Crafty Belles

Knitting as a process starts with understanding the basics. Once you have that down, it is time to pick your first pattern! The first project is always difficult and therefore, you must choose the pattern very carefully. I would suggest you pick a simple pattern for your first knitting project. A basic stockinette should do just fine since it does not require any shaping and will give you an opportunity to master both knit and purl in the same project. The idea is to pick a pattern that is flat and squarish, making knitting that first item that much easier for you.

Finding A Pattern Online
You can easily find patterns in knitting magazines and books. If you are looking for free patterns you can even find them online. In fact, it is rather easy to find the perfect pattern for your project, although it might be slightly tougher to find instructions for it as well. You can find plenty of blogs and website with wonderful knitting patterns for you project. From sweaters to shrugs and from bags to bandanas, you can find patterns for just about everything on the internet.

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Knitting is a versatile activity in itself. I am sure that by now you have mastered the two basic stitches: the knit and the purl. The next logical step is to move on to some more complex stitches so bring variety into your knitting fabrics. To knit the same stitch repeatedly, project after project, can make the whole exercise painfully dull. Therefore, it is important that you try out other stitches and master them so you can use a lot more variety in your knitting. You can find instructions for other stitches in magazines and on the internet. However, I am going to give you my list of the most popular types of stitches in knitting so get you started!

Garter Stitch:
A garter stitch creates the most basic knitting pattern of all. With every row as a knit, the garter stitch leaves the fabric looking identical on both sides. Used in basic designs like scarves, the garter stitch is also popularly known as “Knit Every Row”. The stitch is probably the easiest and therefore ideal for beginners.

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Understanding a knitting pattern can be easy only if you know how to break the code. All knitting patterns you find will usually follow the same structure, the one I am about to outline here for you. The abbreviations used can confuse at times but if you have the right knowledge before you set to read a pattern you are unlikely to find it difficult.

The set of instructions will first establish visually what the finished product will look like. For this, you will generally find a picture of the finished fabric at the very beginning.

Along with this, you may also find specifications regarding what the yarn quality is like and the needle size details.

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When I think knitting, I think about the sweaters and the colorful pairs of socks my grandmother use to knit for me when I was little. Another image I had was that of my mother knitting cute little things for new-born babies in the family. Associating it with my mother and grandmother, I didn’t think it could be fun for someone young like me. Obviously, my idea of knitting was no where near the truth. And I’m sure many of you reading this right now feel the same way. Let me give you a little historical detail about knitting and break the myths that have surrounded this craft for centuries!

More For Less!
Knitting can be traced back to 1000 A.D Egypt and colorful socks. And since then it sure has come a long way. From sweaters to socks and from bags to various other accessories, knitting lets you to design your own wardrobe. And trust me, it will be nothing less than a designer wardrobe and so cost-effective! With knitting as a hobby, you can get a lot more for a lot less. For years, designer labels have been using knitted clothes and accessories on the runway and in their stores. Even celebrities – supermodels and Hollywood stars can be spotted wearing knitted attires.

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