Knitting is a craft that has been around for centuries. Women used to knit socks for their families, and knitters were in high demand during times of war to provide garments for soldiers.
Today knitting offers a stunning array of choices – whom to knit for; what needles to use; which yarn to choose; and an amazing array of patterns to follow. While knitting is not difficult to learn, there are resources that will make learning a new hobby fun and easy.
KnittingHelp.com
Knittinghelp.com is a site founded by a wonderful knitter named Amy and her husband Sheldon. The site features clear videos with good explanations about how to form basic stitches along with advanced methods as skills progress.
There is also a wonderful forum where fellow knitters can discuss what they are working on so other knitters can see the progress they are making and whether they are finding the pattern they are following to be accurate as written.
Knitters can also ask questions about their projects on this forum and help is gladly offered by other knitters and moderators on the site.
Other features of the site include a forum to ask knitters if they know a particular pattern you are searching for, a place where knitters can swap or sell yarn and other items and a charity knitting section where you can get involved in knitting for charity in addition to discussion threads about crochet, to help you find knitters that live near you and an off topic area as well.
Finally, knitters can display photos to showcase the projects they have finished so that other knitters can see how a project turned out.
Ravelry.com
Ravelry.com is a fantastic resource for beginning through advanced knitters. It is a large database of patterns, yarn information and reviews, forums for discussion and much, much more. Simply enter your name on their waiting list and within about a week or two, you will receive an invitation to begin your Ravelry experience. You can even track your yarn, needle and pattern collection on this site!
Don't be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of knitting information available to you on this site. Simply start by figuring out what you most want to use the site for intiially -- finding patterns, recording your knitting supplies, finding out which yarn people like best, etc. and begin there. As you explore the site, you will become more familiar with it and its uses.
KnittingatKNoon.com
KnittingatKNoon.com also features good videos to help the beginning knitter learn the basics plus a few more advanced techniques. It also features some good free patterns.
Free Pattern Databases
Most of the major yarn distributors also have websites that showcase free patterns using their yarn. Many of the patterns are appropriate for even beginning knitters. Here are a few to choose from:
- KnittingPatternCentral.com
- Berrocco.com
- LionBrandYarns.com
- KnittingOnTheNet.com
- KnitPicks.com
Simply do a search for 'free knitting patterns' to find many more wonderful resources online.
Basic Knitting References
Maybe you aren't into sitting on the computer looking for knitting resources. No problem -- here are some great books that you can find at your local craft or bookstore to get your knitting journey started:
- I Can't Believe I'm Knitting by Leisure Arts
- The Knitter's Bible by Claire Crompton
- A-Z Knitting: The Ultimate Guide for the Beginning to Advanced Knitter
To summarize, knitting is a fun and enjoyable hobby. It is easier than ever to learn to knit – simply check out these sites or pick up one of these books and you will be knitting in no time.
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