How to knit: Everything beginner knitters need to get started

When you buy through our links, we may earn money from our affiliate partners. Learn more.

Keep your yarn and needles in a basket or bag to keep them from unraveling or getting tangledSuzie Dundas/Business Insider

• Knitting can be a cathartic activity that can help pass the time.
• All you need to get started is a skein of yarn and knitting needles, which should cost under $20 total.
• Here's everything to know if you want to learn how to knit, from terminology and supplies to step-by-step instructions.
• Read more: Activities to keep you busy when you're stuck at home

I learned to knit in high school and since then, I've knitted in waves, picking it up for a month or so to make a blanket before going a year or more without knitting anything. But the motions always come back to me quickly. Every time I start knitting again after taking a break for a while, I have a moment where I think, "Oh, right. I remember this."

Now, in my early 30s, it's proven to be a great hobby to revisit when I need a mental break or something to occupy my hands while watching Netflix.

Knitting doesn't require you to maintain any supplies and your yarn won't go bad like painting supplies might. Yarn can sit in your closet for years and years until you're ready to make another project.

If you need two more good reasons to pick up knitting, no problem: it's both easy to learn and it's affordable. You only need a few supplies and most people can learn basic stitches in under an hour. And there are thousands of free YouTube videos and tutorials online to show you step-by-step how to make all the stitches for a variety of knitted projects.

Ready to get started? Here's what you need to know.

Knitting is a low commitment. You'll just need a set of knitting needles (or maybe two, depending on what projects you want to make) as well as some yarn or wool thread.

Knitting needles come in different sizes. Thicker needles create a looser weave than thin needles, which create a very tight final product. Large needles (a US size 10 or above) are better for blankets and throws, while tiny needles (US size 3-9) are better suited for small projects, like socks and coasters.

If you're working from a pattern (more info on patterns below), it will probably recommend what needle size to use. You'll also often find needle size recommendations on the packaging for whatever skein (roll) of yarn you're working with. In general, smaller needles are recommended for finer threads while chunky or "thicker" weaves, like wool for blankets, require larger needles.

Beginners should choose a midsize set of needles — they're the most versatile and will be large enough to clearly see what you're doing without being too large that they're awkward or unwieldy. Wooden needles are lightweight and create more friction than metal needles, so the loops of your stitches are less likely to accidentally slide off. They also make less of the annoying tapping sound you sometimes hear from metal needles. Opt for a single-ended size 9 or 10 to get started.

Nearly any fiber can found as yarn, but cotton and wool are generally the most popular.

You can also buy blends of the two as well as synthetic materials (like acrylic and polyester,) which tend to be less expensive. The exact type of yarn you'll want to use depends on what you want to knit. To make practice stitches, choose a durable yarn that you can manipulate a bit as you weave and re-weave your rows. Wool is lovely for warm blankets, but it's a bit delicate, and can sometimes unravel if you knit and re-knit it too many times.

For novice knitters, I recommend a skien (roll) of something durable and affordable, like the Impeccable yarn or Lion yarn, available at Michael's Crafts. More than 100 colors are available between the two brands, and two skeins should be enough to make a long scarf (or one if you knit loosely). Once you finish a "practice project" with these, you can upgrade to a nicer knit, like a wool or super-soft alpaca fiber for your blanket, scarf, or another beginner project.

How many skeins you'll need for your project depends on the fibers and size of your project. For example, a beanie requires less material than an afghan. Most patterns will tell you how many yards you'll need, but you can also use this very handy yarn calculator to help make an informed guess.

In the knitting world, "patterns" mean "instructions."

These show how the final product should look, outline what stitches you'll need, and give step-by-step directions for what type of stitch to make in each row. You don't need them to make anything square or rectangle-shaped, though you may benefit from having them if you want to add a hem or contrast-stitch to the edges of your project.

That said, beginners will almost certainly want them for anything that isn't a simple rectangle; even advanced knitters use patterns when attempting new projects for the first time. You can find plenty of them for free online at blogs like Yarnspirations, KnitPicks, and WeAreKnitters.com; the "We Found Love" scarf is an extremely easy free pattern for beginners.

Alternatively, you can also buy knitting kits that come with everything you'll need, including patterns. We Are Knitters sells dozens of beginner kits, all of which come with instructions and access to tutorial videos. I find that scarves, blankets, and snoods projects that don't require any curves or seams are the easiest for beginners.