight through. 

Weave the ends to make your practice project look nice by hiding the loose ends. You can use a crochet hook to thread the loose ends of the yarn. You can also thread it to remove the loose ends.  

How to Start Knitting

The following tips will also help you become better at knitting, so you can share your knitted pieces with the whole world. 

Always practice using high-quality yarn because it will be easier to handle. 

Don’t start with a scarf because scarves take a long time to finish and will show mistakes more obviously. Instead, go for a hat. 

Use circular needles because they’re portable and can handle several stitches. 

Choose the right yarn for the project. Factors like the function of the piece, fiber content, thickness, texture, and color will have a great impact on how your knitted piece looks and feels. 

Choose a thin needle if you’re using thin yarn and a thicker needle if you’re using thick yarn. You can also opt for thicker or thinner needles if you want to have loose or tight stitches. 

Keep a crochet hook to pick up dropped stitches. 

When you’re done practicing, recycle your practice projects to finish an elegant piece. 

Keep the same tension of the yarn throughout the whole project. 

If possible, avoid joining new yarn in the middle of the row. Joining new yarn at the beginning of the row will make your project look cleaner and neater. 

Try practicing knitting without looking. You’ll definitely make mistakes, but your fingers will get used to the motion. 

After mastering the basic knit stitch, try practicing other more complex stitches. For example, the purl stitch is a cool one and represents the opposite of the basic knit stitch. You can also go for more decorative stitches like moss or garter stitches.  

Best Tips for Beginners

Knitting is an excellent practice and a great way to spend your time. By mastering the art of knitting, you can finish endless pieces that you can wear or use for decoration. 

Luckily, knitting isn’t that challenging, and practice makes perfect. So, follow the tips and tricks in our article, and you’ll be able to knit multiple pieces in no time.

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How to Start Knitting Like a Pro

How to Start Knitting

Best Tips for Beginners

Conclusion