I really want to start knitting for my niece. I would like to make a jacket, scarf and hat for when she is due in November.
I don’t know which needles to get or what type of yarn? I don’t know anything about knitting but really want to start! Helppp please!
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Most people start knitting with worsted-weight (Category 4, 10-ply in UK) yarn and size US 7, 8, 9, or 10 needles. Of the three things you mention, the hat is the easiest to learn on. Fortunately, you have plenty of time to learn between now and November.
I like Susan Bates knitting needles for learning and “general knitting” purposes. They can be bought in sets that contain several sizes (http://www.coatsandclark.com/Products/Accessories/Knitting/Needles/Coats+and+Clark+Gift+Sets.htm ), and they are relatively inexpensive. You can order them on line or buy at the local craft store (Hobby Lobby, A.C. Moore, Michael’s, Jo-Ann’s, and so on), and some yarn shops sell them along with the more expensive needles.
I like acrylic worsted-weight yarn for learning and “general knitting” purposes. My favorite is “I Love This Yarn,” which is the Hobby Lobby house brand. Michael’s now has a house brand, which I have not used yet. Jo-Ann’s has an excellent house brand. A.C. Moore carries several brands, and even Wal*Mart stores in some areas sell knitting worsted. Pick a soft-feeling one for knitting baby things. Some brands of yarn come in small skeins and some brands come in skeins as large as a pound (Pound of Love, made by Lion Brand, will do an entire baby afghan).
Where to start with the actual knitting:
1. KnittingHelp.com (http://www.knittinghelp.com/ ) has super instructional videos for learning to cast on and work the basic stitches, plus videos for the most useful advanced stitches.
2. The Learning Center at Lion Brand’s web site has excellent written instructions and a brand-new video series at http://learntoknit.lionbrand.com/?learnToKnit=1 . You will need to register for the Lion Brand site–it’s free, and it’s safe to sign up.
Once you have learned to cast on, to knit, to purl, and to bind off/cast off, you’re ready to start on the hat. This free pattern http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/90277AD.html?noImages=0 also has a pattern for a blanket and mittens along with a beginner-easy hat.
When you’re ready to move on from the hat, you can find “beginner” and “easy” patterns at the Lion Brand site here: http://www.lionbrand.com/cgi-bin/patternFinder.fcgi?language=&store=%2Fstores%2Flionbrand&search=1&searchText=free+knit+baby+&submit.x=0&submit.y=0&submit=search . For a jacket and blanket, you might want to use a heavier (Category 5, bulky) yarn and larger needles so the knitting goes faster. This one http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/60131AD.html?noImages= uses “Jiffy” yarn and knits up faster than worsted yarn, plus it will be warm for the winter.
The only item you mentioned where size is important is in the jacket. “Newborn” is sized for a 6- to 6-1/2-pound baby, “Three Months” for a 9-pound baby, and “Six Months” for a 12-pound baby. Bigger is better than smaller, because babies do not shrink but they will grow into a larger size. In addition, the pattern is based on the knitter duplicating the pattern gauge, and you may knit looser or tighter than the pattern. Again, bigger is better than smaller, because babies do grow.
Instead of a jacket, I like to make a poncho for a specific baby who hasn’t been born yet, because size doesn’t matter as much. Here are poncho patterns: http://www.lionbrand.com/cgi-bin/patternFinder.fcgi?language=&store=%2Fstores%2Flionbrand&search=1&searchText=knit+baby+poncho+free&submit.x=0&submit.y=0&submit=search . The ones that calls for Organic Cotton or Cotton-Ease yarn can be made with any worsted-weight yarn. The ones that call for Homespun or Jiffy yarn can be made with any Category 5 (bulky) yarn. The ones that call for Lion Boucle or Terryspun can be made with any Category 6 (super bulky, chunky) yarn or with two strands of a Category 5 yarn held together and knit together.
When you’ve learned the basics and finished a hat, you might want to try other things. Knitting Pattern Central has links to tons of free, downloadable patterns on line. Here’s the page for links to baby things: http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/directory/baby.php
Are you going to make the jacket,hat and scarf for your niece and then the baby clothes ? If your going to make the three items for your niece pick out the patterns. Then you want to learn how to knit. There are several links on line that will teach you how to learn. When you do, practice on a small amount of yarn. That is what you will need but get the minimum amount of material in case you feel you don’t want to continue and that way you won’t have the material on hand that will go to waste..With the patterns you have chosen there will be a portion at the beginning of each pattern that will tell you how much yarn you will need and the type of needles you need. When you pick out the link to learn put it into your favorite file so you can access it when you need it. Now you have chosen all that you need to start {do not buy all the material for the jacket, scarf and hat yet} and into learning there will be questions not covered on the learning sites or any at this time, please contact me and I will do my best to help you.
Everything you need to know for knitting is found on this link . It takes practice and you need to know the abbreviations in order to follow a pattern. Try a baby scarf first, to practice on then you won’t be overwhelmed. Use size 4 needles and a variegated colour of worsted weight yarn. The yarn labels are well marked . This type of yarn forms a colour pattern while using a plain knit or garter stich.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9hv44QwQ-A&feature=related
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