Interested in starting a new hobby? If you’re reading this, then knitting is something you’re interested in trying. Congratulations! Knitting is a rewarding hobby. It’s also been shown to reduce stress and improve memory. And it’s a great way to decorate your home and create personal gifts. Anxious to get started? Here are the steps to take.

Step #1 Understand What Kind Of Learner You Are.

Do you learn by watching, reading, or doing? This is important because it can be difficult to pick up new stitches if you’re utilizing the wrong learning method. For example, if you learn by watching then video knitting tutorials work best, while trying to learn a stitch by reading the directions can be frustrating.

Step #2 Buy Your Supplies.

Knitting requires a few materials. You can find them at any hobby store or online. The necessary supplies include:

Knitting needles – buy the best that you can afford.

Yarn – buy several types and colors, they should make you smile and appeal to your senses.

Bag or organization system – keep your yarn and materials in good shape by creating a system to store and organize your projects.

Pair of scissors – there’s nothing more frustrating than not being able to find scissors when you’re working on a project. Buy a pair specifically for your knitting bag.

Sewing needle – used to tie off or help with twisted stitches.

Crochet hook – used to help with twisted or dropped stitches.

Knitting journal – used to help keep track of your stitches during a project.

Step #3 Give Yourself Time To Practice.

Sit on the couch, without a project in mind, and start practicing your stitches. The more effective you are at the basic stitches, the better your projects will turn out.

Casting on

Knit stitch

Purl stitch

Binding off

Garter stitch

Step #4 Practice Maintaining Tension And Keeping Your Stitches Consistent.

Be patient with yourself. It can take time to master these stitches. However, the time you take is important. These stitches are used for just about every project you’ll undertake.

Step #5 Start Small.

Once you have a good handle on the foundation stitches, choose a simple project. Consider the following:

If you’re struggling, consider signing up for a knitting class. Knitting is often a social activity and classes are offered in most communities. Check with your local tailor, yarn or craft store, or your community education center. Grab a friend and bring someone with you to learn.

There are literally thousands upon thousands of free knitting patterns that are no longer available simply because they were published many years ago and are now out of print. Fortunately, the Internet gives us the opportunity to share these fun, exciting and long lost designs for everyone to enjoy again. We are currently working on reproducing our library of vintage patterns that have passed into the public domain and will include them here as quickly as we can.

All of the free knitting patterns that appear on this website have passed into the public domain. That means that these designs are no longer protected by copyright and you are free to do whatever you would like to do with them! Copy them, share them, make finished items from them and sell them - let your imagination run wild!