Also, do what you want, and don't let other people's fears and limitations stop you! I learned knitting by myself, watching TH-cam videos to learn stitches, and doing whatever I fancied without questioning my ability to succeed. Then I discovered the knitting community and brioche was at its peak and every knitter I considered skillful said how they were intimidated by brioche. I internalized I was not ready for it, because if all those more experienced knitters weren't ready for brioche. Then I gave it a try and realized that the second project I ever made was a one-color brioche scarf and I had a blast knitting it. I just didn't know it was brioche and that I was supposed to be afraid of it. So go for it if you want to try something. Because it's just knits and purls and yarnovers. And you can always unravel your work and knit something else if it doesn't work.
So true!! There's so many differences in what people find difficult, and often it's not so much that they find it difficult but that they don't enjoy it which saps all motivation and makes it feel difficult. Taking on an ambitious project you're excited about is so much better than doing something boring because it's deemed more beginner friendly.
Exactly this! If you don't know that something is "supposed to be difficult" you just go with curiosity and if it doesn't work out It doesn't feel so much like a failure.😊
Same but with colour work! I made two pairs of colour work mittens as a near beginner before learning later that more experienced knitters from me were intimidated by colour work and that there are a bunch of beliefs about how the hold the strands, etc. I love my colour work mittens and think they turned out very neat and even in spite of my lack of experience.
When I started watching knitting videos, I was struck by just how much ripping back-and-reknitting the experts do. I quickly realised I could dramatically improve the quality of my own work simply by being willing to do the same.
@@BreathingYarn Ripping back is actually my biggest fear in knitting. It's so easy to pick up where to you've ripped back. But I've lost lives stitches and just ended up ripping it all and starting over. Thankfully, it was a small project like a washcloth. I need to find a way to get over this fear.
@@flourishfaithfiberTry adding lifelines as you go, even every couple rows! It helped me feel less intimidated by the idea of having to redo a section without the risk of having to unravel everything
For people who hate doing the same thing twice, I've found doing the child-version first and then the adult version lets you iron out any mistakes. And it's easier/less daunting to frog and fix things on the kids version. Like I recently did the Holger sweater for my nephew and then the Olga sweater for myself (they're virtually identical construction-wise).
also delulu in the fact that i never finished a project and thought i could knit socks... and i could! AND THEY FIT! definitely took me from someone who knew how to knit and purl to someone who can follow a pattern and knit socks!
When I was learning to knit, it was because I wanted to make socks and sweaters! But I thought I'd never be good enough to make anything more then a scarf, because even the simplest sweater looks very intimidating. It took me almost ten years to even try to make a sweater, but then I realized just how easy it is, at least for a simple raglan. I still haven't made anything more complicated then that, but I just finished a pumpkin cowl, made with two different colors, and now I think I might be able to make a colorwork sweater, as long as its a simple design! I wish I had decided to just make the sweater when I started knitting, because if I could have done that and stuck through it, then I know I can do anything! You will never be able to do what you refuse to learn, if that makes sense.
Yes! So agree! I've been doing cleaning rags for years and years because of a hard lesson. You have no idea what yarn is going to do over a year worth of wear and tear in the form of a garment. Cleaning rags are a good way to test your yarn and find out how your sweater will look after wearing it and washing it for a year.
A few months ago, I commented on your halibut and how I wanted to try making one but had never done colour work before. You encouraged me to give it a try, and that it’s easier than it looks, and you were so right!! I’m working on it right now and I’m so glad I just gave it a try rather than letting my self doubt take over. Thank you for your encouragement!! 💜
Tip: If you get bored easily, start from a level a little bit higher than you're at. I spent years knitting half a scarf and then dropped it because I got bored, but I thought I had to start with an easy project. Last year I finally gave up the scarf journey and decided to knit a top down raglan which is something I actually wanted to do and knit that in 2 months.
"I didn't even know there was a community" THIS! 💯! I was a garter stitch scarf girlie until I found a knitting podcast and she knit her own socks! I was blown away. Now I've knit 2 pairs of socks, 1 jumper, am partway through a second and so many other things
I just started knitting last month, and I love making swatches! I make for different yarns with different needle sizes to learn about the combinations. I also knit different stitch patterns or techniques(M1R, SSK, etc) so I can see how they turn out and use them in places that I want to. Unlike actual clothings I feel more easy-going that swatches don't need to be great, so it really helped improve my stitches as a beginner. Also I really agree on trying on different styles before knitting. I know that I look better in V-neck and set-in sleeves, so I'll probably start first on a project with these features. Thank you for the video 😄😄
Spinning my own yarn has taught me so much about fiber and the construction of yarn. It has taught me the properties of certain types of wool and fibers and has helped me choose yarn for knitting! I definitely recommend doing other crafts (especially spinning because then you can spin yarn to knit into things, which is really really cool)
I have done a lot of crafting in my life, but knitting has been the most addictive and challenging. I did scarves when I was young, but when I restarted as an older adult, I soon realized that the learning is endless. I will never fully concur this craft, which I think is why I love it so much.
So agree on the "don't be insecure, just try!". My first ever garment was a massive brioche cardigan, because I hadn't yet found knit some so didn't realise that should be intimidating. And I love it, still wear it several years later ❤️ if I'd spent to much time wondering if I could really do it, then I would have ended up just making another pair of socks
You give really good advice The one that I agree with the most, is to PERFECT THE BASICS: 1. Cast on, 2. Knit, Purl 3. Cast off like you said to knit rectangles until those basics are PERFECT. If you can do the basics of knitting, everything else you mention will come together (including correcting the lack of confidence you observed) By knitting rectangles to prefect the basics, you also learn how to fix mistakes, even edges, pick up dropped stitches, etc. Great video
I think the one thing I've learned from watching all these insanely talented fiber artist describe their respective skills level as intermediate-advance intermediate is that "expert knitter/crocheter" might be akin to enlightenment.
I love this list. It's different. Also completely agree with the "Believe in yourself and give it a go". I've now taught 3 people to knit. I teach them the knit stitch, then the slip stitch, and finally the purl. And then I say: "Here you go, you can knit. Everything else is a variation of these three stitches." They all have looked at me like if I grew horns. But they all still knitting and making garnements, socks, and the likes.
This was really validating as a delusional knitter! I was so afraid to start knitting again after only crocheting for 8 years, but after a week I’ve relearned how to cable and picked up continental style, fair isle, and dpns for the first time! I still don’t know how to read a pattern but we’ll get there
Such good advice! Once you learn the absolute basics, it’s all a matter of just a following a pattern, step-by-step, one stitch at a time. When you reach something, you don’t understand in the pattern just TH-cam it, then carry on to the next stitch. There’s nothing to be afraid of when doing colour work or cables. Thanks for a great video🥰
Honestly, I completely agree with everything in this video, but I especially agree with the difficulty over time of knitting vs. crochet. I learned how to crochet when I was really young, maybe 10 or 11 years old. I remember that it took me about a week or two to get to a point where I could crochet a rectangle in any stitch I wanted without missing any stitches. I only learned to knit during Covid lock-downs though, and it took me months to get figure everything out. After I had mastered stocking stitch, rib stitch, and garter stitch though? I was a knitting machine. I could do anything, I tried out stranded colorwork and cables and lace, and I had so much fun with every new technique. It’s wild how different knitting and crochet are, but I’m really glad I learned both crafts because I feel like my options in fiber arts are unlimited :-)
I laughed out loud when you said “Be Delusional” because that’s exactly what I am doing. I am a beginner knitter (started this summer). My first project was a cardigan 😂😂 and guess what I completed it. Is it perfect? Hell no. Do I still love it? Absolutely. And it gave me so much confidence to march ahead.
I have been crocheting for some time now and have picked up knitting somewhat recently. I have found my love for it, and so much of that was through your channel. This video popped up on my feed one day and I decided to give it a try. I was immediately hooked. I have binged all of your videos while working on my current projects and I'm excited to see what you do next. All of your takes in this video have really resonated with me and have changed my perspective on knitting as a whole. Decided to jump into projects instead of being stuck making scarves and dishcloths I don't need. Finished a pair of socks and onto my first sweater. Thanks for creating a space like this on the internet!
This is one of my first ever TH-cam comments and I didn't realize my username still reflects my childhood hobby of duct tape wallets. How embarrassing.
I’m happy to be reminded of my duct tape wallet days 🥰 Congrats on the socks! If you can knit socks, you can knit anything. I hope you enjoy making the sweater. I was a ball of nervous energy on my first sweater.
I appreciate this so much. I was so afraid of stranded colorwork at first (as someone with Autism and ADHDI get overwhelmed easily.) But you inspired me to try to begin with. So I sat down and tried and made a hat with only 1 mistake. Now I can't get enough of colorwork.
17:37 As a crocheter, knitting seemed much more intimidating because the learning curve at the beginning seemed much steeper for knitting than crochet. I only started knitting in July so take what I have to say with a grain of salt in terms of a crocheter transitioning to knitting. But learning to knit similar to the way I crochet eased me into knitting so much better than I could have imagined. For example, when crocheting, I hold the yarn with my left hand, and I use my hook and right hand to grab the yarn, rarely moving my left hand. So, learning to continental knit and norwegian purl allowed me to use my crocheting muscle memory for knitting. I'm definitely glad I started with crochet. If I started with knitting, I may have gotten too frustrated with figuring out how to hold both needles and yarn, cast on, and tension my purl and knit stitches differently to even just get a decent rectangular swatch let alone a finished piece I wanted to make.
I love learning new things and way I do that is through buying different patterns…even some I don’t intend to ever make I just want to know how they did something because I often like to come up with my own freeform pattern. So essentially I get to learn how to do a different stitch or sock heel or colorwork chart etc… for the price of a pattern (always less than $8, some even free!) this is way cheaper than a book or a workshop. For books, I have favorite designers and that way I get all their specific tricks for their aesthetic in one package.
What helped me, knitting with the intention of sucking while you are working on technique. I used socks for this since nobody was going to see my crappy stitches since they are on my feet. Bonus, i now have a decent stock record of my learning journey😂
"I can't do that" is me all over. It especially rang true with stranded colour work, as I have refused to even try it. I've done the same with other techniques. This year I have got a bit better. I actually came back to knitting after a 20 year break and had never knit anything in the round on circular needles. To begin with I was "I can't do that". Then I realised that I was missing out on so many beautiful patterns because of my fear. So, I started with some hats and cowls and I'm now on my first top down in the round sweater. It won't be perfect but the next one will be a bit better and next better still. I also took part in a KAL for a big shawl, in 4 ply and with lace work. I very nearly didn't do it because I was scared that I would fail. Then I thought if I didn't try I'd never know. I did it, finished it and I am very proud of this beautiful knit. I have watched tutorials on every single technique that I didn't understand and now have learned loads of different things. Thanks for this podcast, it just may have given me the kick to try stranded colour work!
I love learning new things and way I do that is through buying different patterns…even some I don’t intend to ever make I just want to know how they did something because I often like to come up with my own freeform pattern. So essentially I get to learn how to do a different stitch or sock heel or colorwork chart etc… for the price of a pattern (always less than $8, some even free!) this is way cheaper than a book or a workshop. For books, I have favorite designers and that way I get all their specific tricks for their aesthetic in one package. I once talked to a designer in person and asked how she came up with her amazing designs and she said “I swatch swatch swatch and then do more swatching” lol
Thank you for sharing this. As a new knitter- super rookie in fact- I have been consuming loads of podcasts to learn from others as I have no one that I know that lives near me who knits and the nearest yarn store is over an hour from me which in my current season is not feasible. I love the fact that you said it is okay to do the same thing over and over again. I plan on trying to make several pairs of socks: 4 pairs for myself, 4 pairs for my husband, and 4 pairs for my son.
Confidence! So much this! I will finnish my first knit this week (not counting the abandoned brioche (=easy!) project where I did not know what a gage swatch is...) and I had to learn EVERYTHING except for knit stitch and purl stitch for this. TH-cam is your friend. German short rows, picking up stitches, Italian bind off, cables! k2tog, increases! Never heard of them before. Had to redo something now and then. And you wouldn't believe how great this turned out! I'm also the weirdo touching every yarn, rubbing it over the inside of the wrist to see if it scratchy despite being fluffy.
I love your idea “Knit It Again”. I love knitting an item again as soon as I finished it. The “mistakes “ or challenges are still fresh and I can sail through them and fix them. And I have gifts! The Wonder Woman shawl was a doozy. I knit it three times. It didn’t clicked until the beginning of the third shawl . So I had gifts for my sister and best-friend. I also kit “My First Holiday Sweater” so fast with no issues that I had to knit it again to make sure I was right. And I was. So, my best friend’s daughter had a Christmas sweater😅💜
I absolutely agree with your learning curves of crochet vs knitting, I started with crochet and when I first attempted my first knitted garment I had to practice more with swatches before getting to it. Thanks for the video!!
I could not agree with you more about self-drafting! I'm glad that when I decided I wanted to learn to knit, one of the very first knitting books I happened to find at the thrift store was a fairly in-depth book about knitwear design, with detailed instructions about how to take you own measurements and construct patterns based on that. Although it was specifically about knitting flat pieces for custom patterns, it completely informs everything I make now even though I typically do knit top down circularly from a pattern - the principles of design still apply and I know how to take my swatch and adjust my stitch count to end up with proportions I like
I've been knitting for almost 20 years now, and I only made my first sweater this year! I've spent so much time truly just faffing about with my knitting haha. I used to knit during lectures in college, and I've made lots of little scarves and washcloths, tried out SO many different techniques, but I once had a roommate who commented that I seemed to spend more time frogging than knitting lol. Which was true! But I've learned a lot about what I like and don't like (for example I tried continental knitting after years of throwing, I loved it and it's how I knit everything now), AND my tension is extremely consistent because I've just practiced so dang much. So now I feel like I could do anything!
I had picked up knitting a few times but struggled with the tension. I had already taught myself crochet and my tension was fine there. My friend (who knits and crochets) told me to try continental knitting and it fixed my issues with tension in knitting! I haven’t done a full project yet, but will be starting the PetiteKnit novice sweater when my needles arrive 😊
Sooooo true about knitting getting easier and crocheting getting harder. As someone who has crocheted for 15 years and knitted for only 2, the learning curve for knitting was crazy but it’s been a breeze since the first few months of laying down a solid foundation. Even learning techniques isn’t daunting anymore!
I definitely learn best by just throwing myself in at the deep end. First thing I knitted other than some swatches was 1x1 rib cuffs and collar on dpns for a self-drafted crochet lace sweater because I don't like crochet rib. My first scarf was two colour brioche with an i-cord edge. My first fully knit garment was a self-drafted v-neck sweater vest, my first full sweater is a self-drafted raglan with cables along the increase lines. I also never really use needle sizes above 3.5/4mm because I don't like the look of bulky knit and don't like the feel of using larger needles. My next big project after knitting some socks for christmas presents is learning knitted lace, both because I enjoy the challenge of learning new techniques and because I love how lace looks and feels. (also time vs money investment in lace knitting makes it appealing to me as a broke person who hates how most cheap yarn feels, but also likes to knit for hours every week)
🍁I loved this video. I don't have anyone in my life who knits, my grandma used to knit when she was young, because she tried to teach me when I was a child but the topic was somewhat abandoned. I learned from the internet and so, there are certain things which I just do because they look interesting. It is the same way I learned how to sew. I haven't been knitting for more than 5 years I think, and it's been quite on and off. I'm slow and not very good but I've already done colourwork and I'm currently finishing a gorgeous cable knit sweater from my husband. I knitted a couple of cardigans for myself which were illfitting and a cropped sweater which is REALLY cropped. But I'm still enjoying it. So, call it delusion or pure ignorance, I just want to knit certain things that look really beautiful and fascinating and just to think of being able to do those things is enough to give me serotonin.🎉❤ 🍁
It took me years to finally start knitting because I worried of getting stuck (i'm self learner), or getting bored or feeling overwhelmed, so the first garment i did was a jumper with UK size 11 needles. This went sooo well that the next thing was a pair of socks with size 2 needles. I haven't stopped knitting. I've felt stuck many times, and those times I put the work away for a couple of days and usually my brain finds a solution. I'm a sewist before being a knitter. I love the stuff I make, I love the colours, the shapes and textures. I love knitting and fills me with joy.
I’m also a self learner when it comes to knitting and crocheting and even sewing. I’ve been recently trying to find a good free knitting pattern for a sweater in us size 11 needles. If you could share the pattern you used that would be really helpful. I’ve made this sweater four times because it just doesn’t fit right and it just doesn’t turn out the way I really like it to be because using us size 11 needles to make a sweater is so unheard apparently. 🙈
This was an amazing video thank you! And i definitely agree! Crochet is more easy at the start and knitting is harder. I was so depressed when i first tried knitting after crocheting for a year but persistence helps 😊
My mum taught me how to knit - it was a stockinette swatch essentially. Her best advice "a good knitter is a good ripper" - as in a good frogger or unraveller. My first finished object was a Dahlia MySize sweater with a lace yoke. Still wear it.
You are such a breath of fresh air! I get so excited when your videos pop up! My 16-year-old is just learning to knit, and I shared this video with her. I am an extremely accomplished crocheter, and there is nothing that I don't think I can do related to crochet, but I've only really been knitting for a year or so and I'm very intimidated. I really want to knit myself a garment, so I'm going to start with a cardigan because I feel that the fit will be a little more forgiving. I can do this! I love TH-cam for techniques. You can really learn anything watching these short how-to videos about all things knitting.❤🧶
This was an absolute wealth of knowledge. I am so pleased to be a new subscriber! You speak with such articulation, but also in a way that is so relatable! Thank you for sharing these tips with all of us newbie knitters out here.
All of these suggestions make perfect sense. I just now finished binding off my second square of blackberry/raspberry/trinity stitch for a blanket that I am making. The second square turned out much better than the first!
I didn't care how much of a beginner I was, I made a sweater, it looked horrible but I made it. The only thing I'm scared of trying is brioche but I will do it eventually. And I 100% agree that crochet is easy to start but hard to master, while knitting is the opposite. I started crocheting and then picked up knitting. I love both but I reach out for my knitting needles more than my crochet hooks.
I wanted a cable-knit sweater, so I learned to knit from a crummy little pamphlet with line drawings, knit a garter stitch rectangle, and then knit a sweater. There were some other projects in there that I vaguely remember, but I'm pretty sure I started the sweater almost immediately. It didn't occur to me not to. I wore it for twenty years. (Until I got back into knitting recently and finally got access to some fancy-pants yarn. It's still on my shelf, but that woolease just isn't as satisfying now. Still... 20 years is a pretty good run for a piece of clothing.) You are so right about the prevalence of self-defeating attitudes. Sweaters don't need to be difficult, especially in the age of youtube tutorials. These days, I tell people to go make Ashley Lillis' bulky raglan sweater. For my money, cables are a beginner+ skill (at least if we're talking the usual 2-over-2, 3-over-3, 4-over-4, etc.), and stranded colorwork is low intermediate. Both are conceptually pretty easy, and cables can hide tension issues. Colorwork isn't really that complicated, but if you can know what you're supposed to do and find that your hands just won't do it (moreso than with cables, IME, where reading the chart is the main skill you need). I'm with you that tension is actually the hard skill, not complex-looking stitch patterns. The one other thing I'd say for beginners is to be more aware of how much knitting has fads. Holding things with mohair is in vogue right now. When I started, it was nowhere to be seen. Everything is top down in the round now. Twenty years ago, it was all bottom up and knit flat.
What do you mean "Be the weirdo that go to the yarn store to pet all the yarns"? Isn't that peak advanced knitter behavior? I'm officially a weirdo! 😅 I sometimes go to the yarn store ONLY to feel yarn and analyze samples. No money spent, best day ever. Thanks for a great video
I've just started with repeating stockinette over and over. Right now I'm trying colorwork - in like doing patchwork, I don't have the hang of it yet, but I will work on it. Also I'm also delusional, because my goal is to make a cable stitch sweater. I learn via youtube videos, I learned to crochet like that and I was very afraid of knitting, but the urge to master this skill is so big. I told myself, if I realize in a few weeks/months that knit is not for me, I still can use the yarn for crocheting.
That’s what I love about knitting/crochet. You can’t really “master” the craft because there are always more skills to learn. I love the gamify-effect of having all these little things to master like cables or colorwork .
I started knitting last September, Granny showed me some things, but she does it so fast that I can barely see, so I've learn almost everything from the internet. Roxanne Richardson and Norman from Nimble Needles are excellent teachers. If I would give someone some tips, one would be definitely to learn some knitting theory. It helps so much when you read a pattern and know what this part does and what will happen. So much less confusion. I definitely tested it doing my first mittens, of course they couldn't be easy and plain because I would get bored, so they were convertible ones with cables and bobbles 😂 They turned out so pretty, were quicker than I thought they'll be and I had so much fun. Other than that, maybe it's just me being nerdy, but it really helps to make notes. Write what thing you made, what yarn you used, gauge, and useful things, like what worked, what didn't. And keep them in one place (I go overboard and stick some yarn in my notebook from the project, but you don't get bonus points for that). I also check yarn WPI myself and write it there, in case I want to make this project again with different yarn, so I know if I'll have to change things before I even swatch (and if I have to buy for example one ball of yarn more). And the third tip, for beginners, is that you don't have to start with garter stitch scarf. Just start with something that's not too big and not with thin yarn, so you won't get discouraged, but choose whatever you think is pretty and you'll find use for it. Preferably free pattern, so the worst what could happen is that you'll frog it and will make something else, you won't lose money for the pattern. I wanted to start with cardigan for my bestie's daughter, I couldn't make it look nice, so I made 3 hats and made the cardigan from a different pattern later. And she wears that damn thing all the time 😂
@BreathingYarn Considering she's almost 2 years old it's really the best compliment. She said it feels nice and rubbed it on her face when she opened the package 😂
As someone who learned to crochet first, i do feel like knitting is a lot easier. I am a vanilla knitter, i love the simple garments, simple patterns. However i have been making swatches for practice in colorwork and cables and i find that it makes the learning process so much easier. that can also apply to crochet as well. Just make a bunch of swatches, practice and eventually you'll be making a larger finished item.
I was taught to knit by my high school English teacher who would knit all the time during class. After that I used TH-cam University and have learned so much. My hardest thing to learn was short rows. It took so many videos and explanations to understand it. 12:22 Whenever I receive praise for my knitting that I used patterns for, I don’t feel like I’ve done something amazing. I just followed the instructions. Anyone can do it.
I feel like people are more scared these days to try new things; I learned to knit from books, before TH-cam existed and before I knew how to find any sort of online resources, and one of my first projects was a detailed colorwork baby blanket that was steeked! It was a pattern I wanted to make for my friend's baby, and so I just did it. I'd never done stranded colorwork or steeking before...and I also didn't know I should be 'scared' to try. The blanket turned out amazing, too. (it was also the first project I ever wet blocked, because the pattern said to, and I had never even heard of blocking before that point!). Great video, and I agree so much with your points!
I'm so delusional when it comes to fiber arts, so I love this advice. The first thing I crocheted was those wavy three color tops that require you to follow a chart and carry yarn. For me making something I actually really like, even if it is a bit difficult, is way better motivation than spending a lot of time on easier but boring projects. Once I'm able to make a scarf and a plain sweater, I already know what color work sweater I'm gonna be making as my first one.
I have officially been knitting for 3 years. I don't consider myself a beginner because of the kinds of things I have tried. For one, I started socks right away. I have made a variety of things. I do need to do more lace practice but I enjoy the adventure of trying out new things. I've been crocheting for 45 years and learning to knit taught me things for my crocheting as I hadn't really done wearables much in crochet. I haven't tried making my own sweater patterns yet but I have played with other pattern ideas from the start, even in my crochet journey I was making my own patterns when I was very early in my learning. I haven't tried brioche but that's just a matter of it hasn't come up yet. I also haven't done Raglan yet. I am guessing after I try a raglan, I'll start drafting my own sweater patterns. I am amazed at how much people aren't willing to try. A tip I always share is watch multiple people demonstrate what you want to learn. Also, if you struggle with the way you hold your yarn, needle, hooks, etc. find another way. Just because people say one way is better doesn't make it better for you.
Also try out different techniques to see which one works better for you! I tried English and Continental and it was SO HARD to keep even tension. Now I do Portuguese and it's so easy.
When I was first learning to knit, I had a ball of crap yarn. knots everywhere and splitty as hell, but to use it up, I made it my practice yarn. It's now a small 2 foot long mini scarf (scarf-lette??) of franken-stitches. I practiced all new stitches on it and different techniques and needle sizes to get comfortable because I went straight from crochet to garment knitting w/o considering if I was ready, and I'm so glad I did! I don't necessarily love those first projects, but I'm so proud of where I've come in the last 2 years. Although now I have to say, I get so impatient for starting the next project that sometimes I don't swatch, and in order to make myself swatch, I've started doing the sleeves first, whether it's colorwork or bottom-up and or just going for it. I'm trying to get back to loving to make swatches, so if I tell myself I'm making blanket squares, I can do it. I think partly (and off-topic tangent incoming) I'm plus size with a bigger belly than boob, which means a lot of modifications if I want something to look good and not just hang weird, and I'm in grad school, which means limited funds. So I tend to order yarn that barely squeaks through the requirements, so I don't always order enough yarn to do a "quality" swatch. Ah, the way we tend to complicate our own lives sometimes unnecessarily!
Happy I’ve found you! You’re smart and creative-and you have such a pleasant voice to listen to! ❤ (agree completely, especially thoughts like “brioche is too hard” make me nuts!! Aaarrrgh!!)
Thanks for the push in confidence. I will try more techniques in knitting. I have tried so many things in weaving, spinning, and crochet now is my time to tackle knit! 🎉
Haha, same! I've received SO many "Oh I'm not ready for x" (usually colourwork) over the years and it just sets me off. Like... WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? What will EVER make you ready except just doing it? Anyway, totally agree thumbs up and yes yes yes!
You’re sooo right about knitting vs crochet and I was thinking about this the other day - i learned crochet first but wanted to try knitting, and it felt like it took me forever to just figure out how to purl but after that was kinda smooth sailing in comparison - it made me realize I actually kinda suck at crochet lol
OMG! I really needed this video today! Crazy that you put it out today. I have been trying to learn to knit as someone who picked up crochet so easily and have been struggling getting past the basics in knitting. Your video is giving me a bit of guidance. Learning to hit gauge and finding the exact needles the pattern suggests and blablabla had started to make me feel frustrated.
Omg patterns are so misleading like that! If you don’t know, there’s all this unnecessary pressure to get the perfect/same yarn/needle/gauge combo as the pattern. Good luck!!!
the self draft tip is so real. my first big project i started was a self-drafted sweater vest.... girl let me tell you i unraveled this sweater so so many times and i made the mistake of not trying on my sweater frequently enough so when i unraveled it and had to start over i had this GIANT ball of yarn i called my yarn ball of shame. it took months but eventually i made a sweater vest i really loved AND i made it all up myself. i had to put it down for weeks at a time while making it because something wasnt working out and i wouldnt know how to do something so i would have to research and come back. but man, i learned so so much doing that. once i finished that project which was the first project i ever started i felt like i could make anything, and i've proven that to be true
I'm working on my first cardigan, and I got to the button band and started to freak myself out. "I've never done a button band before!" "I know I can just pull it if it's not right, but what if it warps my other stitches?" Then I sat myself down, literally, and asked myself, "Do you really want to drop this project, almost a month of work, just because you're scared of some holes and buttons?" The answer was no, I didn't want to drop it. So although I kept coming back to my spouse every 14 picked up stitches or so to fret about it, I got those stitches picked up. I got those two button bands done. And I even made alterations because the 1959 pattern's button holes had two measly rows before the bind-off, which didn't seem structurally sound to me. Looking at it in the morning light, I was so HAPPY that I achieved what I thought was impossible yesterday.
❤ I had the same problem ppl kept telling me I needed bust darts but that screwed up stripes and colorwork. I suspected that the sorry rows had something to do with it but ppl kept saying I needed them. I finally stopped doing them and now every sweater fits! Im glad other ppl are putting it out there so we can help people struggling with this!
its funny next month it be one year of knitting and i dove head first in socks and love it. I have done a vanilla and now one patton and i feel like doing them at lest 5 times is the best for me
I personally find knitting to be so much easier then crochet. I learned how to knit several years before I learned how to crochet, and I can tell you, the learning curve for crochet for me was so much higher! There's still a lot of things in crochet that I feel like I just can't do, because I find them to hard. But with knitting, while there was and still is a learning curve, in some respects, I find it so much easier to pick up and do things. But if I fail, well, then I've still learned something. It just takes a minute to figure out what I've learned! Sometimes its that I'm just not at that skill level yet, or the yarn doesn't want to work for me. Other times, its a mental game I have to play, where I've convinced myself oh, I can't do this, so it'll never work for me. The first time I knit a pair of socks, it was so hard, but then it became easier. And then I learned a different way to knit socks, and that was super hard, but became easier, even though I've only done two pairs with the newer way. Sweaters are basically the same top down raglan over and over, but longer or shorter, or with different length sleeves. My absolute favorite dress was the same sweater pattern I keep using but with a longer neck, and it comes down to just below my butt, and I made it form fitting. Ultimately, all of what you said is really good advice. No one will ever get any better at what they do if they don't do it a whole bunch! Pratice is what will make or break you, when it comes to learning how to do things. That being said, it means you will fail a lot at first, but slowly you'll find you keep getting better and then one day, you'll laugh at the fact that you used to think this was hard for you at one point, because you didn' give up!
my first project was a stockinetter scarf. my second is a herringbone cowl and it's literally so easy (though it didn't stop my perfectionism from restarting 10 times because i would mess up.
Thankyou so much for a great video! I learnt to knit about 16years ago when my kids were babies and made pants and shorts using circulars in the round and even learnt short rows in the round and progressed to making a lacework dress but I let it go and have taken up crochet int he last year. I really want to get back to knitting as some of the fibre I have is best appreciated knitted, and I like lightweight thin sweaters. I am going to start making swatches immediately - THANKYOU
Thank you for the video, it is very refreshing and informative. My advice for beginner knitter is to learn reading the knitted fabric - like if current stitch is knit stich or purl stitch, how to spot already made increase (to not have to guess what and where something went wrong when stitch count doesn't add up). Also, I am totally like 'I cannot do colorwork' right now 😂 For my defense - I tried to make swatch with colorwork. Holding two stands was very awkward and fiddly. Plus I generally have problem with tension (tight knitter) so I had problem with puckering. I disliked the end result so I frogged it. After reflecting on my failure I realized that my yarn choice was poor - I used slippery Alpaca Silk because that was in my stash and I liked colors together. I want to knit colorwork sweater someday, watched many 'tips for colorwork' videos since then, but still I feel like I am hold back by my first bad experience. For now I am fine exploring other methods (I have tried more complex brioche shawl and it went fine and end product is gorgeous).
I agree 100% with knitting requiring more learning at the beginning. I tried to learn for many years without success, and only a few years ago it finally clicked. Ever since, I do not look at the difficulty level as something that makes or brakes it for me - my approach is: „there is a pattern, I will get through it no matter what, it may take longer, but I am capable od doing this.” And in the beginning that required watching youtube videos FRAME BY FRAME sometimes😂😂 But now I just pick whatever I like and give myself as much time as I need ❤️
17:54 oh my god this was 1000% my experience. When i first tried to learn to knit about a month ago i had so much tension problems and bumped into issues i couldnt find answers too via youtube that i legit had an emotional breakdown. I then videocalled a professional knitter who guided me via their webcam bit by bit, answered all my n00b questions etc, and ever since then knitting have become easier and easier and im now sitting here working on my first sweater. I still have tension problems at the beginning of a project but now i dont get angry and frustrated about it.
I’m an experienced knitter, and have learned and accepted the fact that I am going to have things to work out at the beginning of 99% of my projects - finding the right cast-on and the right gauge for the fabric I want are the main issues, but I also tend to make more mistakes at the beginning. Once I get going, it’s mostly smooth sailing after that. ~Brenda
Thank you for making this video! You inspired me to self-draft my first sweater with a crochet stitch pattern I saw in a video and really liked. It's going really well and I'm so glad I started. I agree about the difficulty level in crochet vs. knitting, for me at least, knitting also takes more time than crochet, so for the sweater I'm capable to do it much faster (which is why I chose to experiment with crochet first). This year really transformed my knitting hobby :) I'm happy I found you channel!
I think a knitting community is so important. I waited a year to make a project. I was just knitting and purling big swatches. I did get a better understanding of making clean stitches and not adding stitches. But it wasn’t needed. Color work really isn’t that hard. You need to learn some techniques but it is not hard. 2025 is my year of fearless knitting cables, color work, lace, brioche. Very little gift knitting in 2025. Just knitting for me and challenging my skills. 🧶😊
Love love love libraries and thrift stores. I go to my library every month to pick up whatever is new and I thrift as many knit and crochet books as I can, I have over 50 books and spent probably $60 total. I love having my own "library" at home when I have a technique question or want pattern inspiration while still limiting screen time (writing my masters thesis so all I do is stare at my computer)
I completely agree with your knitting vs crochet barrier to entry graphs, with some exceptions. I think cables and colorwork were a lot easier than I thought after I got confident with casting on/binding off, knitting, and purling. But 20+ years in, I still get intimidated with knitting lace (because I can't read my stitches or ladder down to fix it like I can with other patterns) or trying new cast ons. Like I wanted to make a shawl recently and had to give up on a garter tab and find a different pattern instead 😅
I have the same Problem with the uprising front. For me I found the solution to ad shortrows at the bust too because at my body having a big bust did let it rise up like that. So now I have the higher neckline with shortrows aswell as the lower front and the hem is at the same length over all. New subscriber here, love the knittalk.❤ I had seen an older video I liked and I am very happy to have found you again. Sry, for the grammar, english is not my native tongue.
If I wouldn't love you already, I would after this video. Why? That aggressive positivity is so wonderful to see ❤ we need someone to kick us in our buts but like lovingly. Think is we can do anything and everything we want. Maybe not well and not in a first try but we can fo ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING (atleast in knitting and only if we want)
Also, do what you want, and don't let other people's fears and limitations stop you! I learned knitting by myself, watching TH-cam videos to learn stitches, and doing whatever I fancied without questioning my ability to succeed. Then I discovered the knitting community and brioche was at its peak and every knitter I considered skillful said how they were intimidated by brioche. I internalized I was not ready for it, because if all those more experienced knitters weren't ready for brioche. Then I gave it a try and realized that the second project I ever made was a one-color brioche scarf and I had a blast knitting it. I just didn't know it was brioche and that I was supposed to be afraid of it. So go for it if you want to try something. Because it's just knits and purls and yarnovers. And you can always unravel your work and knit something else if it doesn't work.
So true!! There's so many differences in what people find difficult, and often it's not so much that they find it difficult but that they don't enjoy it which saps all motivation and makes it feel difficult.
Taking on an ambitious project you're excited about is so much better than doing something boring because it's deemed more beginner friendly.
Exactly this! If you don't know that something is "supposed to be difficult" you just go with curiosity and if it doesn't work out It doesn't feel so much like a failure.😊
@@marta_sanders or you succeed, then learn it was supposed to be difficult and get to brag a little about how talented you are 🤭
As a beginner knitter, I made socks. I was on my third pair when I heard people recommend beginners to stay away. So glad I hadn't heard.
Same but with colour work! I made two pairs of colour work mittens as a near beginner before learning later that more experienced knitters from me were intimidated by colour work and that there are a bunch of beliefs about how the hold the strands, etc. I love my colour work mittens and think they turned out very neat and even in spite of my lack of experience.
When I started watching knitting videos, I was struck by just how much ripping back-and-reknitting the experts do. I quickly realised I could dramatically improve the quality of my own work simply by being willing to do the same.
I didn’t do it much until a year ago and now I can’t go back.
@@BreathingYarn Ripping back is actually my biggest fear in knitting. It's so easy to pick up where to you've ripped back. But I've lost lives stitches and just ended up ripping it all and starting over. Thankfully, it was a small project like a washcloth. I need to find a way to get over this fear.
@@flourishfaithfiberTry adding lifelines as you go, even every couple rows! It helped me feel less intimidated by the idea of having to redo a section without the risk of having to unravel everything
For people who hate doing the same thing twice, I've found doing the child-version first and then the adult version lets you iron out any mistakes.
And it's easier/less daunting to frog and fix things on the kids version. Like I recently did the Holger sweater for my nephew and then the Olga sweater for myself (they're virtually identical construction-wise).
Oh that is so smart, i have to remember that!
Be delusional is such great advice. I felt delusional when I committed to my first ever sweater and I'm so so so so glad I just went for it
Right!?! We need this message more
also delulu in the fact that i never finished a project and thought i could knit socks... and i could! AND THEY FIT! definitely took me from someone who knew how to knit and purl to someone who can follow a pattern and knit socks!
When I was learning to knit, it was because I wanted to make socks and sweaters! But I thought I'd never be good enough to make anything more then a scarf, because even the simplest sweater looks very intimidating. It took me almost ten years to even try to make a sweater, but then I realized just how easy it is, at least for a simple raglan. I still haven't made anything more complicated then that, but I just finished a pumpkin cowl, made with two different colors, and now I think I might be able to make a colorwork sweater, as long as its a simple design! I wish I had decided to just make the sweater when I started knitting, because if I could have done that and stuck through it, then I know I can do anything! You will never be able to do what you refuse to learn, if that makes sense.
My practice for a new technique is to make it into a washcloth! No matter how jacked up it gets, I can use it to wash my face or the dishes. 🧡
Yes! So agree! I've been doing cleaning rags for years and years because of a hard lesson. You have no idea what yarn is going to do over a year worth of wear and tear in the form of a garment. Cleaning rags are a good way to test your yarn and find out how your sweater will look after wearing it and washing it for a year.
A few months ago, I commented on your halibut and how I wanted to try making one but had never done colour work before. You encouraged me to give it a try, and that it’s easier than it looks, and you were so right!! I’m working on it right now and I’m so glad I just gave it a try rather than letting my self doubt take over. Thank you for your encouragement!! 💜
Oh my gosh, that’s amazing! I’m so glad you commented again. I remember you. I’m so glad 😀
Tip: If you get bored easily, start from a level a little bit higher than you're at. I spent years knitting half a scarf and then dropped it because I got bored, but I thought I had to start with an easy project. Last year I finally gave up the scarf journey and decided to knit a top down raglan which is something I actually wanted to do and knit that in 2 months.
Great advice!
BRAVO!!! Listen, I’ve been knitting more than 40 years, and I subscribe to a TON of knitting You Tube channels. You are my favourite. ❤❤❤
Your gonna make me cry 🥹 thank you
"I didn't even know there was a community" THIS! 💯! I was a garter stitch scarf girlie until I found a knitting podcast and she knit her own socks! I was blown away. Now I've knit 2 pairs of socks, 1 jumper, am partway through a second and so many other things
Absolutely!! When you don’t know anybody in this crafty world, you don’t know that there’s even a world out there. Or at least I didn’t.
Congrats on your first jumper and socks!!! 🧦
I just started knitting last month, and I love making swatches! I make for different yarns with different needle sizes to learn about the combinations. I also knit different stitch patterns or techniques(M1R, SSK, etc) so I can see how they turn out and use them in places that I want to. Unlike actual clothings I feel more easy-going that swatches don't need to be great, so it really helped improve my stitches as a beginner.
Also I really agree on trying on different styles before knitting. I know that I look better in V-neck and set-in sleeves, so I'll probably start first on a project with these features.
Thank you for the video 😄😄
Yessss. Swatches can be fun!
Spinning my own yarn has taught me so much about fiber and the construction of yarn. It has taught me the properties of certain types of wool and fibers and has helped me choose yarn for knitting! I definitely recommend doing other crafts (especially spinning because then you can spin yarn to knit into things, which is really really cool)
I can’t imagine a better way to learn about fiber/yarn! 🧶
I have done a lot of crafting in my life, but knitting has been the most addictive and challenging. I did scarves when I was young, but when I restarted as an older adult, I soon realized that the learning is endless. I will never fully concur this craft, which I think is why I love it so much.
learning that I can just felt in my ends instead of weaving them in with wool yarn is honestly what I now love
I just started learning how to knit two days ago so this video couldn't have come at a better time.
So agree on the "don't be insecure, just try!". My first ever garment was a massive brioche cardigan, because I hadn't yet found knit some so didn't realise that should be intimidating. And I love it, still wear it several years later ❤️ if I'd spent to much time wondering if I could really do it, then I would have ended up just making another pair of socks
You give really good advice
The one that I agree with the most, is to PERFECT THE BASICS:
1. Cast on,
2. Knit, Purl
3. Cast off
like you said to knit rectangles until those basics are PERFECT.
If you can do the basics of knitting, everything else you mention will come together (including correcting the lack of confidence you observed)
By knitting rectangles to prefect the basics, you also learn how to fix mistakes, even edges, pick up dropped stitches, etc.
Great video
I think the one thing I've learned from watching all these insanely talented fiber artist describe their respective skills level as intermediate-advance intermediate is that "expert knitter/crocheter" might be akin to enlightenment.
lol, yes
I love this list. It's different.
Also completely agree with the "Believe in yourself and give it a go".
I've now taught 3 people to knit. I teach them the knit stitch, then the slip stitch, and finally the purl. And then I say: "Here you go, you can knit. Everything else is a variation of these three stitches." They all have looked at me like if I grew horns. But they all still knitting and making garnements, socks, and the likes.
That’s amazing!
This was really validating as a delusional knitter! I was so afraid to start knitting again after only crocheting for 8 years, but after a week I’ve relearned how to cable and picked up continental style, fair isle, and dpns for the first time! I still don’t know how to read a pattern but we’ll get there
Such good advice! Once you learn the absolute basics, it’s all a matter of just a following a pattern, step-by-step, one stitch at a time. When you reach something, you don’t understand in the pattern just TH-cam it, then carry on to the next stitch. There’s nothing to be afraid of when doing colour work or cables. Thanks for a great video🥰
Honestly, I completely agree with everything in this video, but I especially agree with the difficulty over time of knitting vs. crochet. I learned how to crochet when I was really young, maybe 10 or 11 years old. I remember that it took me about a week or two to get to a point where I could crochet a rectangle in any stitch I wanted without missing any stitches. I only learned to knit during Covid lock-downs though, and it took me months to get figure everything out. After I had mastered stocking stitch, rib stitch, and garter stitch though? I was a knitting machine. I could do anything, I tried out stranded colorwork and cables and lace, and I had so much fun with every new technique. It’s wild how different knitting and crochet are, but I’m really glad I learned both crafts because I feel like my options in fiber arts are unlimited :-)
I laughed out loud when you said “Be Delusional” because that’s exactly what I am doing. I am a beginner knitter (started this summer). My first project was a cardigan 😂😂 and guess what I completed it. Is it perfect? Hell no. Do I still love it? Absolutely. And it gave me so much confidence to march ahead.
I have been crocheting for some time now and have picked up knitting somewhat recently. I have found my love for it, and so much of that was through your channel. This video popped up on my feed one day and I decided to give it a try. I was immediately hooked. I have binged all of your videos while working on my current projects and I'm excited to see what you do next. All of your takes in this video have really resonated with me and have changed my perspective on knitting as a whole. Decided to jump into projects instead of being stuck making scarves and dishcloths I don't need. Finished a pair of socks and onto my first sweater. Thanks for creating a space like this on the internet!
This is one of my first ever TH-cam comments and I didn't realize my username still reflects my childhood hobby of duct tape wallets. How embarrassing.
I’m happy to be reminded of my duct tape wallet days 🥰 Congrats on the socks! If you can knit socks, you can knit anything. I hope you enjoy making the sweater. I was a ball of nervous energy on my first sweater.
Interesting, thanks. Your cat, though, stole the show! What a beauty ❤
🐈⬛
I appreciate this so much. I was so afraid of stranded colorwork at first (as someone with Autism and ADHDI get overwhelmed easily.) But you inspired me to try to begin with. So I sat down and tried and made a hat with only 1 mistake. Now I can't get enough of colorwork.
That’s fricken amazing!
Thank you Isabella! Your summaries were very insightful and educational! Wishing you inspiration in for more videos and your needle art!
17:37 As a crocheter, knitting seemed much more intimidating because the learning curve at the beginning seemed much steeper for knitting than crochet. I only started knitting in July so take what I have to say with a grain of salt in terms of a crocheter transitioning to knitting. But learning to knit similar to the way I crochet eased me into knitting so much better than I could have imagined. For example, when crocheting, I hold the yarn with my left hand, and I use my hook and right hand to grab the yarn, rarely moving my left hand. So, learning to continental knit and norwegian purl allowed me to use my crocheting muscle memory for knitting. I'm definitely glad I started with crochet. If I started with knitting, I may have gotten too frustrated with figuring out how to hold both needles and yarn, cast on, and tension my purl and knit stitches differently to even just get a decent rectangular swatch let alone a finished piece I wanted to make.
I am also a beginner knitter who started in crochet . . .I will have to look up the knit and purl types you mentioned!!
I love learning new things and way I do that is through buying different patterns…even some I don’t intend to ever make I just want to know how they did something because I often like to come up with my own freeform pattern. So essentially I get to learn how to do a different stitch or sock heel or colorwork chart etc… for the price of a pattern (always less than $8, some even free!) this is way cheaper than a book or a workshop. For books, I have favorite designers and that way I get all their specific tricks for their aesthetic in one package.
What helped me, knitting with the intention of sucking while you are working on technique. I used socks for this since nobody was going to see my crappy stitches since they are on my feet. Bonus, i now have a decent stock record of my learning journey😂
"I can't do that" is me all over. It especially rang true with stranded colour work, as I have refused to even try it. I've done the same with other techniques. This year I have got a bit better. I actually came back to knitting after a 20 year break and had never knit anything in the round on circular needles. To begin with I was "I can't do that". Then I realised that I was missing out on so many beautiful patterns because of my fear. So, I started with some hats and cowls and I'm now on my first top down in the round sweater. It won't be perfect but the next one will be a bit better and next better still. I also took part in a KAL for a big shawl, in 4 ply and with lace work. I very nearly didn't do it because I was scared that I would fail. Then I thought if I didn't try I'd never know. I did it, finished it and I am very proud of this beautiful knit. I have watched tutorials on every single technique that I didn't understand and now have learned loads of different things. Thanks for this podcast, it just may have given me the kick to try stranded colour work!
I love learning new things and way I do that is through buying different patterns…even some I don’t intend to ever make I just want to know how they did something because I often like to come up with my own freeform pattern. So essentially I get to learn how to do a different stitch or sock heel or colorwork chart etc… for the price of a pattern (always less than $8, some even free!) this is way cheaper than a book or a workshop. For books, I have favorite designers and that way I get all their specific tricks for their aesthetic in one package.
I once talked to a designer in person and asked how she came up with her amazing designs and she said “I swatch swatch swatch and then do more swatching” lol
The vibes are so good that I'm fully gonna listen to you
Thank you for sharing this. As a new knitter- super rookie in fact- I have been consuming loads of podcasts to learn from others as I have no one that I know that lives near me who knits and the nearest yarn store is over an hour from me which in my current season is not feasible. I love the fact that you said it is okay to do the same thing over and over again. I plan on trying to make several pairs of socks: 4 pairs for myself, 4 pairs for my husband, and 4 pairs for my son.
You’re gonna be so fricken good at making socks by the end of that!
Confidence! So much this! I will finnish my first knit this week (not counting the abandoned brioche (=easy!) project where I did not know what a gage swatch is...) and I had to learn EVERYTHING except for knit stitch and purl stitch for this. TH-cam is your friend. German short rows, picking up stitches, Italian bind off, cables! k2tog, increases! Never heard of them before. Had to redo something now and then. And you wouldn't believe how great this turned out!
I'm also the weirdo touching every yarn, rubbing it over the inside of the wrist to see if it scratchy despite being fluffy.
I love your idea “Knit It Again”. I love knitting an item again as soon as I finished it. The “mistakes “ or challenges are still fresh and I can sail through them and fix them. And I have gifts! The Wonder Woman shawl was a doozy. I knit it three times. It didn’t clicked until the beginning of the third shawl . So I had gifts for my sister and best-friend. I also kit “My First Holiday Sweater” so fast with no issues that I had to knit it again to make sure I was right. And I was. So, my best friend’s daughter had a Christmas sweater😅💜
That is some admirable dedication!!
Thank you for the idea about doing a swatch to learn something new! I really enjoyed your video, thank you.
I absolutely agree with your learning curves of crochet vs knitting, I started with crochet and when I first attempted my first knitted garment I had to practice more with swatches before getting to it. Thanks for the video!!
Thank you! I’m glad I’m not crazy
I could not agree with you more about self-drafting! I'm glad that when I decided I wanted to learn to knit, one of the very first knitting books I happened to find at the thrift store was a fairly in-depth book about knitwear design, with detailed instructions about how to take you own measurements and construct patterns based on that. Although it was specifically about knitting flat pieces for custom patterns, it completely informs everything I make now even though I typically do knit top down circularly from a pattern - the principles of design still apply and I know how to take my swatch and adjust my stitch count to end up with proportions I like
I've been knitting for almost 20 years now, and I only made my first sweater this year! I've spent so much time truly just faffing about with my knitting haha. I used to knit during lectures in college, and I've made lots of little scarves and washcloths, tried out SO many different techniques, but I once had a roommate who commented that I seemed to spend more time frogging than knitting lol. Which was true! But I've learned a lot about what I like and don't like (for example I tried continental knitting after years of throwing, I loved it and it's how I knit everything now), AND my tension is extremely consistent because I've just practiced so dang much. So now I feel like I could do anything!
I had picked up knitting a few times but struggled with the tension. I had already taught myself crochet and my tension was fine there. My friend (who knits and crochets) told me to try continental knitting and it fixed my issues with tension in knitting! I haven’t done a full project yet, but will be starting the PetiteKnit novice sweater when my needles arrive 😊
Sooooo true about knitting getting easier and crocheting getting harder. As someone who has crocheted for 15 years and knitted for only 2, the learning curve for knitting was crazy but it’s been a breeze since the first few months of laying down a solid foundation. Even learning techniques isn’t daunting anymore!
I definitely learn best by just throwing myself in at the deep end. First thing I knitted other than some swatches was 1x1 rib cuffs and collar on dpns for a self-drafted crochet lace sweater because I don't like crochet rib. My first scarf was two colour brioche with an i-cord edge. My first fully knit garment was a self-drafted v-neck sweater vest, my first full sweater is a self-drafted raglan with cables along the increase lines.
I also never really use needle sizes above 3.5/4mm because I don't like the look of bulky knit and don't like the feel of using larger needles.
My next big project after knitting some socks for christmas presents is learning knitted lace, both because I enjoy the challenge of learning new techniques and because I love how lace looks and feels. (also time vs money investment in lace knitting makes it appealing to me as a broke person who hates how most cheap yarn feels, but also likes to knit for hours every week)
🍁I loved this video. I don't have anyone in my life who knits, my grandma used to knit when she was young, because she tried to teach me when I was a child but the topic was somewhat abandoned. I learned from the internet and so, there are certain things which I just do because they look interesting. It is the same way I learned how to sew. I haven't been knitting for more than 5 years I think, and it's been quite on and off. I'm slow and not very good but I've already done colourwork and I'm currently finishing a gorgeous cable knit sweater from my husband. I knitted a couple of cardigans for myself which were illfitting and a cropped sweater which is REALLY cropped. But I'm still enjoying it. So, call it delusion or pure ignorance, I just want to knit certain things that look really beautiful and fascinating and just to think of being able to do those things is enough to give me serotonin.🎉❤ 🍁
That’s so awesome 🧶😊 The best possible attitude to have!
I love remaking things and seeing the progress. I am making a crochet temperature blanket and love seeing how much my squares have improved.
That's so cool. Blankets and I dont get along but gosh darn I love it when other people make them!!!
It took me years to finally start knitting because I worried of getting stuck (i'm self learner), or getting bored or feeling overwhelmed, so the first garment i did was a jumper with UK size 11 needles. This went sooo well that the next thing was a pair of socks with size 2 needles. I haven't stopped knitting. I've felt stuck many times, and those times I put the work away for a couple of days and usually my brain finds a solution. I'm a sewist before being a knitter. I love the stuff I make, I love the colours, the shapes and textures. I love knitting and fills me with joy.
I’m also a self learner when it comes to knitting and crocheting and even sewing. I’ve been recently trying to find a good free knitting pattern for a sweater in us size 11 needles. If you could share the pattern you used that would be really helpful. I’ve made this sweater four times because it just doesn’t fit right and it just doesn’t turn out the way I really like it to be because using us size 11 needles to make a sweater is so unheard apparently. 🙈
@jessicamena3320 this is the pattern Strathcona Sweater by Tara-Lynn Morrison. It's actually needle size 15!! Sorry
I must say you have quickly became my favorite crafting content creator! ❤
thank you 🥹
Mine too!
This was an amazing video thank you! And i definitely agree! Crochet is more easy at the start and knitting is harder. I was so depressed when i first tried knitting after crocheting for a year but persistence helps 😊
I have been binge watching every video on your channel and this is exactly what I needed on this slow Sunday morning. Hope you’re well!
That’s so awesome! Thank you 🥹
My mum taught me how to knit - it was a stockinette swatch essentially.
Her best advice "a good knitter is a good ripper" - as in a good frogger or unraveller.
My first finished object was a Dahlia MySize sweater with a lace yoke. Still wear it.
That’s the perfect advice! A good knitter is a good ripper.
You are such a breath of fresh air! I get so excited when your videos pop up! My 16-year-old is just learning to knit, and I shared this video with her. I am an extremely accomplished crocheter, and there is nothing that I don't think I can do related to crochet, but I've only really been knitting for a year or so and I'm very intimidated. I really want to knit myself a garment, so I'm going to start with a cardigan because I feel that the fit will be a little more forgiving. I can do this! I love TH-cam for techniques. You can really learn anything watching these short how-to videos about all things knitting.❤🧶
Oh that’s so exciting!! I hope she likes it. 🥰🧶
This was an absolute wealth of knowledge. I am so pleased to be a new subscriber! You speak with such articulation, but also in a way that is so relatable! Thank you for sharing these tips with all of us newbie knitters out here.
Thank you 🥰
All of these suggestions make perfect sense. I just now finished binding off my second square of blackberry/raspberry/trinity stitch for a blanket that I am making. The second square turned out much better than the first!
That’s amazing!
I didn't care how much of a beginner I was, I made a sweater, it looked horrible but I made it. The only thing I'm scared of trying is brioche but I will do it eventually.
And I 100% agree that crochet is easy to start but hard to master, while knitting is the opposite. I started crocheting and then picked up knitting. I love both but I reach out for my knitting needles more than my crochet hooks.
I wanted a cable-knit sweater, so I learned to knit from a crummy little pamphlet with line drawings, knit a garter stitch rectangle, and then knit a sweater. There were some other projects in there that I vaguely remember, but I'm pretty sure I started the sweater almost immediately. It didn't occur to me not to. I wore it for twenty years. (Until I got back into knitting recently and finally got access to some fancy-pants yarn. It's still on my shelf, but that woolease just isn't as satisfying now. Still... 20 years is a pretty good run for a piece of clothing.)
You are so right about the prevalence of self-defeating attitudes. Sweaters don't need to be difficult, especially in the age of youtube tutorials. These days, I tell people to go make Ashley Lillis' bulky raglan sweater.
For my money, cables are a beginner+ skill (at least if we're talking the usual 2-over-2, 3-over-3, 4-over-4, etc.), and stranded colorwork is low intermediate. Both are conceptually pretty easy, and cables can hide tension issues. Colorwork isn't really that complicated, but if you can know what you're supposed to do and find that your hands just won't do it (moreso than with cables, IME, where reading the chart is the main skill you need).
I'm with you that tension is actually the hard skill, not complex-looking stitch patterns.
The one other thing I'd say for beginners is to be more aware of how much knitting has fads. Holding things with mohair is in vogue right now. When I started, it was nowhere to be seen. Everything is top down in the round now. Twenty years ago, it was all bottom up and knit flat.
That’s awesome! 👏🏻
What do you mean "Be the weirdo that go to the yarn store to pet all the yarns"? Isn't that peak advanced knitter behavior? I'm officially a weirdo! 😅 I sometimes go to the yarn store ONLY to feel yarn and analyze samples. No money spent, best day ever. Thanks for a great video
I've just started with repeating stockinette over and over. Right now I'm trying colorwork - in like doing patchwork, I don't have the hang of it yet, but I will work on it. Also I'm also delusional, because my goal is to make a cable stitch sweater. I learn via youtube videos, I learned to crochet like that and I was very afraid of knitting, but the urge to master this skill is so big. I told myself, if I realize in a few weeks/months that knit is not for me, I still can use the yarn for crocheting.
That’s what I love about knitting/crochet. You can’t really “master” the craft because there are always more skills to learn. I love the gamify-effect of having all these little things to master like cables or colorwork .
Love your content! So much inspiration and still some good thoughts to think about! 🥰🥰
I started knitting last September, Granny showed me some things, but she does it so fast that I can barely see, so I've learn almost everything from the internet. Roxanne Richardson and Norman from Nimble Needles are excellent teachers. If I would give someone some tips, one would be definitely to learn some knitting theory. It helps so much when you read a pattern and know what this part does and what will happen. So much less confusion. I definitely tested it doing my first mittens, of course they couldn't be easy and plain because I would get bored, so they were convertible ones with cables and bobbles 😂 They turned out so pretty, were quicker than I thought they'll be and I had so much fun. Other than that, maybe it's just me being nerdy, but it really helps to make notes. Write what thing you made, what yarn you used, gauge, and useful things, like what worked, what didn't. And keep them in one place (I go overboard and stick some yarn in my notebook from the project, but you don't get bonus points for that). I also check yarn WPI myself and write it there, in case I want to make this project again with different yarn, so I know if I'll have to change things before I even swatch (and if I have to buy for example one ball of yarn more). And the third tip, for beginners, is that you don't have to start with garter stitch scarf. Just start with something that's not too big and not with thin yarn, so you won't get discouraged, but choose whatever you think is pretty and you'll find use for it. Preferably free pattern, so the worst what could happen is that you'll frog it and will make something else, you won't lose money for the pattern. I wanted to start with cardigan for my bestie's daughter, I couldn't make it look nice, so I made 3 hats and made the cardigan from a different pattern later. And she wears that damn thing all the time 😂
Her wearing it all the time is just about the best compliment
@BreathingYarn Considering she's almost 2 years old it's really the best compliment. She said it feels nice and rubbed it on her face when she opened the package 😂
@@Noel.Chmielowiec That's just the sweetest thing!
As someone who learned to crochet first, i do feel like knitting is a lot easier. I am a vanilla knitter, i love the simple garments, simple patterns. However i have been making swatches for practice in colorwork and cables and i find that it makes the learning process so much easier. that can also apply to crochet as well. Just make a bunch of swatches, practice and eventually you'll be making a larger finished item.
I was taught to knit by my high school English teacher who would knit all the time during class. After that I used TH-cam University and have learned so much. My hardest thing to learn was short rows. It took so many videos and explanations to understand it.
12:22 Whenever I receive praise for my knitting that I used patterns for, I don’t feel like I’ve done something amazing. I just followed the instructions. Anyone can do it.
I get that feeling too when it comes to following a pattern!
I feel like people are more scared these days to try new things; I learned to knit from books, before TH-cam existed and before I knew how to find any sort of online resources, and one of my first projects was a detailed colorwork baby blanket that was steeked! It was a pattern I wanted to make for my friend's baby, and so I just did it. I'd never done stranded colorwork or steeking before...and I also didn't know I should be 'scared' to try. The blanket turned out amazing, too. (it was also the first project I ever wet blocked, because the pattern said to, and I had never even heard of blocking before that point!). Great video, and I agree so much with your points!
I'm so delusional when it comes to fiber arts, so I love this advice. The first thing I crocheted was those wavy three color tops that require you to follow a chart and carry yarn. For me making something I actually really like, even if it is a bit difficult, is way better motivation than spending a lot of time on easier but boring projects. Once I'm able to make a scarf and a plain sweater, I already know what color work sweater I'm gonna be making as my first one.
I have officially been knitting for 3 years. I don't consider myself a beginner because of the kinds of things I have tried. For one, I started socks right away. I have made a variety of things. I do need to do more lace practice but I enjoy the adventure of trying out new things. I've been crocheting for 45 years and learning to knit taught me things for my crocheting as I hadn't really done wearables much in crochet. I haven't tried making my own sweater patterns yet but I have played with other pattern ideas from the start, even in my crochet journey I was making my own patterns when I was very early in my learning. I haven't tried brioche but that's just a matter of it hasn't come up yet. I also haven't done Raglan yet. I am guessing after I try a raglan, I'll start drafting my own sweater patterns. I am amazed at how much people aren't willing to try. A tip I always share is watch multiple people demonstrate what you want to learn. Also, if you struggle with the way you hold your yarn, needle, hooks, etc. find another way. Just because people say one way is better doesn't make it better for you.
Best advice: Just because people say one way is better doesn’t make it better for you
Also try out different techniques to see which one works better for you! I tried English and Continental and it was SO HARD to keep even tension. Now I do Portuguese and it's so easy.
When I was first learning to knit, I had a ball of crap yarn. knots everywhere and splitty as hell, but to use it up, I made it my practice yarn. It's now a small 2 foot long mini scarf (scarf-lette??) of franken-stitches. I practiced all new stitches on it and different techniques and needle sizes to get comfortable because I went straight from crochet to garment knitting w/o considering if I was ready, and I'm so glad I did! I don't necessarily love those first projects, but I'm so proud of where I've come in the last 2 years.
Although now I have to say, I get so impatient for starting the next project that sometimes I don't swatch, and in order to make myself swatch, I've started doing the sleeves first, whether it's colorwork or bottom-up and or just going for it. I'm trying to get back to loving to make swatches, so if I tell myself I'm making blanket squares, I can do it. I think partly (and off-topic tangent incoming) I'm plus size with a bigger belly than boob, which means a lot of modifications if I want something to look good and not just hang weird, and I'm in grad school, which means limited funds. So I tend to order yarn that barely squeaks through the requirements, so I don't always order enough yarn to do a "quality" swatch.
Ah, the way we tend to complicate our own lives sometimes unnecessarily!
100% love this! Yes to everything. Also, congrats on being in grad school.
Happy I’ve found you! You’re smart and creative-and you have such a pleasant voice to listen to! ❤ (agree completely, especially thoughts like “brioche is too hard” make me nuts!! Aaarrrgh!!)
Thanks for the push in confidence. I will try more techniques in knitting. I have tried so many things in weaving, spinning, and crochet now is my time to tackle knit! 🎉
Yessss 🥳
Literally just learnt to knit, so this is the perfect video for me!
A great video 👏👏👏 first time viewer, now subscribed 😊
Welcome aboard!
I just got caught up on your video catalog! Excited for the new upload ☺️
Not caught up yet, but enjoying :)
Yay! Thank you!
Haha, same! I've received SO many "Oh I'm not ready for x" (usually colourwork) over the years and it just sets me off. Like... WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? What will EVER make you ready except just doing it?
Anyway, totally agree thumbs up and yes yes yes!
Exactly!!
Came here for the advice, stayed for Pippin!
You’re sooo right about knitting vs crochet and I was thinking about this the other day - i learned crochet first but wanted to try knitting, and it felt like it took me forever to just figure out how to purl but after that was kinda smooth sailing in comparison - it made me realize I actually kinda suck at crochet lol
💯 % Learning is do much fun.
OMG! I really needed this video today! Crazy that you put it out today.
I have been trying to learn to knit as someone who picked up crochet so easily and have been struggling getting past the basics in knitting. Your video is giving me a bit of guidance.
Learning to hit gauge and finding the exact needles the pattern suggests and blablabla had started to make me feel frustrated.
Omg patterns are so misleading like that! If you don’t know, there’s all this unnecessary pressure to get the perfect/same yarn/needle/gauge combo as the pattern. Good luck!!!
the self draft tip is so real. my first big project i started was a self-drafted sweater vest.... girl let me tell you i unraveled this sweater so so many times and i made the mistake of not trying on my sweater frequently enough so when i unraveled it and had to start over i had this GIANT ball of yarn i called my yarn ball of shame. it took months but eventually i made a sweater vest i really loved AND i made it all up myself. i had to put it down for weeks at a time while making it because something wasnt working out and i wouldnt know how to do something so i would have to research and come back. but man, i learned so so much doing that. once i finished that project which was the first project i ever started i felt like i could make anything, and i've proven that to be true
If that isn’t inspirational, idk what is. The yarn ball of shame 😂
I'm working on my first cardigan, and I got to the button band and started to freak myself out. "I've never done a button band before!" "I know I can just pull it if it's not right, but what if it warps my other stitches?" Then I sat myself down, literally, and asked myself, "Do you really want to drop this project, almost a month of work, just because you're scared of some holes and buttons?"
The answer was no, I didn't want to drop it. So although I kept coming back to my spouse every 14 picked up stitches or so to fret about it, I got those stitches picked up. I got those two button bands done. And I even made alterations because the 1959 pattern's button holes had two measly rows before the bind-off, which didn't seem structurally sound to me. Looking at it in the morning light, I was so HAPPY that I achieved what I thought was impossible yesterday.
Working to get an even tension in colorwork is going to be the death of me!! Time to try again 💪
It’s a tough mountain to climb!
Yes, swatching just to practice! I was intimidated by cables so I got a beginner's guide to cabling book (from the library
❤ I had the same problem ppl kept telling me I needed bust darts but that screwed up stripes and colorwork. I suspected that the sorry rows had something to do with it but ppl kept saying I needed them. I finally stopped doing them and now every sweater fits! Im glad other ppl are putting it out there so we can help people struggling with this!
Yes, thank you! Short rows aren’t for everyone. 🙌🏻 I’m glad too, I don’t love doing short rows 😂
its funny next month it be one year of knitting and i dove head first in socks and love it. I have done a vanilla and now one patton and i feel like doing them at lest 5 times is the best for me
Congrats on 1 year of knitting 🧶 🥳
@BreathingYarn thank you
I personally find knitting to be so much easier then crochet. I learned how to knit several years before I learned how to crochet, and I can tell you, the learning curve for crochet for me was so much higher! There's still a lot of things in crochet that I feel like I just can't do, because I find them to hard. But with knitting, while there was and still is a learning curve, in some respects, I find it so much easier to pick up and do things. But if I fail, well, then I've still learned something. It just takes a minute to figure out what I've learned! Sometimes its that I'm just not at that skill level yet, or the yarn doesn't want to work for me. Other times, its a mental game I have to play, where I've convinced myself oh, I can't do this, so it'll never work for me. The first time I knit a pair of socks, it was so hard, but then it became easier. And then I learned a different way to knit socks, and that was super hard, but became easier, even though I've only done two pairs with the newer way. Sweaters are basically the same top down raglan over and over, but longer or shorter, or with different length sleeves. My absolute favorite dress was the same sweater pattern I keep using but with a longer neck, and it comes down to just below my butt, and I made it form fitting. Ultimately, all of what you said is really good advice. No one will ever get any better at what they do if they don't do it a whole bunch! Pratice is what will make or break you, when it comes to learning how to do things. That being said, it means you will fail a lot at first, but slowly you'll find you keep getting better and then one day, you'll laugh at the fact that you used to think this was hard for you at one point, because you didn' give up!
my first project was a stockinetter scarf. my second is a herringbone cowl and it's literally so easy (though it didn't stop my perfectionism from restarting 10 times because i would mess up.
As always, your thoughtful and thought-provoking perspective is much appreciated. I’m thinking about how some of this in other areas of my life.
Thankyou so much for a great video! I learnt to knit about 16years ago when my kids were babies and made pants and shorts using circulars in the round and even learnt short rows in the round and progressed to making a lacework dress but I let it go and have taken up crochet int he last year. I really want to get back to knitting as some of the fibre I have is best appreciated knitted, and I like lightweight thin sweaters. I am going to start making swatches immediately - THANKYOU
That’s so awesome, thank you!!
Thank you for the video, it is very refreshing and informative.
My advice for beginner knitter is to learn reading the knitted fabric - like if current stitch is knit stich or purl stitch, how to spot already made increase (to not have to guess what and where something went wrong when stitch count doesn't add up).
Also, I am totally like 'I cannot do colorwork' right now 😂
For my defense - I tried to make swatch with colorwork. Holding two stands was very awkward and fiddly. Plus I generally have problem with tension (tight knitter) so I had problem with puckering. I disliked the end result so I frogged it. After reflecting on my failure I realized that my yarn choice was poor - I used slippery Alpaca Silk because that was in my stash and I liked colors together. I want to knit colorwork sweater someday, watched many 'tips for colorwork' videos since then, but still I feel like I am hold back by my first bad experience. For now I am fine exploring other methods (I have tried more complex brioche shawl and it went fine and end product is gorgeous).
Absolutely! Reading your knits is such an important skill!!!
This video is immensely helpful. Thank you. 🙏
I agree 100% with knitting requiring more learning at the beginning. I tried to learn for many years without success, and only a few years ago it finally clicked. Ever since, I do not look at the difficulty level as something that makes or brakes it for me - my approach is: „there is a pattern, I will get through it no matter what, it may take longer, but I am capable od doing this.” And in the beginning that required watching youtube videos FRAME BY FRAME sometimes😂😂 But now I just pick whatever I like and give myself as much time as I need ❤️
17:54 oh my god this was 1000% my experience. When i first tried to learn to knit about a month ago i had so much tension problems and bumped into issues i couldnt find answers too via youtube that i legit had an emotional breakdown. I then videocalled a professional knitter who guided me via their webcam bit by bit, answered all my n00b questions etc, and ever since then knitting have become easier and easier and im now sitting here working on my first sweater. I still have tension problems at the beginning of a project but now i dont get angry and frustrated about it.
That’s so awesome 👏🏻
I’m an experienced knitter, and have learned and accepted the fact that I am going to have things to work out at the beginning of 99% of my projects - finding the right cast-on and the right gauge for the fabric I want are the main issues, but I also tend to make more mistakes at the beginning. Once I get going, it’s mostly smooth sailing after that. ~Brenda
Thank you for making this video! You inspired me to self-draft my first sweater with a crochet stitch pattern I saw in a video and really liked. It's going really well and I'm so glad I started. I agree about the difficulty level in crochet vs. knitting, for me at least, knitting also takes more time than crochet, so for the sweater I'm capable to do it much faster (which is why I chose to experiment with crochet first). This year really transformed my knitting hobby :) I'm happy I found you channel!
Oh my gosh that is so awesome 👏🏻
I think a knitting community is so important. I waited a year to make a project. I was just knitting and purling big swatches. I did get a better understanding of making clean stitches and not adding stitches. But it wasn’t needed. Color work really isn’t that hard. You need to learn some techniques but it is not hard. 2025 is my year of fearless knitting cables, color work, lace, brioche. Very little gift knitting in 2025. Just knitting for me and challenging my skills. 🧶😊
Great video... Live you tips 😊
Love love love libraries and thrift stores. I go to my library every month to pick up whatever is new and I thrift as many knit and crochet books as I can, I have over 50 books and spent probably $60 total. I love having my own "library" at home when I have a technique question or want pattern inspiration while still limiting screen time (writing my masters thesis so all I do is stare at my computer)
That is so f-ing awesome! Good luck on your thesis btw, that’s an awesome and difficult feat 👏🏻🎓
I completely agree with your knitting vs crochet barrier to entry graphs, with some exceptions. I think cables and colorwork were a lot easier than I thought after I got confident with casting on/binding off, knitting, and purling. But 20+ years in, I still get intimidated with knitting lace (because I can't read my stitches or ladder down to fix it like I can with other patterns) or trying new cast ons. Like I wanted to make a shawl recently and had to give up on a garter tab and find a different pattern instead 😅
😆 lace knitting feels like a whole different world sometimes!
I have the same Problem with the uprising front. For me I found the solution to ad shortrows at the bust too because at my body having a big bust did let it rise up like that. So now I have the higher neckline with shortrows aswell as the lower front and the hem is at the same length over all.
New subscriber here, love the knittalk.❤ I had seen an older video I liked and I am very happy to have found you again. Sry, for the grammar, english is not my native tongue.
There is so much to learn about knitting, there should be a college course about it
What an awesome encouraging video. O find you so inspiring 😊
What a lovely friend you have there
Fab video lovely with lots of great tips! Also, loving how you've styled your top! It looks great 🥰 xx
Thanks so much! 😊
If I wouldn't love you already, I would after this video. Why? That aggressive positivity is so wonderful to see ❤ we need someone to kick us in our buts but like lovingly. Think is we can do anything and everything we want. Maybe not well and not in a first try but we can fo ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING (atleast in knitting and only if we want)
I’m running on a campaign of: more aggressive positivity