Basic Knitting Supplies for Your First Project

GARTER STITCH PATTERN

image about the ds

Speaking of supplies, getting yours together is step one. Here's what you need to get started:
• A ball of medium-weight yarn, acrylic or wool.
• One pair 10-inch long knitting needles. Some knitters prefer aluminum but others find wooden or bamboo needles easier to use, experiment if you don't like the first needles you buy.
• Scissors to cut yarn at the end of the project.
• A blunt-end yarn needle or a crochet hook for weaving in the ends (if you want to use your finished square).

Casting on

double needle knitting

To start any knitting project, you have to make the loops on the needle that you will then knit to form the fabric. This is known as casting on.

There are many different methods for casting on, but two of the easiest for new knitters are the wrap cast on and the knit cast on.

• Performing a knit cast on is handy because you basically learn how to make the knit stitch at the same time.

• The wrap cast on is also quick and easy, if not quite as firm.

Knitting the First Row

double needle knitting

Now that you've cast on your stitches, you're ready to begin forming the knit stitches. Put the needle with the stitches in your left hand and the empty needle in your right hand. Hold the needles in the way that feels most comfortable for you.
1. Place the tip of the right needle into the stitch at the top of the left needle from front to back.
2. Wrap the yarn coming from the ball around the right needle counterclockwise.
3. Pull that loop of yarn through in front of the left needle and slide the original loop off the left needle. .

Keep On Keepin' On

Knitting is, very simply, a series of repeated stitches that are worked along one row of stitches on the needle at a time. That's it, really, so keep going We'll show you the basics of knitting so you can get started today!