Patterns for Beginners

You're ready to take that first leap into knitting. So you go online to find a fun simple pattern to get you started. And, like most search terms today, you are hit with an onslaught of search results. Typing in "knitting patterns" brings back 1,660,000 results on Google and "free knitting patterns" - 1,550,000. That is crazy!?

I thought I'd help you out. Here are my favourite pattern web sites and some recommendations.

First, some start-up recommendations.

That first item should be for you. Imagine when you turn up to a party/meet with friends/sports game... with that first scarf, hat, bag or other garment.

When you choose a pattern, make sure it's something that you really like - not something that you think you can knit. There are, literally, hundreds of thousands of easy knitting patterns out there. There's something there for you as well.

Here are my top 4 picks for that first knitting pattern:

1. Make a scarf.

This is a great first scarf - simple straight knitting, but still has two different colours.

2. Make a headband.

This cute headband is made with a multicoloured yarn. It's from knitpicks, so you could buy the yarn directly from them... or not.

3. Make a bag.

Here's a fun bag, knit in two triangles and then sewn together.

4. Make a washcloth.

From one of my favourite web site, www.knitty.com - these washcloths are for those of you out there that like to surprise visiting guests with some fun colours in the bathroom. There are lots of choices and the choice of colours are absolutely up to you:

Once you've picked your pattern:

Print it and take it to your local yarn store - for starters...

Pick a yarn - colour and texture - that you really like. If your local yarn store doesn't have the yarn that you want, go online. There are lots of great online yarn stores. My favourites are Knitpicks and Ramwools. But there are hundreds more.

The pattern will restrict you to a certain gauge yarn, which means the thickness of the yarn. But you'll find there are lots of different brands that carry all kinds of different yarns, so there's lots of choices for every pattern.

Buy the standard knitting needles, i.e. the less pricey ones. You can get really carried away when it comes to buying knitting needles. The majority of them are just fine.