Learning to Knit

Knitting a sleeve with DPN and circular needles

Why knitting?

Earlier this year, I learnt that knitting actually use less yarn than double crochet. Imagine that! Having limited budget as I do, I decided that learning to knit is a good idea. Besides, knitted fabric is thinner, hence lighter, than crocheted one, which should be more comfortable in a tropical climate and easier to dry.

How to start?

It felt like things I had to know were endless, and it was a bit overwhelming. With my undiagnosed condition of my brain, I really had to focus on one thing at a time to prevent myself from freaking out. The good thing is there are plenty of free resources out there. I learnt from video tutorials and blog posts of experienced knitters. I researched needles and different types of wool yarn since it was my first time working with wool. After that, I learnt basic stitches to start off.

Let's see one by one.

Needles

There are quite a few kinds of needles. I was like 'How should I know which ones to buy?' Well, the first thing I reckon beginners need to consider is what kind of project they want to make.

• Working in the round

  If you want to make a seamless sweater or beanies, you might want to choose a pattern that work in the round. Circular needles or double pointed needles (DPN) are both suitable for this kind of project. The length of needles depends on the size of it.

  
  

• Working flat

  You can use pretty much any kinds of needles to work in rows given that the needles are long enough.

Now, let's have a look at each type of needles.

• Circular needles

  Circular needles are needles connected by a cable. They come in several lengths. I found that 40cm needles are good for knitting the neckline for adult sizes. 80cm needles are long enough to knit the body. There are also 60cm, 100cm, and 120cm long, plus extra short ones specifically for socks, sleeves, and very small projects. I found that longer ones, at least 80 cm, can be used for both small and large projects.

  
  

  I'd say, if you wanted to make a sweater, get yourself 40 and 80cm long needles for a start and go from there. If you wanted to choose one, then 80cm or longer needles would be more useful. Knitting needles can fit more stitches than you might realise. Stitches will bunch up together when you knit more and more stitches. You can also use long circular needles for projects with very small circumferences by splitting stitches into 2 groups and pull the cable out at the split(s), using techniques called magic loop and travelling loop. I can make a sleeve with 80cm circular needles with the travelling loop technique, for instance.

  
  

• DPN

  They usually come in a set of fives needles. You can choose the lengths, like 15cm, 20cm, 25cm, etc. They can be cumbersome if you use long ones for a small item, but once you are used to them, they work as well. They can work for pretty much any kinds of projects. You can use them to knit sleeves, neckline, cuffs, or even body, for example.

  
  

• Size

  It depends on the weight of the yarn you use. Consult the label before making a purchase.

  
  

  Making a sweater would require 2-3 sizes, the larger one for regular stitches and the others for ribbing.

  
  

• Wood or metal

  Personally, I prefer metal. I found it easier to slide stitches to the tips of stainless steel needles. Look for those without lead or toxic materials. I tried wooden needles with both wool and cotton yarns. I found that there's too much friction for my liking. I accidentally snapped a cheap 4mm bamboo needle at the joint. Many experience knitters recommend wooden needles, though. Pricey KnitPro interchangeable needles are also wooden. I suppose it depends on each person's preference.

  
  

  Before my needles were delivered, I tried with sharpened-end chopsticks. You can try that and see how it feels before investing in expensive needles. Branded metal needles, like Addi, are not that cheap, either. But, you can find many cheap ones, both wooden and metal, online.

  
  

  The most important thing you should look for is that good pairs of circular needles should have smooth joints so that stitches won't snag on them. Mine are cheap ones and it can be pretty frustrating when stitches caught at the joint.

  
  

• Interchangeable

  I haven't tried interchangeable needles. They are more expensive. I wanted them at first, but after making a few tops with several tries, I have changed my mind. Interchangeable means there is one cable to use with difference sizes of needles. I found that It's more convenient to have spare sets of circular needles even though they are not the same size or the same length as the working ones. I often work on more than one project at a time. You can, of course, get spare cables for interchangeable needles, but they are also more expensive.

Yarn

I've fallen in love with merino yarn because it works well in both warm and cool climates, and it doesn't create unpleasant odour. Merino yarn creates very stretchy fabric, unlike cotton. I want to try my hand on alpaca yarn, as well.

I'd suggest reading the labels and where the yarn is made carefully before buying. Cheaper wool yarns are likely blended. As they say, if they are too good to be true, then it's likely not true.

Basic stitches

When you look up knitting for beginners, you'll learn knit stitch and purl stitch. Unlike crocheting, there are only these two basic stitches in knitting. You create different patterns and fabrics by using different combinations of these two stitches. On the other hand, similar to crocheting, there are also yarn over, slip stitch, increasing, and decreasing, for instance.

To begin knitting, you have to cast on stitches on a needle, and when you're done, you bind them off. There are several ways of cast-on and bind-off. Each way offers different levels of stretchiness. As Miranda would say, such fun!

Cast-on

My favourite used to be the long-tail cast-on. Now, it's the long-tail Italian tubular cast-on that is perfect for ribbing. The edge looks so neat with this cast-on. It's not that much harder than a regular one, but the outcome is much more satisfying. I'd say it's worth learning and trying even though you're a complete beginner.

Long-tail Italian Tubular Cast-on

If you work flat and want a firm edge, then my favourite is the cable cast-on. The knitted cast-on also works well, but it's not as sturdy as the cable cast-on.

Cable Cast-on

Curling Edge

The important thing you need to be aware of when you work flat in stockinette stitch (all knit stitches) is that the edges will curl because of the tension. That's why you need to use garter stitches, seed stitches, ribbing, for instance, at the edges to create balance.

Now, if you feel ready, try making your own knitted project!